The problems ( if there ever were any) of changing cash or travellers checks have been greatly reduced over the last few years,
With independant money changers springing up everywhere, changing money in India has never been easier!These small money changers make a welcome change to the old Indian banking system ,where it could take up to 3 hours to change 100$!!!! They offer competitive rates ( though not always the best!) NO commision and are to be found in the most unlikely of places e.g. internet cafes, textile\cloth shops " travel agents" , hotels and any where else you can imagine.Keep your eyes open and you will soon spot them or ask at the Hotel where you are staying for a reliable source.
It is of course a good idea to have some knowledge of the present exchange rates when changing money anywhere. The rates at the airport will give you a fair indication of what you can expect to receive for your hard earned! To keep up to date on a long trip read the newspapers or look up current exchange rates on the internet.
Travelling in India with a major credit card is getting easier every day, with ATM's now common the smaller places as well as in the big cities. These ATM's issue cash to cards like Mastercard, Visa and cards with the cirrus facility, ( look on your card for the Cirrus logo ) ATM's aslso offer the best exchange rates with no comission!! Many money changers are also offering cash issues but beware, this facility comes at a cost, sometimes as high as 11% this is a service probably best used only in emergencies!
It is now easier than ever to use your credit/debit card in India with a few travelers cheques or a bit of cash as a back up a trip to India using only your credit/debit card.
Is quite viable
The credit/debit card facilities are spreading all the time with even the smaller towns or even big villages offering an ATM service
So for trips in India, Be safe in the knowledge that your little plastic friend will suffice with small amounts of cash or traveller cheques for those unforseen emergencies!!
