What is the Best Way to Travel to India? The Different Ways to Visit from Another Country

India is a vast country, and a very desirable destination to travel to. Choosing the best way to travel to India can be difficult though, and can widely depend on your budget, location, and travel preferences.

 While most visitors arrive by air, there are also options to enter India by land or even by sea. Understanding the different routes can help you plan a smoother and more enjoyable journey.

No matter how you choose to arrive, India’s rich history, stunning architecture, and beautiful chaos make it well worth the journey. From bustling cities to serene countryside, this fascinating destination offers something for every traveler, and we're here to help you get there. Now, let's explore the different ways to get to India and find the best option for your trip!

What is the Best Way to Travel to India? a Brief Intro

India is a massive country, so the first step to exploring it is deciding which area you'd like to start with.

In the first part of our guide we're going to share the best way to travel to India, and the different options for doing so as a tourist.

📍 Where is India on the Map?

India is located in Asia, and is perfectly situated between the Middle East and Eastern Asia, making it easily accessible from a variety of countries around the world. it is also situated completely in the northern hemisphere, and is all in one time zone. 

🤔 What is the Best Way to Travel to India?

The best way to travel to India is definitely by flight, especially since many of the land borders are not easily accessible or may be unsafe. 

While we absolutely recommend flying into India, we're also going to share with you all of the options for how to travel to India via air, land, and sea.

✈️ Traveling to India by Air

The easiest option (and best way to travel to India in our opinion) is by flying, since it is so well-connected to many areas of the world.

India has 34 international airports around the country, with the biggest and most popular ones being New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.

🛬 Are There Direct Flights from the US to India?

Yes, you can fly direct from the US to India! The cities that you can fly directly into from the US include New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.

Direct flights to Delhi leave from Chicago, Newark, New York, San Francisco, and Washington. Flights to Mumbai leave from Newark, New York, and San Francisco, and you can also fly to Bengaluru direct from San Francisco.

Are There Direct Flights from Europe to India?

There are plenty of flights that go from Europe to India, with Delhi being the most popular airport, including flights from Amsterdam, Birmingham,  Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Helsinki, Istanbul, Leipzig, London, Milan, Moscow, Munich, Muscat,  Paris,  Rome, Toulouse, Tbilisi,  Vienna, Warsaw, and Zurich.

The European cities that fly direct to Mumbai include Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Munich, London, Paris, Warsaw,  and Zurich.

To Bengaluru, you can find flights from Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Munich, and Paris.

🛩 Other International Cities that Fly Direct to India

There majority of international cities flying to India land in Delhi. The cities include Abu Dhabi, Addis Ababa, , Almaty, Ashgabat, Baghdad, Bahrain, Baku, Bali, Bangkok, Bishkek, Chengdu, Colombo, Dammam, Dhaka, Doha, Dubai, Dushanbe, Guangzhou, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Jeddah, Kabul, Kuala Lumpur, Kunming, Kuwait City, Male, Melbourne, Nairobi, Nanning, Paro, Phuket, Port Louis, Seoul, Sharjah, Shenzhen, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei, Tashkent, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, Toronto, Xi'an, Vancouver, and Yangon.

Other international cities that fly direct to Mumbai include Abu Dhabi, Addis Ababa, Baku, Bahrain, Bangkok, Cairo, Chengdu, Colombo, Dammam, Dar-Es-Salaam, Dhaka, Doha, Dubai, Entebbe, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Jeddah, Kuala Lumpur, Kuwait City, Male, Muscat, Nairobi, Nanning, Phuket, Port Louis, Ra'sal-Khaymah, Riyadh. Shanghai, Sharjah, Singapore, Taipei, Tehran, and Tokyo.

To Bengaluru, you can find flights from Abu Dhabi, Addis Ababa, Bahrain, Bangkok, Dammam, Doha, Dubai, Hong Kong, Jeddah, Kuala Lumpur, Kuwait City, Mauritius, Muscat, Sharjah, Singapore, Sydney, and Tokyo.

Search for a flight to India:

🚗 Traveling to India via Land Borders

India shares land borders with Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. and some countries don't allow land border crossing at all, while others have specific ones that tourists can use.

🇵🇰 Crossing the Land Border Between India and Pakistan

The only land border open between Pakistan and India for travelers is the Wagah-Attari border, located between Lahore (Pakistan) and Amritsar (India). This border crossing is famous for its unique Wagah Border Ceremony, a daily military display performed by both countries' border forces.

While the border is open, crossing between the two nations is extremely difficult. Travelers must have a valid visa, as visa-on-arrival is not available for most nationalities, and the process of obtaining a visa can be complicated and requires pre-approval from both governments. The crossing is mainly used by Indian and Pakistani citizens visiting family on either side, diplomatic personnel, and a limited number of foreign travelers with special permissions.

The border is open daily from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM (local time) for crossings, but it is best to confirm in advance, as tensions between the two nations can sometimes lead to temporary closures.

🇨🇳 Crossing the Land Border Between India and China

The borders between China and India are not accessible at all to cross, due to unclear lines established, as well as bad relations between the two countries. They share a vast and heavily militarized border, with ongoing disputes over regions like Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Aksai Chin.

🇲🇲 Crossing the Land Border Between India and Myanmar

India and Myanmar have a Border Crossing Agreement, allowing foreigners to enter Myanmar through two official land crossings:

1. Moreh (India) – Tamu (Myanmar) (Manipur State) – This is the most commonly used land border crossing, connecting northeastern India to Myanmar's Sagaing Region. It is a popular route for overland travelers heading toward Mandalay and other destinations in Myanmar.
2. Zokhawthar (India) – Rikhawdar (Myanmar) (Mizoram State) – A smaller and less frequently used crossing, but still a viable option for those traveling in the region.

Unlike Indian and Myanmar citizens, foreigners need a pre-approved e-visa to enter Myanmar via land borders, as visa-on-arrival services are not available at these checkpoints. Additionally, travel restrictions in Myanmar may affect border accessibility, so it is advisable to check current regulations before planning an overland trip.

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🇧🇩 Crossing the Land Border Between India and Bangladesh

India and Bangladesh share one of the longest international borders in the world, with multiple border crossing points open to travelers.

The most popular and busiest crossing is Petrapole (India) – Benapole (Bangladesh). This is the primary gateway between Kolkata and Dhaka, with regular bus and train services, and is the best option for those traveling between the two countries.

Here are some other key land crossings:

• Akhaura (Bangladesh) – Agartala (India): Commonly used for travel between northeastern India and Bangladesh.
• Hili (Bangladesh) – Balurghat (India): A smaller but active crossing for regional travel.
• Gede (India) – Darshana (Bangladesh): Used primarily for railway travel.

Foreign travelers need a valid visa, as visas-on-arrival are generally not available at the land borders between India and Bangladesh. The crossing process can be really time-consuming, so it is recommended to travel early in the day.

🇳🇵 Crossing the Land Border Between India and Nepal

India and Nepal have an open-border policy, allowing citizens of both countries to travel freely without a visa.

As a foreign traveler though, you'll need to obtain a visa-on-arrival for both countries. There are several official border crossings, with the most commonly used one being Sunauli-Bhairahawa, connecting northern India to popular destinations like Lumbini and Kathmandu.

Other border crossings include Raxaul-Birgunj, Jogbani-Biratnagar, and Banbasa-Mahendranagar. Most foreign travelers can obtain a visa on arrival at major entry points, making overland travel a more convenient option from Nepal than from some other countries.

🇧🇹 Crossing the Land Border Between India and Bhutan

Bhutan has strict entry policies, which is something that foreign travelers will have to keep in mind if traveling between the two countries.

Indian citizens can enter without a visa through designated land crossings, while foreign travelers (excluding Indian, Bangladeshi, and Maldivian nationals) will need to obtain a visa in advance and must arrange their visit through an approved Bhutanese tour operator.

The primary and most commonly used border checkpoint between the two countries is Jaigaon-Phuentsholing, which connects West Bengal, India, with Bhutan's gateway town of Phuentsholing. Other official crossings include Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar, though these are less frequently used by tourists. 

🌊 Traveling to India by Sea

While the best way to travel to India is via air travel, a super fun option is to enter the country via sea! India has an extensive coastline with several major ports that welcome cruise ships and a few ferry services from neighboring countries.

⛴️ Ferries to India 

Although there are no extensive international ferry networks connecting India to other countries, there are a few routes are available from Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and surprisingly from Myanmar (in the future).

Here are the different international ferries you can take to get to India:

 🇱🇰 Ferries from Sri Lanka to India

• A ferry service once operated between Colombo (Sri Lanka) and Rameswaram (India), but it was discontinued. However, there are ongoing discussions about potentially reviving ferry connections between Kankesanthurai (Jaffna, Sri Lanka) and Nagapattinam (Tamil Nadu, India).
• Private boat charters are sometimes available between Sri Lanka and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, though these are not regular services.

🇲🇻 Ferries from the Maldives to India

• A passenger and cargo ferry service was introduced in 2020, connecting Malé (Maldives) to Kochi (Kerala, India) with a stop in Kulhudhuffushi. However, the service is not regular, so travelers should check availability before planning a trip.

🇲🇲 Ferries from Myanmar to India

• While no passenger ferries currently operate, there have been discussions about a potential ferry route connecting Sittwe (Myanmar) and Kolkata (India) as part of regional trade and tourism initiatives.

🚢 Cruise Ships to India

India is a popular destination for luxury cruise liners, as well as some cruise lines that are doing their takeout voyages (we had co-workers when we were working on cruise ships that had itineraries including India).

There are several international cruise companies that have India on their itineraries, which include Royal Caribbean, Costa, Silversea, and some other smaller lines that do world cruises.

Major cruise ports in India include:

• Mumbai Port (West Coast): The busiest cruise port in India, welcoming ships from Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
• Cochin Port (Kochi, Kerala): A common stop for cruises from the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and the UAE.
• Mormugao Port (Goa): A popular stop on luxury cruises exploring South Asia.
• Chennai Port (East Coast): Used by some cruises traveling along the Bay of Bengal route.
• Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar Islands) – A gateway for ships traveling between India and Southeast Asia.

Some well-known cruise lines that include India in their itineraries are:

• Royal Caribbean: They offer routes that include Mumbai and Goa as part of South Asian voyages, and also on voyages for new ships being built in Europe but sailing in Asia
• Costa Cruises: They typically stop at Mumbai and Cochin on its Indian Ocean tours.
• Silversea Cruises: This Luxury cruise operator does stops in Goa, Chennai, and the Andaman Islands.

For travelers looking to explore India by sea, cruise ships are the best option, as international ferry services remain limited.

We hope we've been able to help you decide which is the best way to travel to India for you! If you have any questions, please feel free to drop them below in the comments.

Want to learn more about traveling to India? We have lots of other India travel guides, as well as a few others coming up, so make sure to subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date!

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