REACHING NCBS

NCBS is approximately 25 km from the airport and 10 km from the central bus/railway station at Majestic. From the airport, you can take a BMTC air-conditioned airport shuttle bus towards town, and get off opposite the GKVK (the agricultural university) main gate, which is between Yelahanka and Hebbal. NCBS is situated inside the GKVK campus, approximately 1.5 km from the GKVK main gate, so it's an easy walk if you don't have much luggage (there are nice mango orchards on the way!). You may catch an auto rikshaw from the GKVK main gate to NCBS as well.

Alternatively, you can take a cab from the airport. Don't take prepaid cabs, they are excessively expensive. Uber and Ola are much more reasonable, for which you have to walk out of the airport and hop in at the designated Uber/Ola taxi stand. If you don't use Uber or Ola, just hail any taxi cab waiting outside the airport. You have an option of getting an air-conditioned cab. Ask the cab driver to take you to "NCBS, GKVK, between Yelahanka and Hebbal". For this, you get off the airport flyover before Jakkur, take a U turn at the Amruthahalli traffic light (before the traffic lights for Kodigehalli and Hebbal), pass the L&T entrance on the left side, and then turn left to enter the GKVK campus.

Once you are on the GKVK campus, almost anyone on the street should be able to direct you towards NCBS, and there are also small signs for NCBS along the road. However, if you don't want to ask, here's how you get there: after entering GKVK campus, take the first left (this is after the mango orchard and a big play ground), and then either take the first left to reach the NCBS main gate, or turn right and then first left to reach the NCBS guest house.

Most bus conductors and cab drivers speak a little bit of English and Hindi, so you can get by. AC bus ride from the airport to NCBS costs Rs. 175 per person, and the cab should charge you Rs. 600 or so during the day, slightly more after mid-night. The travel time is ca 30 minutes for both modes of transportation.

From the main bus and railway stations, which are at Majestic ca 10 km from NCBS, you can walk to the airport shuttle bus stop, and take the bus towards the airport. Get off at the GKVK main gate (travel time between 30 and 60 minutes depending on the traffic) and walk or take an auto rikshaw to NCBS. Ask the bus conductor before you board the bus to ensure that the bus will not take the airport flyover, and will stop at the GKVK main gate. If you end up in a bus that takes the airport flyover, you will get off the bus 5-10km away from your GKVK main gate bus stop! If you want to take a regular bus rather than an AC bus, ask bus conductors for a bus to go to GKVK/Yelahanka. Only bus No. 277 rides inside the GKVK campus, so your walk to NCBS campus is shorter.

You will have to register at the NCBS security gate, and get a visitor pass before you are allowed to enter the campus. Tell the security that you are visiting Lab 8 (our lab), which is opposite the old library or the new theory group space. If you need to call us at any point, the office and lab phone numbers are listed under the "contact us" tab above. You can also look up our physical location on a map. If you have a reservation in the NCBS guest house arranged through our lab, carry a printout of the reservation as a proof, and go straight to the guest house to settle down. If you have questions, call NCBS reception, avoid calling the lab for support and advice on travel, access, etc.