Fast Facts

Airlines -- For the Jet Airways city office, call tel. 0484/235-8879; for the airport counter, call tel. 0484/261-0037. For Deccan, call tel. 0484/261-0288; Kingfisher (tel. 0484/261-0055); Indian Airlines (tel. 0484/261-0041); Air-India (tel. 0484/261-0040); Emirates (tel. 0484/261-1194); Qatar (tel. 0484/261-1305).

Ambulance -- Dial tel. 102.

Area Code -- The area code for Kochi is tel. 0484.

ATMs -- Kochi has hundreds of ATMs; ask your driver or host for the nearest.

Banks -- There are more than 50 banks in Kochi. Hours are Monday to Friday 10am to 3pm (some 9am-1pm); Saturday 10am to 1pm (some 12:30pm). Some have evening counters and a few open Sunday; ATMs offer 24-hour banking.

Bookstores -- Both branches of Idiom Books are wonderful for a wide variety of books on India, its culture, and its literature. In Fort Kochi, the store is at the corner of Bastion and Quirose streets (tel. 0484/221-7075; Mon-Sat 9am-9pm, Sun 10am-6pm). In Mattancherry, it's opposite the Boat Jetty on Jew Street (tel. 0484/222-5604).

Car Hires & Taxis -- On average, you can expect to pay Rs 150 ($4/£2) per hour or Rs 8 (19¢/9p) per kilometer for a taxi. The Government of India Tourist Office (near Taj Malabar Hotel, Willingdon Island; tel. 0484/266-8352; Mon-Fri 9am-5:30pm, Sat 9am-1pm) has a fleet of Ambassadors. Also try Sita Travels (Tharakan Building, M.G. Rd., Ernakulam; tel. 0484/237-4122) or Kerala Adventures.

Currency Exchange -- You can exchange currency and traveler's checks at any of the many banks in Kochi, like Canara Bank in Fort Kochi (Kunnumpuram Junction, Amaravathy Rd.; tel. 0484/221-5467; Mon-Fri 10am-2pm and 2:30-3:30pm, Sat 10am-noon) or Standard Chartered (M.G. Rd., Ernakulam; tel. 0484/235-9462; Mon-Fri 9:30am-4:30pm, Sat till 1pm). Thomas Cook is also on M.G. Rd. (tel. 0484/236-9729; Mon-Sat 9:30am-6pm) and has a branch at the airport (tel. 0484/261-0052 or -0032). Note that credit cards outside of big hotels are not the norm (and some of these accept only MasterCard and Visa), so always carry some cash.

Drugstores -- Medilab (Doraiswamy Iyer Rd., Ernakulam; tel. 0484/236-8963) is open around the clock, as is Ernakulam Medical Centre on the NH Bypass (tel. 0484/280-7101).

Emergencies -- For police emergencies, dial tel. 100; to report a crime, call tel. 1090. For fires and other emergencies, including medical services, call tel. 101.

Hospitals -- There are more than 500 hospitals and clinics in Kochi, some specializing in particular ailments, and a number of them highly respected. If you have a medical emergency, your hotel should be able to organize the best medical match.

Internet Access -- Fort Kochi has plenty of Internet "cafes" (back rooms behind shops). These generally charge more than any of the options in Ernakulam. Call'n'Fax/Shop'n'Save (Princess St.; tel. 0484/221-5438; Mon-Sat 8am-10pm, Sun 9am-10pm) charges Rs 40 (90¢/45p) per hour.

Post Office -- Use the General Post Office in Mattancherry (tel. 0484/236-0668) or the Kochi Head Post Office in Fort Kochi (behind St. Francis Church).