Travelling from Indiana to Pittsburg
As you might already be aware of, IUP is located at about 58 miles east of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is the only Big city that is close to Indiana.
There are some pretty decent places in Pittsburgh for shopping, dining and partying. There are quiet a few places to visit as well.
Travelling to Pittsburg is quiet easy and can be done in two ways.
1. Rent a car.
2. Use the public transport (Bus only).
1. To rent a car.
There are a lot of companies here in US that allow you to rent a car as per your requirements. But, in Indiana, the only convenient agency which lets a student under 24 years of age to rent a car easily is Enterprise (http://www.enterprise.com/car_rental/wls.do?gpbr=4017).
To rent a car at Enterprise, you must first have a International driver's permit ( It can be very easily obtained in India. I suggest you get it done there) Or you can also apply for a Translation of your Indian licence here. Many agencies provide International translation of licence card ( or simply international driver's card) which is basically a mere translation of the driver's home country licence into a format that the American authorities can understand. Pennsylvania permits international drivers to drive under these cards for one full year after coming to USA. I got my IDP done at Krascar for which you can apply online (http://www.idlicense.com). Alternatively, you could also apply for an American licence here in Indiana at the DMV.
Once you have a licence/ international translation of licence/ IDP, you could just visit the local Enterprise Franchise along with your Passport, Rental agreement (given at the time you move in to a house, make sure your name is entered in it) and your credit/ debit card.
Renting a car could cost anywhere between $45 to $120 per day depending on your age (there are special charges if your are below 24), class of car you hire and the type of insurance that you take.
2. Public transport.
This is a more cost effective way if you are travelling alone. Fullington Trailways operates a bus route between Indiana and Pittsburgh everyday from Monday to Saturday and costs about $35 both ways. Apart from this, there are no other public transport available from Indiana.
Taking a bus is really easy and the bus starts from right inside the IUP campus. But, the problem with the bus is that it runs only twice a day and not frequently like in Bangalore.
Renting a car is fun and exciting and provides flexibility. I personally preferred renting a car rather than taking a bus.
