Airport
The nearest airport from Dehradun is the Jolly Grant around 25 kms. away, on the outskirts of the town. There is a daily flight from here to Delhi, which is the nearest international airport.
Rail : Dehradun is an important railhead on Northern Railway and is connected to many parts of the country with express trains. The Shatabdi Express is the best option for the tourists coming from Delhi

Visas
To enter India, visitors must have a valid passport. No matter what your nationality, you should have a visa obtained from an Indian embassy or consulate. Tourist visas can be valid for 15 days, three months or six months. Business visas may be issued for up to five years with a multiple-entry provision. Foreign nationals who wish to work in India must visit India on an employment entry visa and obtain a residential permit from the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (Hans Bhawan, 1st Floor, Bhahadurshah Zafar Marg; tel: 331-9781).
Foreigners who enter India with a visa valid for more than 180 days are required to register with the nearest foreigners' registration officer within two weeks of their arrival even if they do not plan to stay for more than half a year. Registration is required only once during the visa's validity. They may leave the country and re-enter as many times as they desire provided the visa is for multiple entries. However, they are required to surrender their registration certificate at the time of their final departure from India.

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Currency
The local currency is the rupee, divided into 100 paise. The currency comes in denominations of 10, 50, 100 and 500 in paper notes. Older notes of 1,2, 5 and 20 rupees are also in circulation. However, 1, 2 and 5 rupee coins have replaced paper notes of that denomination. Other coins available are the 50, 10, 20, 5, 2 and 1 paise. The last three are almost collectors' items. If you are handed a grubby note, insist on having it exchanged for a newer one, since others might refuse accepting it from you, and counterfeit bills are common. Have a big supply of small bills as most stores don't carry sufficient change.

Credit Cards
American Express, Diners Club, Mercard, MasterCard and Visa are accepted by large establishments, but it is still wise to carry Indian currency. Credit cards can be used to get cash advances in rupees

Tipping
A 10% tip is the norm in high-end restaurants that do not add a service charge to the bill. Small change in modest restaurants is acceptable. Round off taxi fare; add more for exceptionally good service. Tip porters 1 rupee per bag. For more on business and social etiquette

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Useful Numbers
The international dialling code for India is 91
STD code :0135
Police: 100
Fire department: 101
Ambulance: 102

Electricity
220 volts, 50Hz . Sockets are round, two-pin variety. Power outages are frequent, so make sure sensitive electronic equipment is protected

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Health Risks
Gastroenteritis, typhoid, cholera or jaundice may be acquired from unhygienic water or contaminated food
As tap water is unsafe for consumption, drink only bottled water bought from reputable stores.
A yellow fever inoculation certificate is compulsory for those who have traveled across Africa or Papua New Guinea six days before arriving in India. The certificate is valid 10 days after inoculation. No immunization against small pox or cholera is required. Those without the yellow fever certificate are liable to be quarantined for up to six days.

Time Zone
GMT + 5 hours and 30 minutes

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Business Hours
Public and private offices: 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (Mon. to Fri.); some open on Saturdays, but all are closed on Sundays.
Shops: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (Mon. to Sat.)
Post offices: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (Mon. to Fri.); 10 a.m.-12 noon ( Sat.)
Banks: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Mon.-Fri.) and 10 a.m.-noon on Saturdays. The Central Bank in Ashok Hotel and the State Bank of India at the Airport are open round-the-clock.
Restaurants: until 11 p.m.; nightclubs and discos close much later.

Holidays
2008
10 Jan Muharram (Islamic New Year).
26 Jan Republic Day.
6 Mar Mahashivratri.
20 Mar Milad-Un-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet).
21 Mar Good Friday.
22 Mar Holi
23 Mar Easter Day.
18 Apr Mahavir Jayanthi.
20 May Buddha Purnima.
15 Aug Independence Day.
23-24 Aug Janmashtami.
2 Oct Mahatma Ghandi's Birthday.
2 Oct Id ul Fitr (End of Ramadan).
6 Oct Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami).
28 Oct Deepavali or Diwali (Festival of Lights).
13 Nov Guru Nanak's Birthday.
8-9 Dec Idu'l Zuha/Bakrid (Feast of the Sacrifice).
25 Dec Christmas Day.
29 Dec Muharram (Islamic New Year).
Dec 25 Christmas Day

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Climate
Due to its location in the hilly part of the state, the climate of Dehradun is salubrious. During the summer months, the temperature ranges between 36°C and 16.7° C. The winter months are colder with the maximum and minimum temperatures touching 23.4°C and 5.2° C respectively. Dehradun is today a major academic and research centre and a popular summer getaway for people from the plains.

Clothing
Casual attire is acceptable for business meetings but it is best to dress formally. The appropriate attire for men is a long-sleeved shirt with tie and jacket, or just a tie when it gets too hot. Long skirts are required of women, but they may try wearing a sari or salwar kameez - baggy pants and a dress-like top.

GDP Growth Rate
8.3%

Inflation
5.4%

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Exports
Textile goods, gems and jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals, leather manufactures

Trading Partners
U.S., Hong Kong, U.K., Japan, Germany, Belgium, Saudi Arabia

Industries
Manufacture of electronics, textiles, chemicals, clothing, plywood; food processing, sugar milling, cement processing, shipbuilding, petroleum refining

Teledensity
45.5 persons per telephone

Government
India is a federal republic with a parliamentary form of government. The Indian Union is made up of 25 States and seven centrally administered Union Territories.

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Geography
Dehradun is situated in the newly formed Himalayan state of Uttaranchal around 235 km from Delhi at the center of the Doon valley. The city has the Himalayas to its north, the Shivalik range to its south, the sacred Ganges to its east and the Yamuna to its west.

Population
India: 1 billion
Uttaranchal: 8,479,562
Dehradun: 447,808

Ethnic Groups
Indo-Aryan (72%); Dravidian (25%); others (3%)

Languages
Hindi, English, Garhwali

Literacy
Uttaranchal: 72.28%

Religion
The major religions in India are: Hinduism (82%); Islam (11%); Christianity 2%); Sikhism (2%); Buddhism (0.7%).