Getting around · Delhi · India
Getting around Delhi
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Bruno Corpet ( Quoique ), CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
The Delhi Metro, a network of more than 350 km with frequent, air-conditioned trains, is the fastest way across the city and reaches most sights. Ride-hailing cars and auto-rickshaws fill the gaps, and cycle-rickshaws are the best way through Old Delhi's lanes. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Metro
- Airports
- DEL
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- Delhi Metro Tourist Card
Ways to get around
Metro
Colour-coded lines run from early morning to around midnight; the first coach in the direction of travel is reserved for women. Expect crowds at rush hour on central interchanges such as Rajiv Chowk.
Buy QR tickets in the official DMRC app or at machines to skip token queues, and keep bags for the security scanners.
Ride-hailing
Uber, Ola and Rapido offer cars and auto-rickshaws at fixed app prices, avoiding fare negotiation, and are widely used day and night.
Tuk-tuk
Green-and-yellow CNG auto-rickshaws are everywhere; drivers rarely use meters, so agree a price first or book one through an app. Electric and cycle-rickshaws cover short hops in Old Delhi.
Ignore drivers who claim your hotel or a sight is closed and offer to take you elsewhere.
Bus
DTC buses, including many electric ones, are cheap but routes can be confusing for visitors; the metro is usually easier.
Train
Express trains from New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations reach Agra in about 2 hours and Jaipur in about 4.5 hours; book on the official Indian Railways (IRCTC) site in advance.
Allow plenty of time at New Delhi station and ignore anyone directing you to a 'tourist office' outside the station.
Car
Hiring a car with driver for a day is affordable and the usual way to visit spread-out sights or travel to Agra and Jaipur by road.
Tickets and passes
Delhi Metro Tourist Card
Unlimited metro travel for one or three days, sold at customer care counters of major stations; it pays off if you make several trips a day.
From the airport
Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) is about 16 km south-west of Connaught Place. The Airport Express (Orange Line) runs from Terminal 3 via Aerocity to New Delhi station in about 20 minutes; Terminal 1 is on the Magenta Line. Prepaid taxis and app pick-up zones are outside arrivals, and road journeys take 40–90 minutes depending on traffic.
Do you need a car?
No. The metro and ride-hailing cover the city, and a hired car with driver is better than self-driving for day trips; Delhi traffic is intense and parking is scarce.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Agra and the Taj Mahal | About 2 hours by express train | Gatimaan or Vande Bharat express, or car via the Yamuna Expressway |
| Jaipur | About 4.5 hours by train; better overnight | Express train or car |
| Vrindavan and Mathura | About 3 hours by road | Car with driver or train to Mathura |
| Neemrana Fort-Palace | About 2.5–3 hours by road | Car with driver |
| Sultanpur National Park | About 1.5 hours by road | Car with driver |
| Rishikesh | About 6 hours by road; stay overnight | Car, bus, or train to Haridwar or Dehradun |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Delhi?
No. The metro and ride-hailing cover the city, and a hired car with driver is better than self-driving for day trips; Delhi traffic is intense and parking is scarce.
+How do you get from the airport to Delhi?
Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) is about 16 km south-west of Connaught Place. The Airport Express (Orange Line) runs from Terminal 3 via Aerocity to New Delhi station in about 20 minutes; Terminal 1 is on the Magenta Line. Prepaid taxis and app pick-up zones are outside arrivals, and road journeys take 40–90 minutes depending on traffic.
+What is the best way to get around Delhi?
Metro: Colour-coded lines run from early morning to around midnight; the first coach in the direction of travel is reserved for women. Expect crowds at rush hour on central interchanges such as Rajiv Chowk.