Understanding the City's Layout
New Delhi is the capital city of India and part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). It is easy to confuse the two: colloquially "Delhi" and "New Delhi" are used interchangeably, but New Delhi proper is a relatively small municipality within the much larger megacity of Delhi. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) covers mostly Lutyens' Delhi and a few adjacent areas, and the municipal area forms part of a larger administrative district, the New Delhi district.
For a visitor, this matters practically. Much of what you will want to see sits in the planned, leafy core around Rajpath (Kingsway), India Gate, the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Secretariat and Parliament House, with Connaught Place as the central shopping and commercial hub. Beyond that core, the city sprawls outward into the wider metropolis and the National Capital Region, which extends into neighbouring districts and states including Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad. Plan your movements with that distinction in mind: some trips stay within the walkable, well-planned centre, while others require the metro, a bus or a car.
Getting Around by Metro
The Delhi Metro is usually the best all-round option for visitors. It provides a cheap, quick, mostly hassle-free and air-conditioned way of moving around the city. The network is fast-growing and extensive, and fares are modest. Do note that its popularity means rush-hour crowds at key interchanges can be heavy, so try to travel outside peak times when you can.
The network is organised into colour-coded lines, and the ones most relevant to sightseeing and connections include:
- The Yellow Line, which serves New Delhi station and connects through the centre of the city.
- The Violet Line, which links Kashmere Gate with areas to the south.
- The Blue Line and its branch, running out towards Dwarka and Noida.
- The Airport Express (Orange Line), which links New Delhi station with IGI Airport and Dwarka Sector 21.
Special fares apply on the Airport Express, so budget slightly more for that leg. At New Delhi railway station, metro exits are on the Ajmeri Gate side near platform 16, which is useful to know if you are transferring between rail and metro.
Railways and the Tourist Ticket Office
New Delhi is a major rail hub, and New Delhi station (NDLS) sits just outside Paharganj, the area often called the backpacker ghetto. The station is large, crowded and confusing, and it is packed with touts, so allow yourself plenty of time on a first visit. A useful tip from travellers: don't rely solely on the electronic display boards, which often show incorrect information. Instead, listen to the announcements and ask several people in uniform, including police officers, until you are sure you have found your train.
For foreign visitors, the standout facility is the International Tourist Bureau, a tourist ticket office located upstairs but still within the main New Delhi railway station, on the side away from the metro and near platform 1. Key points to remember:
- It is only for foreign tourists, so you must hold a tourist visa; student and working visas are not acceptable. Non-resident Indians can also book tickets here.
- Your passport will be requested, and even the visa number is needed.
- Payment is accepted by debit or credit card (Visa, Mastercard and RuPay).
- The process involves taking numbers for the reservation and information desks and filling out a form, then waiting in line. Expect a protracted wait, and be aware that by the time you reach the reservation desk your preferred train may no longer be available, in which case you can try another.
If you need a bathroom during the wait, there is a relatively clean male and female toilet just outside on the verandah through the side door.
Buses and Other Public Transport
New Delhi is well connected by bus, and buses are very cheap, though they are also quite crowded most of the time. They are frequent, generally running every 15 to 20 minutes or so on most routes. There are two main kinds of buses:
- Government-run DTC (Delhi Transport Corporation) buses, which are red and green with big windows.
- Privately run Blue-Line buses, which are orange.
For intercity arrivals, New Delhi is served by three major Inter-State Bus Terminals (ISBTs): Kashmere Gate, Sarai Kale Khan and Anand Vihar. All three lie outside the city limits. One alternative worth knowing about is Bikaner House on Pandara Road, near the Central Secretariat metro station. Buses, including air-conditioned Volvo services from Jaipur, arrive here, and for travel between Jaipur and New Delhi this stop is very clean, less crowded than the ISBTs, and easy to reach.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are widely available, and fares vary with traffic conditions. At New Delhi railway station, the safe and least expensive option is the pre-paid taxi booth run by the Delhi Police. Be warned that this booth sits at the extreme far north end of the taxi parking, roughly 50 metres from the station's main exit, and you will encounter touts along the way claiming to provide prepaid taxis. Ignore them and find the official police-run booth. You can also take pre-paid rickshaws and taxis from the plaza outside the main entrance.
Getting Around on Foot
Thanks to the city's urban planning, New Delhi is more pedestrian-friendly than the rest of the metropolis. The planned core, with its wide avenues and green spaces, is comparatively pleasant to explore on foot, and there are footbridges and subways to help you bypass road traffic. Walking is a realistic option for short hops within Lutyens' Delhi and around Connaught Place, though you will still want the metro or a taxi for longer cross-city journeys.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) is the main arrival point for visitors into New Delhi, and it is a 20- to 30-minute ride by road from the city. Other airports serving the region include Noida (DXN) and Hindon (HDO).
From IGI Airport you have two straightforward options:
- By metro: the Airport Express (Orange Line) links the airport with New Delhi station and Dwarka Sector 21. Remember that special fares apply on this line.
- By road: a taxi or ride-hailing car takes roughly 20 to 30 minutes depending on traffic. As a rough guide, a taxi from New Delhi station to the airport costs around ₹400, and the journey in that direction can take anywhere from about 40 minutes to an hour by car.
If you are arriving by train rather than plane, the reverse connection is simple: New Delhi station is served by both the Yellow Line and the Airport Express, making the transfer between rail and air relatively painless.