Foreign visitors to India generally transit through Delhi, India’s gateway to the world, which also serves as the key nucleus for travel to destinations in the neighbouring states of Rajasthan, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh and central India. Like most Indian cities, Delhi has its share of congestion. Fortunately, the capital city has a choice of different means of transportation to cover its wide expanse. The roads are wide and air and rail routes connect the city to most international and national destinations.
Delhi is well connected from all major cities in India, as well as most major cities throughout the world.
Our Delhi transportation guide below will tell you all you need to know about travelling to and getting around Delhi. A simple and efficient way of seeing all the major sights is by taking a tour in Delhi. We also have useful general transport information if you want to know more about travelling to and around India.
Delhi Transportation Guide
Getting to Delhi
By Air
Delhi serves as India's hub for air travel, offering a range of international and domestic flights across a spectrum of cost and services. Travel agents, with their competitive offers, could you also help you plan your trip. With the domestic and international terminals of the Indira Gandhi International Airport located 7 km and 11 km respectively, away from the city, you would have to negotiate with the taxi drivers at the airport to take you in to the city. Delhi is also centrally located to serve as the hub for domestic travel, with a widespread network of bus, rail and air connections.
By Rail
Delhi is linked to many Indian cities and towns with super-fast and express trains. The city's three major railway stations are the New Delhi Railway Station near Connaught Place, the Old Delhi Railway Station and the Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station. You also have luxury trains such as the Palace-on-Wheels, Fairy Queen and Royal Orient Express beginning their journey from the Delhi Cantonment railway station.
By Bus
Delhi's Inter State Bus Terminal at Kashmere Gate, located beyond the Old Delhi railway station, offers long distance trips to destinations in Rajasthan (towards the south), Chandigarh (towards the north), and the hill stations of Himachal Pradesh. The services at the New Delhi railway station are simple and user friendly, despite the swarming touts out to make a quick buck. You could arrange your long-distance trips to destinations in the east, across the Ganges Plain to Kolkata, and to places south towards Mumbai via Agra, from this station.
Getting Around Delhi
Delhi, with a burgeoning population, requires an inland transportation system that is efficient and fast, a need that the Delhi Metro rail service fulfils effectively, making travel within the city a comfortable experience.
By Bus
The most popular means of commuting in Delhi is the Delhi Transport Corporation's (DTC) bus service, which runs numerous buses across the city right through the day. These buses also extend their services beyond the suburbs to connect the city to the neighbouring states. Several bus terminals in Delhi also offer interstate bus services.
The Green Buses of the DTC have been designed to offer its passengers a range of luxury and comfort options while the DTC Red Buses offers passengers the option to travel in air-conditioned comfort, especially in the hot summers, with fares based on the distance travelled (Rs 10 to Rs 25). Another way to travel through the city would be the White Line buses run by private operators who offer fixed fare trips on limited routes. You could also charter buses, tour buses, mini buses, school buses and entertainer coaches, across a cost and comfort band, to organise your tours across Delhi and to other destinations.
By Metro
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation offers rail services to North Delhi, East Delhi, Central Delhi and West Delhi and is in the process of expanding its services to new routes in South Delhi, Gurgaon and Noida.
By Cabs and Rented Cars
You could drive around Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR - covering Faridabad, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad and Noida) by car, selecting an option from the wide range of models, across luxury, premium, standard and capacity based cars. Delhi airport offers car rental services to and from the airport. You could also opt for air-conditioned radio cabs to travel within Delhi. They operate across the city and the fares can be paid in cash or through a credit card.
