Fast Facts

Airlines -- Most international airline offices are located on Janpath, Connaught Place, and Barakhamba Road. The best domestic airline, Jet Airways, is located at Jetair House, 13 Community Centre Yusuf Sarai (tel. 011/5164-1515, booking offices 011/5164-1414). Indian Airlines is located at Safdarjung Airport (tel. 011/2462-2220) and is open 24 hours; for general inquiries call tel. 1407. Other airlines: Air Sahara (tel. 011/3030-2020 or 011/2335-9801); Kingfisher Airlines (tel. 1600/180-0101); Spice Jet (tel. 1600/180-3333 or 987/180-3333).

Ambulance -- For an ambulance call East West Rescue at tel. 011/2469-9229, -0429, or -3738.

American Express -- The office is located at A-Block Connaught Place (tel. 011/2332-6129 or 011/2330-8035).

Area Code -- The area code for Delhi is 011.

ATMs -- There are hundreds of ATMs in the city; ask your hotel which is the closest. Alternatively, head for Connaught Place, where (among others) HSBC, Standard Chartered, and Citibank ATMs offer 24-hour cash machines that take Visa and MasterCard.

Banks -- Hours are normally Monday to Friday 10am to 2pm, Saturday 10am to noon, though many banks are also open 9am to 5pm. It's quickest to use 24-hour ATMs. See "ATMs."

Bookstores -- The best are in Khan Market -- try Bahri & Sons (tel. 011/2469-4610), The Bookshop (tel. 011/2469-7102), or Full Circle (tel. 011/2465-5641). If you're looking for something downtown, Bookworm (29 B-Block Connaught Place; tel. 011/2332-2260) is excellent, and will often obtain a book you want within 24 hours even if it's not in stock.

Car Hires -- See "Getting Around," above. For upmarket cars and other travel arrangements, a recommended operator is Banyan Tours and Travels (www.banyantours.com; banyan.delhi@vsnl.com; check website for latest numbers). Another operator to try is Navigator Holidays (L-5 2nd floor, Radiant Limo, Lajpat Nagar II; tel. 011/5172-5020).

Currency Exchange -- The international airport has 24-hour currency exchange but no facilities to let you draw money on your credit cards, so bring foreign notes or traveler's checks if you intend to catch a taxi from here. Thomas Cook is located at the airport (open 24/7) and at The Imperial hotel (Mon-Sat). See above for American Express. For cash withdrawals or exchange, see "ATMs" and "Banks."

Directory Assistance-- Times Infoline (tel. 011/5168-6868) and Ask Me Services (tel. 011/2222-2222) provide free and usually accurate information on restaurants, hotels, movie theaters, or other services (much like talking Yellow Pages).

Doctors & Dentists -- Most hotels listed here have doctors on call. The hotels are also your best bet for finding a reputable dentist.

Drugstores -- There are numerous 24-hour drugstores throughout the city. Best to ask your hotel to arrange a delivery or pickup.

Embassies & Consulates U.S.: -- Shanti Path, Chanakyapuri (tel. 011/2419-8000; Mon-Fri 8:30am-1pm and 2-5:30pm). U.K: Shanti Path, Chanakyapuri (tel. 011/2687-2161; Mon-Fri 9am-1pm and 2-4pm). Australia: 1/50-G Shanti Path, Chanakyapuri (tel. 011/5139-9900; Mon-Fri 8:30am-1pm and 2-5pm). Canada: 7/8 Shanti Path Chanakyapuri (tel. 011/5178-2000). New Zealand: 50-N Nyaya Marg (tel. 011/2688-3170 or 011/2687-6260).

Emergencies -- For police call tel. 100; for local stations ask your hotel or call the Government of India Tourist Office. See "Ambulance." For complaints about taxi or auto-rickshaw drivers, dial tel. 96044-00400.

Hospitals -- All India Institute of Medicinal Sciences (tel. 011/2658-8500), on Ansari Nagar, has a 24-hour trauma unit. Alternatively, head for Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (Baba Khadak Singh Marg; tel. 011/2336-1014 or -5933). Farther afield is Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, on the Delhi-Mathura Road (tel. 011/2692-5858 or -5801), both with 24-hour emergency service.

Internet Access -- Numerous outlets are located all over the city and charge Rs 20 to Rs 50 (45¢-$1.15) per hour.

Mobile Phones -- You can buy prepaid cellphone cards almost anywhere in Delhi. If you want to rent a cellphone, call Matrix at tel. 011/2680-0000; they promise to deliver a phone to you within 2 hours. Rental cellphones cost Rs 100 to Rs 150 ($2.30-$3.40) per day. Calls are charged at Rs 2 (4¢) local, Rs 6 (12¢) national, and Rs 22 (50¢) international/minute.

Newspapers & Magazines -- Indian Express, Hindustan Times, and The Times of India are good national dailies that provide the lowdown on (largely) the political scene. Outlook and India Today are weekly news magazines that cover a range of issues; of the two, Outlook is more populist and interesting to read. First City is a monthly magazine recommended for its comprehensive reviews and listings. Delhi Diary is a city guide published weekly, and The Delhi City Complete Guide and Magazine (Rs 20/45¢) is published every 2 weeks; both are available at hotels and other tourist locations and are good sources of events listings. You can also check out the latter's website at www.thedelhicity.com. Outlook Traveller (www.outlooktraveller.com) is a top-quality locally produced travel magazine.

Post Office -- Try the P.O. at Parliament St. (tel. 011/2336-4111) or the GPO at Gol Khana, 5 minutes from Connaught Place. But best to ask your hotel to post items.

Restrooms -- Avoid.

Safety -- Delhi, like the rest of India, is relatively safe, though the city has seen an increase in crime. It's unwise for women to travel alone at night.

Weather -- Delhi's summers are notoriously unbearable; October/November to February are the best times to go.