Rs 500 and 1000 notes banned! Do’s and don’ts for travelers

Do you feel like your travel plans have been grounded by Prime Minister Modi’s surgical strike on INR 500 and 1,000 notes? Skyscanner takes a look at various travel scenarios and answers a few questions about the impact that this Modi masterstroke has had on those on the move.

If you are planning to travel

If you are planning to travel but your plan is still in the air – this is the time to translate your plans into reality, and skip the serpentine queues at banks in the process! Head to your nearest booking office by November 11th, and use the demonetised currency for your tickets. Airports have been instructed to accept cash payments till November 11th, 2016.

If you already have travel plans in the near future, here is what you can do:

Your demonetised notes are worth their value for bus, train and air travel till November 11th. No sweat here.
Charge your mobile wallets – it will take care of essentials like cab payments for airport transfers and the like.
Get a crash course in internet banking! It should handle other essential payments like hotel bills. Non cash or electronic payment options are NEFT, RTGS and IMPS.

Go the plastic way – Use your credit/debit cards or mobile wallets for any other retail transactions.

Break into your piggy banks for those INR 50 and 100 notes – for all places where your fancy plastic and electronic money is no good – you just might want to dig into a plate of chaat on the roadside!

Keep your proof of identity handy since you will need it for exchange transactions at the bank once the new notes come in on November 10th. Valid proof of identity options are Aadhaar card, driving license, voter card, passport, NREGA card, PAN card, identity card issued by government departments or public sector units to its staff.

Travelling and worried about cash stashed up at home?

If you are back before the December 30th, 2016 swapping deadline, all you have to do is step into your bank with the old money and come out with shiny new notes.
But if your travels are going to keep you away for longer, then don’t let this give you sleepless nights. The cash at home can easily be deposited back into your bank account – all you have to do is send someone to your bank with the cash, an authorization letter and a valid identity proof.
Out of the country till the December 30th deadline and don’t trust anyone enough with your cash? You have the option of approaching the RBI office with your old notes and submitting a declaration with an ID proof.

If you are a foreign tourist who has demonetised currency

Arm yourself with your proof of purchasing the demonetised currency and you can exchange an equivalent of INR 5,000 at airport foreign exchange counters within 72 hours of the notification. This facility has been extended to arriving as well as departing passengers.

Want some more information? Check out the official RBI website.