Train Travel Guide: New Delhi to Agra for Taj Mahal

If you are going to visit Agra for Taj Mahal, Agra Fort etc. and are starting from New Delhi, then let’s check out in this post which train you should book in advance, so that you have a pleasant journey. I decided to write this short travel guide because of following reasons:

• Recently, I traveled from Bhopal to Delhi, via Agra, and found many foreigners boarding wrong compartments (General and Sleeper class) in Indian Railways.
• Because of the description posted in this video (now private) – I was scared alone, seeing all those poor people and dark, dirty trains of third class full with skinny people…

If you board wrong train or compartment in Indian Railways, then chances are very high that you may have very unpleasant experience.

Make sure you read Important Notes at the bottom of this post

New Delhi to Agra

If you are traveling from New Delhi to Agra, then the best train for you is Bhopal Shatabdi Express (12002), which consists of Executive Class and Chair Car. Both compartments are fully air conditioned and there are NO other classes except these two. Food is also included in the ticket fare and the train takes approximately 2 hours to travel from New Delhi Railway Station to Agra Cantt. You will not find Poor, Dark and Skinny People, along with Third Class Dirty Compartments in this train because of the following main reasons:

• Poor people can’t afford to purchase a ticket in this train.
• Cleanliness always remains in high priority in Shatabdi and Rajdhani Express, as middle and high class Indians prefers to travel in these trains.

The train departs from Delhi at 6:00 AM (IST) and reaches Agra at around 8:15 AM (IST). While writing this post, the fare for Executive Class (1 AC) is 700 INR (Around $15) and the fare for AC Chair Car (CC) is 370 INR (Around $8). Also, before reaching Agra, you will be served Breakfast and Morning Tea.

Agra to New Delhi

Now for return journey, the best train will be NDLS Shatabdi Express (12001), which starts from Agra Cantt. (at 8:30 PM IST) and stops at New Delhi (at 10:45 PM IST). Basically this is the same train described above, only the name and number have changed.

While writing this post, the fare for Executive class is 745 INR (Around $15) and AC Chair Car costs 400 INR (Around $8). Before reaching New Delhi, you will be served Dinner and Desserts, and they are already included in the fare. If you travel via above mentioned trains, then you will have around 10 Hours to spend at Agra and you will be able to see lots of tourist spots.

Important Notes:

• Search and ask your queries on Forums like Indiamike etc. You will get lots of useful information for planning your trip..
• Instead of traveling by Car, Bus etc. (and paying huge amount), try traveling in Shatabdi Express, as it’s the fastest train in India.
• If possible, try to book a Hotel near New Delhi Railway Station. By this you will be able to start early in the morning and come back to hotel at night without any problem. Else, ask your Hotel Manager to make arrangements for a Taxi in advance.
• Hotel Manager, Staff and many other folks will insist you to take Tourist Bus, Cars etc. The cost of these will be quite high when compared to above mentioned trains. Also, chances are very high that you will have limited time to see and enjoy various spots at Agra, if you opt for a car or a bus.
• Food Quality is quite good in AC Chair Car and excellent in Executive Class. You can read full review with pics here.
• Try to book tickets for above trains in advance (at least 15 to 20 days before journey) using IRCTC or alternative sites.
• The above post is written keeping in mind at least 10 hours of stay in Agra. If you don’t want to stay longer and want to return early OR want to start late, then plan your journey accordingly using sites like Yatra.com, Make My Trip, Clear Trip etc. If you want, you can also book hotels at Agra using these sites.
• If you are traveling from some other Indian city, then make sure to plan your journey in Advance. Also, remember to select only air conditioned compartments (3 AC, 2 AC and 1 AC) for pleasant traveling experience.

I wish every foreign visitor a very happy and pleasant stay in India. Happy Journey and Good Luck.