I went on a train travel tour around India, and the very first train we took was from Delhi, India’s capital, to Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal!
These two cities are very close together and make up two points of the Golden Triangle (the other being Jaipur, which we visited next). Getting from Delhi to Agra is quite easy, but there are a few things to know, especially if you’re going independently!
I did travel with a guide, but got lots of tips from him and my own information to hopefully help you understand what the Delhi to Agra train is like.
About my train journey
After spending a couple of days in Delhi (see my one-day itinerary here), it was time to board a train to Agra, my next destination!
My train departed New Delhi at 6:00 am. We woke up at 5:00 am to leave for the station. As I’d only arrived in India two days before, it was a bit of a painful wake up, but was worth it to see Agra.
The train departed New Delhi at 6:00 am, and was scheduled to arrive into Agra Cantt at 7:50 am – although it ended up arriving at 8:00 am.
In a rush? Here are my favourite hotels in Agra
⭐⭐⭐ DoubleTree by Hilton Agra – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐ Royale Sarovar Portico Agra – Click here for rates & availability
⭐ Hotel Anand Villa – Click here for rates & availability
Getting to the station
We departed the hotel for 5:00 am for the 6:00 am train. It was around a 20 minute drive to get from the hotel to the station.
Traffic is always a possibility in Delhi (it’s one of the considerations to make when deciding how long you want to spend here), which is why we factored in plenty of time.
There can be a bit of a bottleneck on the road around New Delhi Station in the early morning, so we left extra time in case we needed to get out of the car and walk. Porters are available for anyone who struggles with their cases.
Bags were scanned on the way in, and we were told to make sure we didn’t have any alcohol, as it is prohibited on board.
On the platform
When we arrived to the platform, we waited for 15 minutes for the train to arrive. It was dark – the sun hadn’t even started to come up at that point – but the station was busy!
Our guide, Raja, made sure that we were waiting in the right area to board our carriage. I’m going to be completely honest, this would be much more challenging if we didn’t have him.
The best way to ensure you get to your correct cabin would be to hire a porter, who would stay with you until you got on board the train. Otherwise, it would just be a case of asking around, listening out for announcements and maybe running when the train arrives!
On board
Our ticket was an AC chair car, so we had reserved seating. Seats were in a 2-3 configuration, and I feel like the middle of a three-seater could be a little claustrophobic!
This is the main class you can book. On 12go.Asia, I found that you can also book sleeper class – this is likely just to fill up seats (I doubt anyone would be sleeping much on such a short journey!). See the different booking types with pictures here.
The other classes are unreserved, and I would recommend reserving seats unless you want a proper adventure!
We were supposed to get breakfast with our tickets, and our guide selected the veg meal for everyone, which would include toast; jam and potato cakes. The non-veg meal would be egg instead of potato cake.
We were recommended to bring a jumper, as the AC can be strong, but I actually found it quite comfortable. Train AC can vary, however, so definitely still pack a jumper!
I would recommend booking on 12go.Asia – you can book on the Indian Railways website, and it will be a bit cheaper, but it can be complicated and temperamental with foreign cards. On 12go.Asia, the price is around £10/ $13 per ticket.
See the listings on 12go.Asia here
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Toilets
There’s usually a squat toilet and Western style toilet at the end of the carriage, and I’ve always been happy to use the squat toilets. I find them more hygienic because I’m not touching anything, and I’m pretty good at squatting low!
That said, if you have any mobility issues, of course the Western style may be more comfortable. On this train journey, I used the Western-style toilet because the squat toilet was full, overflowing and smelt awful!
I used plenty of other train toilets around India, however, and this one was the worst.
The journey
The sun rose as we departed, and we travelled through lovely Indian countryside. There weren’t too many stops before Agra, and while we rolled in 10 minutes late, it all felt like it went rather seamlessly!
Arriving in Agra
As we arrived onto the platform at Agra, lots of tuk tuk drivers spotted us and asked if we wanted a lift. It can be a little overwhelming; we were advised to just keep walking. I made sure my valuables were all strapped into my cross-body bag (I enver go anywhere without this one!).
We had a bus waiting for us (booked as part of the tour). If you do need a taxi, you’ll definitely find one; or you could ask your hotel or Taj Mahal tour guide (more on that in a moment) for a pick-up.
We drove about 25 minutes from the station to the hotel.
Doing a Taj Mahal tour
We’ve got some full posts on the Taj Mahal to come, and you can book tickets here if you want to visit independently.
However, I really recommend organising a tour before you come to Agra.
You could actually do a tour from Delhi. Here are a few options:
- From Delhi: Private Taj Mahal and Agra Day Tour with 5* Meal
- From Delhi: Private Taj Mahal & Agra Tour, Sunrise Option
- From Delhi: Taj Mahal & Agra Fort Shared Group Tour
Of course, there are plenty of tours leaving and departing Agra too. Here are a few Agra options:
- Private Taj Mahal, Agra Fort & Mehtab Bagh Tour by Tuk Tuk
- Taj Mahal & Agra Fort entry tickets with Car & Tuk-Tuk
- Agra: Private Taj Mahal Fast-Track Entrance & 3-Hour Guided Tour
In Agra, there’s also Baby Taj and Agra Palace. Our guide recommended against going to any markets, as it can be super touristy. He also said he’d had two phones stolen from him in Agra, so be careful!
Where to stay in Agra
I stayed in Hotel Anand Villa. I quite liked it; although my room was downstairs without a window, it was comfy and clean and my bedding was soft and fresh. Some of the others did find their rooms a little damp, however. Click here to read more about it!
Two other hotels that I’ve researched and love the look of are Royale Sarovar Portico Agra (mid-range) and DoubleTree by Hilton Agra (luxury).
See my Agra posts
My Agra posts will be up soon, and they’ll include:
- How to take the Agra and Jaipur train
- Is the Taj Mahal worth visiting?
- Taj Mahal visiting tips
The Agra to Jaipur train is quick, cheap and fairly efficient, at least in my experience! I’d recommend taking it if you want an authentic Indian experience, or are just wondering how to get from Delhi to Agra for the Taj Mahal.
