Hello and welcome to the forum!
How much of the language do you need to know to converse with a bus or taxi driver, for instance?
India is the
second largest English-speaking country in the world as per a 2005 survey conducted by the India Human Development Survey. About
10.35% of the population are English speakers. The total number of English speakers are 125,226,449 and those who use English as their first language are about 226,449. At least 28% of men do know some English words and 72% don't know English while the remaining are fluent in English.
So with these statistics, it's safe to say that a huge number of the Indian population do know English. Even if some of the bus or taxi drivers aren't that proficient in English,
they do know some of the basics. Communication with them for directions, tourist spots and restaurants can be quite easy. I also think that the statistics are a little bit outdated and more Indians do know English as compared to the numbers above.
Especially if you're travelling in the Souther parts of India where English is mostly spoken as compared to Hindi. The same goes for most of the North Eastern parts of India. Most of the tourist attractions have English signages as well. For
sign boards, most of them have an
English counterpart too.
You'd have some trouble if you're travelling in rural areas where there's a local language. You'd find the locals not speaking Hindi or even English. In such cases, it's best to study some phrases from the local language. The issues here are: 1. There's a lot of different languages in India and 2. It's hard to pronounce words in Hindi, Telugu, Urdu or any other Indian language really. I think there's about 22 recognised official languages in India but there's a lot more dialects than that.
So if you're travelling to the cities like Delhi or Mumbai, you won't have a problem and you can get by with just English. But if you're travelling to say, Kerala, at least learn some basic Malayalam words or bring a dictionary with you. Just remember, each state has their own individual language.
Also, how easy is it to get around both major cities and more remote sites with public transportation? Are there instances where renting a car might be advised, or would you suggest going with public transportation all around?
All railway stations in India have
English signs mentioning the name of the station as well as other details. In case you still have a problem understanding the signs, just talk to the station master or station superintendent as they do understand and speak English. Also, most urban roads and signages have an equivalent English translation as well.
Buses also have
corresponding English signages especially at Bus Stands. With auto rickshaws and motorcyle taxis though, you'd have to communicate with the driver to tell them your destination. The same goes for taxis, although if you book them online with an agency, you can just write in the message your pickup and drop-off point.
The good thing is, India as a whole is well-connected even to remote areas by rail and buses. Of course, with cities, you won't have a problem as there's the railway trains, metro stations and buses.
Renting a car might be advisable though if you do not know well the area you're visiting. Like in remote areas or rural areas where you might get lost. Hiring a local driver might be the best option. For the cities though, you can get by with using a bus, the train or the metro. For convenience though, nothing beats a higher class train or bus or hiring a car.
I have traveled extensively in Europe, where I found that a lot of drivers knew English, but I've never been to Asia and am somewhat concerned about this aspect of traveling in India.
I would say that you won't have much problems. India itself is a tourist destination and tourists all over the world visit it. The locals are quite used to talking to tourists and so they have acquired some experience as well. Although some parts of India are still traditional, you will get by in major cities and states. But you can still visit the offbeat places in India, just equip yourself with basic words and phrases used there. Otherwise, sign language is a major lifesaver in many situations.
I hope this helps!
