Fatehpur Sikri closed on which day?

tiffin

Can anyone tell me authoritatively which day of the week the monuments at Fatehpur Sikri are closed? I am thinking of making an overnight visit to FS and Agra so as to give myself a day in each spot. I've been told that the Taj Mahal is not open on Mondays. Are both locations closed on the same day? Anyone know? My guidebook mentions nary about it and my schedule is getting rather tight, unfortunately, so it would be a real bother to go out there and miss one or the other.

Haylo

Fatehpur Sikri is open on every day.

However if money is tight, bear in mind that the entrance tickets come in two parts, entry and tax. The single Rs 500 tourist tax ticket for both FS and the TM and several other monuments is only valid on the day of issue, so you can't visit FS on a Monday and the TM on the Tuesday on the same tourist tax ticket..

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tiffin

Thanks a lot for the tip, Haylo. Useful info. I don't mind too much paying the extra tourist tax, especially if it means that they will spend some of it on taking care of the monuments...

mousourik

And Taj is closed on Fridays, not Mondays.

Haylo

Of course!

USAmbuya

Does anyone know about what time the sun sets in Agra/Fatehpur Sikri? Want to plan to be sure and take sunset pics in both.

rajered

This link should help you http://www.timeanddate.com/worldcloc...my.html?n=1046

USAmbuya

Thank you, Ragered! Most helpful!

You can't, by any chance, help me book a sleeper train (best class possible, indiv. sleeper car?) WITH air conditioning from Agra to Varanasi on Thur., Aug. 20th, can you? I went on the site IM recommended, and thought I found Marudhar Express to Varanasi JN. We are two ladies traveling, and wouldn't mind two others in our car at all. Someone else said there are no separate cars, only cars with curtains and six bunks. Someone else on IM said there are no overnight trains from Agra to Varanasi, which I find hard to believe! I am so confused.

If you can't help me, can you send me-or refer me to someone who can? Thanks SO much!

Also, what can I do about getting an in-country contact for my visa if I don't know anybody, and my hotel of entry (Rak-Delhi) has declined?

Thanks, J

Indizen

Sunset in Lucknow is at 19:04 and in Delhi at 19:22.
So Agra should be around 19:15 or so.

Haylo

Just quote that hotel name anyway, or even that of another hotel, which you intend booking into on your first night - don't you? Unless your plans change after you've received your visa.

Really, I have never before heard of anyone contacting a hotel in advance to ask permission to use them as their Indian reference. This question on the form should not even apply to tourist visas, and some countries have forms which actually state that, but while it remains on the form, over zealous visa officers can return applications that have "incomplete" forms, which is the only reason it's recommended that section is always filled in.

Nobody expects tourists to know people in India, visa officers never check to see whether or not you're booked into somewhere - and in any case there is no requirement to make a hotel booking before you apply for your visa, neither is there any procedure for changing your Indian reference if your travel plans change after you've been issued with your visa.

Indizen

None of the trains from Agra to Varanasi have 1 AC class, the one with private AC compartments.
You will have to book 2 AC, the FOUR bunks enclosed by a curtain, two lower and two upper - you can specify your choice. More details in the railways forum.