How to ensure you are travelling in Goa in the most cost-effective way?
Travelling around Goa is fairly easy. There is an extensive road network which connects most places in Goa with motorable roads. There are private as well as state transport corporation run bus services which service all the major locations.
For Airport Transfers
Ola, Uber or any other such popular cab services are actually banned in Goa. Local citizens are against of any such online services.
But, don’t worry Govt. of Goa has launched an app for cab booking called GoaMiles available on both IOS and Play Store or you can take a Govt bus from the airport too (though the frequency is not that good, in case you are in a hurry).
When you will come out of the Airport Terminal you will see a big crowd of drivers/travel agents, who will start approaching you. Don’t listen to them, instead, book a cab using GoaMiles. The cost will be not only economical but lesser as compared to other local taxis there.
Caution: Never go for sharing/pooling with local taxi drivers there. The cost will be less and lucrative, but you will be in big trouble in the mid-way. Share taxis keep on stopping in midway and wait for more passengers to onboard else they transfer their passengers to some other cab.
I travelled from Airport to Calungate and it charged around INR 1030while the local taxis were charging in between INR 1500–2000 bucks.
Same GoaMiles app you can use while coming back to Aiport also. But, one thing to remember currently there are not many cars running under GoaMiles, so during the pick hours, you might face difficulty in getting a cab. Same is true if you are staying at some remote outskirt, where again you will not get a GoaMiles cab easily. So, check the app well in advance, so that you will not miss your flights or trains.
Bus Journey – Public Transportation
Travelling by local bus in Goa is without a doubt the cheapest option. Buses connecting to and from the more urban areas of Goa are plentiful, straightforward to use and the majority of the time they run as per their schedule. And once you know how to use them, they are also the funnest option as you get to have a good old chat with the locals. Buses that run between local villages, however, are less frequent and don’t always run on schedule.
Tips for bus travel
• The destination, as well as major stop off points, are written on a board in English on the front of every bus. If you’re unsure of where a bus is going, ask a fellow passenger or the conductor. People are generally always happy to help.
• You can jump on a bus at designated bus stops or bus depots in main towns. They can also be flagged down pretty much anywhere so don’t worry too much about getting to a bus stop in time.
• Buses usually have two doors, front and back, and can be boarded and exited via either one. Once you’re on, grab a seat (if you’re lucky) and the driver will come around to collect fares. Note: Try and have the correct change or at least small bills as some drivers will refuse to take big bills.
• Kadamba refers to the local main bus stand (Panjim Kadamba, Margao Kadamba etc).
For Local Goa commute
The answer is straight- Bikes/Scooters on rent. Yes, Goa is very known for this type of rental service. Almost everywhere you will find small bike rental shops and agents roaming here and there, trying to get customers for rental bikes. This is the best and most economical way to commute in Goa. The only thing you need is a valid Driving License. The cost of these bikes/scooters ranges from INR 300–500 per day depending on the season and day of the week. Bargaining is the key if you want a better price. You will easily get a bike/scooter in INR 300–350 if you bargained correctly.
Note: Before taking, always check:
- the bike condition. Because many times the owner gives very old bikes with very less mileage.
- try to get the copy of bike papers so that you are not caught up in legal matters while you are on road.
Fuel for your bike
Like rental bike shops, there are small shops selling petrol too. But the cost will be almost 30–40% higher than what the fuel pumps/stations will be offering.
But stations are not everywhere, so in case you are in a hurry than only pay high to get petrol, else refill from fuel station only. In reality selling fuel in the bottle is illegal in India and also it will contain impurities.
While I tried to cover everything about travel in my answer, but in case you still have questions- feel free to comment. I would love to share more from my experiences.
Written By – Dibya Sahoo.
