Before You Go

TL;DR

  • Apply for the e-Visa online 1–4 weeks before departure. It’s painless.
  • No power adapter needed if you’re european - your Europlugs fit Indian sockets. Rest of the world would need to get an adapter to Type C, D, and M.
  • Bring a credit card + get a tourist UPI wallet on arrival.
  • India runs on quick convenience apps, download them before you fly!

Visa

Please follow the recommendation of your company or use the internet for your visa information. Almost all countries need some form of visa or travel document to travel to India.

Vaccinations & Insurance

The Auswärtiges Amt page for India is the authoritative source: https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/aussenpolitik/laender/indien-node

Practically speaking, most travel clinics (Tropeninstitut) recommend: standard STIKO vaccines up to date, Hepatitis A, and typhoid for longer trips. Malaria is generally not needed for Mumbai and the sights in this guide - mosquito spray in the evenings is the sensible measure.

Get a travel insurance, private hospitals and medicare is relatively affordable and accessible in India.

For the germans reading the guide, not-neccesary but nice: register your trip with the Auswärtiges Amt’s ELEFAND list (https://krisenvorsorgeliste.diplo.de/signin).

Money

I cannot stress this enough, but India is now overwhelmingly cashless - even the coconut seller on the beach has a QR code. The catch: the QR system (Unified Payment Interface (UPI)) is linked to Indian bank accounts. Two ways in:

  1. UPI One World — a prepaid UPI wallet for foreign tourists. You can set it up at the airport or via the app, load it with your card, and then scan QR codes like a local. This is the single biggest quality-of-life upgrade for your trip.
  2. Cash backup — withdraw at airport ATMs (HDFC, ICICI, SBI are reliable). €100–150 worth of rupees covers a week of small cash needs.

I’ve tested out Mony earlier this year with my partner. She had a local number, but the app seems to support international numbers too. You would need to send an SMS to verify the number and perform KYC. Once its active:

  • You can load up money via a credit card or apple/google pay
  • Minimum deposit is ₹1500 and it has a ₹150 fee, cheaper to load higher amounts
  • You cannot pay any personal accounts with this UPI, you can only interact with merchant accounts like restaurants or shops

Credit cards work in restaurants, hotels, and bigger shops. Credit cards are probably the least used form in the country though, its mostly UPI or cash.

Rough price feeling: a chai is ₹15–20 (~20 cents), a great meal ₹400-500, a fancy dinner for ₹2,500+, a 30-min Uber ₹250–400.

If its a smaller locale, you might encounter an unofficial tourist tax, you can also often bargain your way out of it - I normally don’t bother if the increase is reasonable because the money often helps the business more than me.

For the OSS fans, check out https://github.com/librefin-in , its a WIP project but it’s an interesting way to get into how UPI works under the hood.

SIM Card / Connectivity

Get a local SIM or eSIM from an online provider like Airalo or Saily.

  • At the airport: Airtel and Jio counters after customs. You need your passport + visa; they take a photo of you. Activation takes a few minutes to a few hours.
  • eSIM before you fly: Airalo/Saily work as a zero-hassle fallback, but you won’t get an Indian number - which might be an annoyance for logging into local apps.

5G Data is basically free in India and available in even really remote locations. You don’t need to worry about internet connectivity.

Safety

  • Mumbai (Especially the BKC area that Devcon is in) is very safe for all genders
  • Usual big city rules apply, take care of your belongings and expect pickpockets at busy areas
  • Mumbai is one of the safest cities in India for women, but try to avoid being out late alone at night. Use ride share apps when you can and share your location with someone you trust.
  • Petty crime rates exist, but is lower than many other countries. You’re more likely to get scammed trying to buy something or get charged a hefty tourist price.
  • As a woman, use the womens only compartment and facilities provided in public transport.

Packing Notes

  • No adapter needed! German Europlugs (Type C) fit Indian Type D sockets. Only chunky Schuko plugs with earth pins may not fit - bring one cheap universal adapter for those.
  • Light, breathable clothes; one layer for aggressive AC in trains/malls.
  • Comfortable sandals you can slip off easily.
  • Mumbai is extremely metropolitan, but a scarf can be a nice item to pack to cover up (especially if you intend to visit religious locations) and it helps you blend is as an added feature. Buy one once you land if you want a local flair.
  • Sunscreen and mosquito spray (DEET or Icaridin). You can also get a mosquito long term clothing impregnation sprays, apply these on the first day and it should help against the stray mosquito.
  • Imodium akut + Electrolyte + your usual travel medicines. If you eat at nice looking restaurants, you should be fine. But the cuisine can be very different from what you are used to, ease your body into it! Indian spicy means spicy, rely on joghurt (lassi) to cool off!
  • Get a nice pair of noise cancellation headphones or airpods. Noise can be overwhelming for most people and it’ll make your stay much nicer. People will tap or yell to get your attention if they need to, so don’t worry about not hearing them.
  • Get toilet paper or buy it soon after you land, most of the country uses water based bum-guns. Be open to trying it out!

Expectations

  • People will stare, but they don’t mean any ill will! Often people are just curious and friendly if you choose to interact with them.
  • If you’re white, You might get asked by people to take photos. They don’t mean to do anything bad with the photos, usually its to share with their whatsapp groups that they met a white person. They accept and leave you alone if you say no.
  • Be firm with your statements, people view most polite “no”s as non-definitive and with room for negotiation. Be assertive in your “no” and people will respect it. It takes some getting used to, but it will improve your experience and people will not feel bad when you say no.
  • You will face a culture shock once you land, ease yourself in and take breaks often. If you feel overwhelmed, find the nearest cafe to recharge at.

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