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Public Transport & Taxis from the Airport: There is a Delhi Traffic Police pre-paid taxi booth in the arrival areas which issue vouchers for travel to the city; retain the receipt until you reach your destination and then hand it to the driver. It is also possible to find a metered taxi outside. Buses run from the airport to central Delhi every 25 minutes around the clock, with a journey time of around 50 minutes, and auto-rickshaws are also available. Delhi Transport Corporation run (green and yellow) coaches and EATS run (white/blue) coaches 24 hours a day departing from the international terminal; both services travel via the domestic terminal and stop at New Delhi Railway Station.
Getting Around Delhi and Surrounds
Tip: Delhi Tourism offers a half/ full day sightseeing tour of the city which covers important sites of the city.
By Bicycle: Cycling is an excellent way of getting around, especially in New Delhi, where the roads are wide, in good condition and, by Indian standards, un-crowded. At the large traffic roundabouts just take a deep breath and plunge in.
By Bus: Delhi is well connected through a network of national highways and state roadway buses regularly ply from Delhi to various towns and cities. Detailed enquiries can be made by calling either 2523145 or 2520290 . Be warned though that the Delhi bus system is for thrill seekers and those with time on their hands.
Buses are generally hopelessly crowded and driven by maniacs. Avoid them altogether during rush hours; otherwise, try boarding or leaving at the beginning or end of a route because there's more chance of a seat and less chance of being trampled to death. Delhi Transport Corporation runs a large fleet of buses operating throughout the city. Some of them on certain routes are available at all the railways stations and the interstate bus terminals. Peak hours are from 7a.m. to 10p.m., with the frequency being slightly lower from 1p.m. to 2.30p.m.in the afternoon. Night service buses are also available on selective routes and they are also operated from the railway stations. The timings are from 11p.m. to 5a.m and for confirmation of exact bus fare contact the nearest bus booth.
Interstate Buses: The Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) is located at Kashmiri Gate, Sarai Kale-Khan and Anand Vihar. Delhi Transport Corporation and Road Transport Corporations of the neighboring States provide frequent bus services through Air Conditioned, Deluxe and Ordinary Coaches. Buses from all the major places in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are available for getting to Delhi. During summer months, air-conditioned coaches are recommended.
Note: Seats reserved for women can be found on the left-hand side of the bus. Buses are not recommended for sightseeing but if you have no other option at least you will eventually get to where you want to be and if you are looking for a true experience, catch a bus.
By Rental Car: There are several private operators, who offer this facility and if one has a valid driving license, there are several outlets from which to choose.
Chauffeur Driven Cars with English-speaking guides are strongly recommended for sightseeing and outlets for these are scattered throughout the city. Chauffeur driven cars can be hired oneself or one can go on a conducted tour, which is probably the best way to see various places of interest in the least possible time. There are also private operators apart from the tours conducted by the India Tourism Development Corporation, Delhi Tourism Development Corporation and Delhi Transport Corporation.
Rickshaws: A more economical option that renting a car or hiring a taxi is to hire a three-wheeler auto rickshaw , which carries two passengers, runs on a meter and costs roughly half the equivalent taxi fare. These are found all over the city. Auto-rickshaws are generally faster than taxis on short trips. Negotiate a fare before you board. Six-seater motorcycle rickshaws run fixed routes at fixed prices and are good value during rush hours. Cycle rickshaws are banned from New Delhi itself, but can be handy for travelling around 'Old' Delhi.
By Train: Delhi is well connected with all the state capitals and international cities in the country through a well laid out railway network. In India, most of the express and mail trains have facilities of air conditioned comfort. There are three important railway stations in Delhi to all major and minor destinations in India, namely New Delhi Railway Station, Old Delhi Railway Station and Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station. Trains run from all the parts of the country to Delhi. For nearby places like Chandigarh, Dehradun, Gwalior, Bhopal, Lucknow and Kanpur, the Shatabdi Express is recommended. Detailed information on train fares and times can be had from railway enquiries on (91-11) 131, 3313535
Metro Stations: ar
The Metro is currently running between Shahdara to Rithala covering a distance of 22 Km. There are 18 stations on this route. The Metro trains run from 6 A.M. in the morning till 10 P.M. in the night when the last service starts from Shahdara and Rithala respectively. Metro trains are available at a frequency of 4 minutes during peak time. At present about 18 trains are running on Line No.1 ( Shahdara- Rithala).
There are currently eighteen stations. They are Shahdara, Welcome, Seelampur, Shastri Park, ISBT (Kashmere Gate), Tis Hazari, Pul Bangash, Pratap Nagar, Vivekanand Puri and Inder Lok (earlier Tri Nagar), Kanhiya Nagar, Kesahv Puram, Wazir Pur, Kohat Enclave, Pitam Pura, Rohini East, Rohini West, and Rithala. All Delhi Metro stations will have the logo prominently displayed. Feeder buses enabling commuters to conveniently reach Metro stations are being planned. All Stations are elevated except at Shastri Park which is at grade. In addition Metro is also running between VishwaVidyalaya and Central Secretariat covering a distance of 11 Kms. There are 10 stations on this line which is fully underground. The last train leave from Vishwavidyalaya and Central Secretariat at 10 P.M. respectively.
In addition line between Vishwavidyalaya - Central Secretariat covering a distance of 11 Kms is operational. There are 10 stations on Line II. They are Vishwavidyalaya, Vidjan Sabha, Civil Lines, Kashmere Gate, Delhi Main, Chawri Bazar, New Delhi, Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk and Central Secretariat.
You can reach these stations by your personalized vehicles.Parking is available at Vishwavidyalaya and Patel Chowk Metro Sttaion of Line II.
In addition Line III is also operational between Barakhamba - Dwarka Sector 9 covering a distance of 29.29 Kms. There are 28 stations on Line III. They are Barakhamba, Rajiv Chowk, R.K. Ashram Marg, Jhandewalan, Karol Bagh, Rajendra Place, Patel Nagar, Shadipur, Kirti Nagar, Moti Nagar, Ramesh Nagar, Rajouri Garden, Tagore Garden, Subhash Nagar, Tilak Nagar, Janakpuri (East), Janakpuri (West), Uttam Nagar East, Uttam Nagar West, Nawada, Dwarka Mor, Dwarka. Dwarka Sector 14, Dwarka Sector 13, Dwarka Sector 12, Dwarka Sector 11, Dwarka Sector 10 and Dwarka Sector 9
Parking is available at 14 of its station with the biggest parking at Kirti Nagar Metro Station.
Taxis: Taxis are available at all hotels and in almost all commercial and residential areas. Black and Yellow Taxis are metered. Ensure the meter is turned back before starting the trip. There is a surcharge over the meter and you are advised to check the rate list available from the driver before payment. There are plenty of metered yellow-and-black taxis, but invariably the meters are out of date, not working or the drivers will simply refuse to use them. If this happens, hail another taxi and don't forget to negotiate a fare before you set out. Note: Rates of these vehicles change after sometime and new rate cards are available with all drivers. Extra charges are payable for baggage and vehicles engaged between 11pm at night to 5am in the morning. It is 25% extra for taxis. A no waiting charge is payable. The luggage charges for taxis are - first luggage up to 20 kg free. Rs. 0.50 per luggage for every subsequent piece of luggage weighing more than 5 kg is payable. All-white taxis are not metered and have a flat rate based on hours. A new concept recently introduced, are the Radio Taxis known as "Dial-a-cab". They can be contacted on 1920 . Charges however are more than those of the normal taxis.
Walking: Generally Delhi is too vast a city to be explored extensively on foot, although some areas can be walked quite comfortably because of the city's flat terrain.
Note: Fares and or times mentioned above are subject to change and are therefore intended as a guide only. |
