Agra

Photos

Photos from Wikimedia Commons. Select a photo for its author and licence.

Best time to go

Sights and activities

Getting there

By bus

Buses from Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Kanpur and Gwalior arrive at Idgah Bus Stand or the ISBT. From Delhi the Yamuna Expressway takes about 3 to 4 hours by car. The Agra-Lucknow Expressway links Lucknow.

By train

Agra Cantt is the main station, about 6 km from the Taj Mahal. Agra Fort, Raja ki Mandi, Agra City and Idgah stations also serve the city. Fast trains from Delhi take under 2 hours.

By air

Agra (Kheria) airport is about 13 km from the Taj Mahal but has limited flights. The nearest major airport is Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi, about 220 km away.

Where to base yourself

Stay in Tajganj, the area just south of the Taj Mahal, which has hotels and restaurants in every price range.

Getting around

• Auto-rickshaws run everywhere; a pre-booked auto from the railway station to the Taj Mahal costs about 200 to 300 rupees, and short street hires start at about 50 rupees after bargaining.
• A taxi from the station to the Taj Mahal costs about 400 to 600 rupees, and a taxi hired for the day costs about 1,200 rupees.
• A taxi round trip to Fatehpur Sikri costs about 1,500 to 2,500 rupees; regular buses also go there from the ISBT and Idgah bus stands.
• Vehicles stop at parking areas short of the Taj Mahal; free battery buses or paid golf carts cover the last stretch.
• Agra Metro has a station next to Agra Fort.
• Cycle rickshaws are available for short trips at negotiable rates.

Often combined with

Places people usually visit on the same trip, and how long it takes to get between them.

• Mathura and Vrindavan: Road, about 1.5 hours. See the Mathura, Vrindavan and Agra trip
• Delhi: Train, about 2 hours on the fastest services, or about 3.5 to 4 hours by road on the Yamuna Expressway, about 200 km by road. See the Golden Triangle: Delhi, Agra and Jaipur trip
• Jaipur: Road, about 4 to 5 hours, or train, about 4 to 5 hours, about 240 km by road. See the Golden Triangle: Delhi, Agra and Jaipur trip

Where to stay

Food

Sadar Bazaar is the usual place for chaat and street food, and sweet shops across the city sell petha and dalmoth. Mughlai restaurants serve kebabs and biryani; a meal for two at a top hotel restaurant costs about 2,500 rupees, while street food starts at about 50 rupees.

Try these

• Petha (soft sweet made from white pumpkin)
• Dalmoth (spicy fried lentil and nut mix)
• Gajak (winter sweet, sold in sweet shops)
• Chaat, bhalla and aloo tikki (savoury street snacks)
• Mughlai kebabs and biryani
• Paratha (stuffed flatbread)

Vegetarian food such as chaat, parathas and sweets is widely sold.

Daily costs

Per day. Travel to and from your city is added in the planner above.

Permits and documents

No permit is needed. Monument tickets are sold at the gates and online on the ASI portal. Foreign visitors pay an extra 500 rupee Agra Development Authority toll, valid the same day at several monuments. Carrying photo ID is advised.

Safety

By day

The monuments are busy and have security screening at entry. Watch for touts and unofficial guides around the Taj Mahal, the stations and at Fatehpur Sikri, and agree fares before riding.

At night

Use prepaid or app-booked taxis rather than street hires after dark.

Solo women

No specific official advice found. Modest clothing and prepaid taxis are the commonly given tips.

Roads

The Yamuna Expressway from Delhi and the Agra-Lucknow Expressway are fast tolled roads. City traffic near the monuments is slow, and vehicles are kept away from the Taj Mahal gates.

Emergency numbers

112 (all emergencies, UP Police), 0562-2226431 (Taj Mahal helpline, 10 AM to 5 PM, not Sundays or holidays)

Practical

Mobile network

All the main networks (Jio, Airtel, Vi and BSNL) work in town.

ATMs and cash

ATMs are easy to find in town.

Fuel

There are several petrol pumps in and around town.

Medical

S.N. Medical College hospital is in the city; Cantonment Hospital and private hospitals are also listed.

Coverage maps: Jio · Airtel · Vi · BSNL. Report a problem

Accessibility

Seniors

The sites are flat but large, with long walks in the open. Battery buses and golf carts run from the Taj Mahal parking areas to the gates. Go early in the day to avoid heat.

Children

Children under 15 enter the ASI monuments free. Food is not allowed inside the Taj Mahal, and drinking water is available there.

Wheelchair users

The Taj Mahal's official site says wheelchairs are available, but gives no details.

Unless a sight is described as accessible, assume it is not step-free.

Culture and responsible travel

• The Taj Mahal is closed to tourists on Fridays, when it opens only for prayers at its mosque.
• Dress modestly at the mosque and dargah in Fatehpur Sikri and at temples such as Mankameshwar Mandir.
• Food, drones and tripods are not allowed inside the Taj Mahal.
• Shoe covers are given out at the Taj Mahal for the main mausoleum.
• Taj Mahotsav, a crafts and culture festival, is held in February.

What to pack

• Photo ID (Aadhaar, passport or driving licence); hotels and permits ask for it
• Some cash in small notes for autos, stalls and tips
• Your regular medicines, plus basics for stomach upsets, headaches and cuts

Multi-stop trips that include Agra

• Golden Triangle: Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, 5 nights
• Mathura, Vrindavan and Agra, 3 nights