Local Transport:
Thiruvananthapuram has a well developed internal transport
system. Taxis are available all over the city for local use
and longer excursions. Since Thiruvanathapuram is not a very
large city and distances are comparatively small, the auto-rickshaw
is the most popular transport for city commuting.
Thiruvananthapuram also has an efficient bus service that
covers all parts of Thiruvanathapuram and its suburbs. The
fares for the city bus services are very nominal. The Thiruvananthapuram
Central Bus Station is situated adjacent to the Thiruvananthapuram
Central Railway Station at Thampanoor. There are super fast,
express and deluxe bus services from Thiruvananthapuram to
all cities in Kerala as well as to the neighbouring states
of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The City Bus Station is located
at East Fort. It is around 1.5 km from the Central Bus Station.
The Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station is just east
of M G Road. For general railway inquiries, dial 131 and for
reservations 132.
Currency:
The local currency is the Indian Rupee (INR) which is divided
into 100 paise. Banknotes are issued in denominations of Rs
5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000. Coins presently in circulation
are in denominations of 50 paise, one rupee, two rupees and
five rupees. Thiruvanathapuram has numerous banks and offices
of reputed exchange bureaus that provide good conversion rates
for foreign currency, though in urgent cases dollars, pounds
and euros are widely accepted.
Business Hours:
Offices are open for business from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm.
Shops are usually open from 9:30 am to 7:00 pm although
some shops remain open till 10.00 pm.
Languages:
Malayalam, the official language of Kerala, is widely spoken
in Thiruvananthapuram. English, to a great extent, is used
for business purposes. Hindi and a host of north and south
Indian languages are also spoken.
Credit Cards:
Credit cards are accepted in most places, of which the most
commonly accepted include Visa, MasterCard, Citibank and
American Express.
Visa Extensions:
For Visa Extensions, contact the Office of the Commissioner
of Police, Phone: 0471-2320555.
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