Agra is 200 km southeast from New Delhi and is located on the tourist’s Golden Triangle of Agra-Delhi-Jaipur. Agra is well connected by rail and road with other nearby cities. Various types of transport available in Agra. Find below the different routs to reach Agra mostly from Delhi to Agra.
By plane
Agra has Agra’s Kheria Airport (IATA: AGR ICAO: VIAG) which operates seasonal. As of November 2008, Kingfisher Airlines and Air India Regional fly on the Delhi-Agra-Jaipur tourist triangle route. The flight time is less than an hour.
By train
Agra is on the main train line between the Delhi-Mumbai (Bombay) and Delhi-Chennai routes, and many trains connect Agra with these cities every day. Some east-bound trains from Delhi also travel via Agra, so direct connections to points in Eastern India (including Kolkata) are also available. There are close to 20 trains to Delhi every day, and at least three or four to both Mumbai and Chennai. Agra and Delhi are notorious for their thick winter fog which reduces visibility to almost zero. If traveling in late December or early January (the fog season), travelers should be aware that, because of the reduced visibility, all trains are late. The Bhopal Shatabdi, for example, may arrive in Agra well after 10AM, and might return to Delhi well after midnight. There are three stations in Agra:
Stations
* Agra Cantt (Station Code : AGC) is the main railway station and lies southwest of the Taj and Agra Fort, both of which are a short ride from the station by car, auto-rickshaw, or cycle rickshaw. There’s a prepaid taxi stand right outside that charges a flat Rs.120 to any hotel in the city.The station has a food court that also sells cheap, hygienic takeaway snacks (sandwiches, samosas, etc).
* Agra Fort station (Station Code : AF) near Agra Fort, is infrequently serviced by the interstate express trains. The station serves trains to the east (Kanpur, Gorakhpur, Kolkata) some of these trains also stop at Agra Cantt.
* Raja Ki Mandi (Station Code : RKM) is a small station. Some of the trains which stop at Agra Cantt also stop here. The station has a laid-back and lazy atmosphere, but springs into life at the arrival of Intercity exp and Taj express.
Lines
* Delhi to Agra – Close to 20 trains connect Delhi and Agra each day with journey times varying from 2 hours to 5 hours. The best options are the Bhopal Shatabdi Express (departs New Delhi at 0615 arriving Agra Cantt at 0812; departs Agra Cantt at 2030 arriving New Delhi at 2230, daily except Friday) and the Taj Express (departs Delhi Hazrat Nizamuddin at 0715 arriving Agra Cantt at 1007; departs Agra cantt at 1855 arriving Delhi Hazrat Nizamuddin at 2200, daily).
* Agra to Jaipur – The journey to Jaipur (Station Code : JP) takes around 4 hour by train no. 2988 which leaves Agra Fort Railway Station at 6:25 PM and reaches Jaipur at around 10:20PM.
* The Luxury train – ‘Palace on Wheels’ stops at Agra on its eight day round trip of tourist destinations in Rajasthan and Agra.
How to reach Agra – A Day’s Excursion from New Delhi to Agra
It is easy to visit Agra as a comfortable day trip by train from Delhi. Rise early in the morning and hop on to an AC chair car seat on the Bhopal Shatabdi (6:15AM) at New Delhi Railway Station (conveniently close to the backpacker hangout of Paharganj). Breakfast is served on the train (included in the fare), usually an omelet with a couple of slices of bread and coffee or tea. Arrive refreshed in Agra and, depending on your budget, either rent a car for the day or use rickshaws to get around. A visit to the Taj, followed by Agra Fort doesn’t take a great deal of time. Add a visit to Akbar’s tomb and/or itmad-ud-daulah (auto-rickshaw or taxi required), and you’ll still have time for a comfortable lunch and some r&r before catching the return train at 8:30PM where you can dine in the comfort of your seat (dinner is included in the fare). With a hired car, it is even possible for the hardy soul to swing by for a visit to Fatehpur Sikri for the complete Agra visit!
By bus
A number of buses connect Agra with New Delhi. It takes around 4-5 hours to reach Agra by bus. There are basically three interstate bus stands:
* Idgah Bus Stand is the primary bus stand for intercity travel, in the heart of the city, 8 km from the Taj.
* Bijlighar Bus Stand (also called Powerhouse Bus Stand) located near the Red Fort, 6 km from the Taj.
* New Bus Stand at transport nagar, 12 km from the Taj, is only for other state’s bus services (i.e. all except U.P. Roadways).
By road
* From Delhi: NH2, a modern highway, connects the 200 km distance from Delhi to Agra. The drive is typically 4-5 hours, a large chunk of which includes navigating the clogged roads around Delhi to get to the highway. The primary access to the highway is along Mathura Road in Delhi but, if coming from South Delhi or Delhi Airport, it is easier to take Aurobindo Marg (Mehrauli Road) and then work up to NH2 via Tughlakabad. While the highway is divided, it is important to keep an eye out for trucks, cars, and bullock carts heading the wrong way!
It is possible to hire a car with a driver (a big car for five persons from/to the Delhi airport costs 3500 INR). But beware! If you need to get from Agra to the airport in order to catch a flight, be sure to allow plenty of time for the trip, as traffic conditions may increase the drive time significantly. Also, it is wise to know your driver. There are situations when he may take over five hours to cover the distance, and you cannot force him to drive any faster than an autorickshaw.
* From Jaipur: National Highway 11, a two lane undivided highway, connects Agra with Jaipur via the bird sanctuary town of Bharatpur. The distance of around 255 Km can be covered in around 4 hours.
* From Gwalior A distance of around 120 km, takes around 1.5 hours on the National highway 3 (Agra- Mumbai Highway)
* From Lucknow / Kanpur NH2, the divided modern highway, continues on to Kanpur (285km, 5 hours) and from there to points East ending in Kolkata. From Kanpur, NH25 heads for the city of Lucknow (90 km, 2 hours).
Agra city tour
Tongas, electric buses and electric tempos are readily available, and the best way to get to the Taj where no cars are sllowed. Auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws are available every where, remember to agree on fares clearly in advance.
The best way to experince the city is to take a walk on the Mall Road (Sadar). The street is full of handicraft and leather goods shops. You will also find plenty of food items quite unique to the city.
By car
Cars are not allowed near the Taj Complex, but the rest of Agra is easily discovered by car. Rental is available from the following companies, Enterprises Car Rental and Hertz.
You can either book a taxi from hotel or directly book one outside the railway station. There is government authorized taxi stand. 950Rs/day for 12 hours. It maybe more costy to book through hotel. It is better to negotiate with the driver directly.
