Buses Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) operates buses from various points of the city every 15 min to the Bengaluru International Airport (BLR). A total of 156 buses ply to and from the airport. 40 of these buses are air-conditioned Volvo buses, called Vayu Vajra. The cost for each trip in these buses ranges between Rs 50-250 depending on the distance. This is the cheapest and an extremely convenient way to get to the airport moreover, this service is available everyday, day and night. While taking this mode be aware that you will need some one to pick you up from the bus stop or you will need a auto rickshaw ride for the last mile.
Post-paid taxi BLR has selected Meru and EasyCabs to provide basic taxi services. The taxi operators will have basic A/C cars, all equipped with tracking devices to ensure safety and transparency. Both operators have professional call centres. Hence, guests traveling to the airport can call the cab call centres and a cab will pick them up and drop them at the airport. Meru Cabs have been reported to be highly un-reliable by users.They have been known to cancel the appointment at the last hour leaving the customer high and dry. The Meru Cab drivers do this if they find a better deal from a street pick up while they are on their way to an airport pick-up. For travellers arriving at the airport, there is a dedicated taxi holding area. The post paid taxi facility will be available on meter charges @ Rs 20/- per km (subject to Govt regulation). These are by far the best and most convenient mode of transport from the airport. It may cost you approximately Rs 600 to get to Bengaluru's CBD. About Rs 700 to Koramangala.
Share Taxis are operated by Airlift. As soon as you exit the airport terminal, look for the bus stand with the bright red Volvo buses. The share taxis are yellow and red Toyota Innovas parked just next to the buses. These are very convenient and cheaper than a regular taxi as a one way drop to Bengaluru's CBD will cost around Rs 300. These are air conditioned and offer each passenger a personal television screen. (Dis-functional as of now) This service has ceased to operate.
Pre-paid taxi Hertz and Akbar Travels provide pre paid Limousine and car rental facilities through counters at the terminal building. These cost above Rs 1,200 to CBD
Self drive cars will also be available on self drive basis. There will be three ranges of self drive cars - the compact category (Suzuki Swift), the intermediate range (Ford Fiesta), the standard category (Toyota corolla), Multi Utility Vehicles (Toyota Innova) and Sports Utility Vehicles (Ford Endeavour). These cars will be given to the renter with a full fuel tank and the car has to be returned with full fuel tank. A flexible pick up and drop off facility in town and at the airport will be offered. The renter can pick up the car at the airport and then drop it off anywhere in the city or in Hyderabad or Chennai. Similarly, the car can be picked up at any of these cities and dropped off at the airport. Conditions apply (the renter must be over 21 yrs of age and possess a valid Indian license). In India it is not as easy as in the west. One needs to to do a lot of paper work and depending on the company and type of car you want to rent a large deposit will be required. Please check well in advance before making plans. Much easier to rent a chauffeur driven taxi.
Hotel pick-up Another option is to arrange with your hotel in Bengaluru to have a driver pick you up at the airport. Some hotels, especially the higher-end ones, provide this service for free if you are staying with them. If it's your first time traveling to Bengaluru, this is the recommended way to get from the airport to your hotel. The driver will be found outside the airport with a card bearing your name, the only difficulty being that about 100 other drivers will also be waiting outside the airport, all vying for your attention. Luckily there is a short fenced walkway that separates the drivers from those leaving the airport, giving you ample time and space to find your ride into Bengaluru.
Taxi (other) You can still find a ride into Bengaluru City in your own taxi at a much cheaper rate than the above options, if you are willing to take the risk involved. Taxi drivers not approved by the airport will attempt to negotiate with you a much lower fare than the approved EasyCabs and Meru cabs, and may come down to as much as Rs 200-300 for a ride to Bengaluru's CBD. One really has to bargain very hard or you will be taken for a ride. These drivers can be found just beyond the terminal plaza at the covered walkway that leads to the parking lots. Once you leave the walkway, some drivers may become fairly aggressive, and might try to take your bag without your permission. The best thing to do is to keep track of, and be in control of, your belongings. Even the most aggressive taxi driver or tout will leave you alone if you stand firm and make it clear that you do not want their help. It is recommended to fix the price before you enter the cab and no tip is necessary once you arrive at your destination. Do not opt for this mode if you are not familiar with rates.
If you are in a hurry and have a lot of money, helicopter services are offered by Deccan Aviation and Birdie. There are eight helipads across Bangalore and a ride from the international airport sets you back by about Rs 5,000.
A high-speed electric train is planned to connect the airport with the city, cutting travel time to about 22 min, but no date of completion has been announced. A new express toll road is also planned to connect the airport to the city's ring road at Hennur.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Bangalore
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Bangalore - updated May 2024
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Bangalore Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
