Money, Safety, Health & eSIM in India
India's currency is the Indian rupee (INR, ₹) — carry cash for street food, small shops, and rickshaws; cards work at hotels, malls, and chain restaurants. Typhoid and hepatitis A vaccines are commonly recommended before you go; talk to a travel clinic 4–6 weeks ahead about your specific itinerary. India is generally safe for tourists, though petty scams, traffic, and (for solo women especially) extra situational awareness are worth planning for.
The unglamorous section that actually determines how smooth your trip feels: how to handle cash, what to genuinely worry about health- and safety-wise (it's a shorter, more specific list than you'd think), and how to get online the moment you land.
Money and ATMs
The Indian rupee (INR, ₹) is the currency everywhere — exchange rates move, so check a live rate before your trip rather than an old figure; as a rough planning anchor, $1 has recently traded in the low-to-mid 90s in rupees. ATMs are widely available in cities and tourist areas; notify your bank of your travel dates in advance, and expect a foreign-transaction fee on both ends (your bank's and the ATM operator's).
| Payment method | Where it works best |
|---|---|
| Cash (rupees) | Street food, small shops, rickshaws, rural areas |
| Credit/debit card | Hotels, malls, chain restaurants, larger shops |
| UPI / digital payment apps | Extremely common locally, but usually requires an Indian bank account or SIM — not easily set up as a short-term visitor |
Health — vaccines and malaria
| Vaccine / precaution | Who it's for |
|---|---|
| Routine vaccines up to date (MMR, Tdap, etc.) | All travelers |
| Typhoid | Commonly recommended for all travelers, even short trips |
| Hepatitis A | Commonly recommended for all travelers |
| Hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies | Recommended for longer stays, rural travel, or specific activities |
| Yellow fever certificate | Required only if arriving from a yellow-fever-risk country |
| Malaria prophylaxis | Usually not needed for city-only Golden Triangle trips; consider it for rural travel in high-transmission states |
See a travel clinic or doctor 4–6 weeks before you fly to go over your specific itinerary — vaccine and malaria recommendations depend heavily on which regions you're visiting and for how long. This page is a starting point for the conversation, not a substitute for it.
Is India safe?
Yes, for the great majority of travelers, though it takes more everyday situational awareness than a lot of destinations — heavy, unpredictable traffic; petty scams targeting tourists near transit hubs and major sites; and crowding at popular attractions and festivals. Violent crime against tourists is relatively rare, but isn't nonexistent, and standard precautions (well-lit areas at night, registered taxis, keeping valuables secure) matter more here than in a lot of places.
Solo women travelers should take extra, genuine precautions in India — sticking to well-reviewed accommodation, avoiding empty train carriages or streets late at night, dressing modestly in more conservative areas, and being firm and direct about personal space with unwanted attention. It's absolutely done successfully by thousands of solo women every year, but it takes more planning and awareness than a lot of other popular destinations.
How to cross the road
This sounds like a joke and isn't: Indian traffic — especially in big cities — doesn't reliably stop for pedestrians, lanes are more of a suggestion than a rule, and crossing a busy street takes real technique. Watch how locals do it (move steadily and predictably, make eye contact with oncoming drivers, cross with a group when you can) rather than waiting for a clear gap that may never come.
Common scams to know
- 'Your hotel is closed / overbooked / burned down' from a taxi or rickshaw driver who then offers to take you to a 'better' one — it's almost always a commission scheme, and your original hotel is almost always fine.
- Unsolicited 'helpers' at train stations who fill out a booking form for you and then demand payment — use the official ticket counter or app instead.
- Gem, carpet, or 'export scheme' shops recommended enthusiastically by a driver or new acquaintance — treat any unsolicited shopping recommendation with real skepticism.
- Fake 'tourist police' or officials demanding an on-the-spot fine — ask for ID and offer to go to the nearest official police station instead.
eSIM and staying connected
eSIM is by far the easiest option — providers like Airalo and Holafly sell India data plans from around $5–15 for a week or two, activated before you even land. A physical local SIM (Jio, Airtel, or Vodafone Idea) is cheaper but requires a passport photo, a local address (your hotel usually works), and can take 24–48 hours to activate for foreign travelers — plan for that delay if you go this route instead of eSIM.
Water and food safety basics
- Don't drink tap water — bottled water is cheap and sold everywhere; check the cap seal is intact before drinking.
- See our full food guide for street-food safety specifics — it's genuinely one of the best parts of visiting India, done carefully.
- Carry basic rehydration salts and a simple anti-diarrheal, just in case — most cases resolve within a day or two with proper hydration.