Touts at Agra - share your experience here

kidsan

i put off going to agra on my 1st 3 visits to india, partly because of the tout-horror stories i had heard over the years.
I was, therefore, pleasantly surprised when i did finally make the journey last october to find it all rather easy-going.

I waltzed out of the station, strolled over to the pre-pay and was taken into town for the 'right' price'. I experienced a few 'guides' outside the Taj, and of course the postcard/trinket sellers...but that was it! Was i just lucky or does agra get a bit of a bad press? Be interesting to hear if i'm alone on this one.

Now, as for Jaipur rickshaw-drivers...

LunavadaLad

Visiting Agra was the worst day I spent in India. I went on a one day bus trip from Delhi to Agra. Never again. The driver was crazy must have thought himself to be "Mad Max". Nerves were a mess when I got there and when we stopped at the Taj hawkers surrounded the bus door and it was not easy to get out. All the way up to the entrance rickshaw wallahs and hawkers kept pestering us. By the time I got to see the Taj I guess I was not able to appreciate what is probably one of the best monuments in the world. Arriving at the Red Fort was similar. I found this site very interesting with some amazing architecture.

Even though it was a bad experience I am glad I have seen the Taj. I guess I would do it different like get there early before all the buses arrive and don’t do a day trip from Delhi.
Catching the train sounds better.

I found the touts in Jaipur to be the most persistent following me for blocks. Constant haggling with auto rickshaw drivers rickshaw wallahs as I was not interested in going to shops tiring.

Mikki

One of the best memories my husband I have from India has to do with a tout in Agra: We were enjoying just walking around when a tout in a carriage came by and offered a ride. Explaining that we were happy walking was useless, and we couldn't seem to shake him. Finally he asked, "What hotel you stay?" We told him "Clarks" - whereupon he looked us disdainfully up and down and said, "I DON'T BELIEVE!" - and drove off. My husband said to me later, "We must look like tramps here!" As I said, it's one of our fondest memories.

Ringo Ng

Nedhopkins, waaaa you go there 3 times , it must be amazing !thanks for your reply ,so when i go out of the train station , better go to the taxi booth and find a taxi go to see TAJ .

contrabassista

I just don't go to Agra. Fortunately I visited the Taj in 1961....different story then.

Just last month I left the train from Jaipur in Bharatpur and enjoyed the quiet and birds. When my train from there to Varanasi passed through Agra in the middle of the night some unsuspecting tourist in 3-tier had her chain cut and lost her whole backpack! After that two successive ploicemen came through and had all the tourists sign a book that their luggage was okay. After that I slept with my luggage between my head and the wall.

Zeppy

Interesting! I visited the Taj twice: in January 2007 and in 1959, as a kid, with my parents. Yes, different story then! India was a completely different story then! I'd be interested to know if you remember the Taj visit the way I do. There was no security around it, and beggars lined the walkway into it. We were pursued by a cloud of beggars. There were more beggars at the Taj than at any other place we visited in India, and there were lots of beggars back then, many many more than there are now. But: no touts, no auto rickshaw industry, no high admission price, no "guides," no tipping expectations, at least not that I can remember. I went back this time for my daughter's sake--she really wanted to see it. It's such a breathtakingly gorgeous building, really dazzling, now as then.

contrabassista

We were living in Pakistan at the time, so beggars were part of my reality. I do remember being a well-traveled rat and impressed by nothing. But oh my gosh! The sight of the Taj nearly stopped my young heart. That's how beautiful it is.

noflylist

Went to Agra in 1988, now I know visiting a shop was for rickshawallah benefit, not mine! Still touting was not bad then.

Lizs

We arrived at Agra Station at 11p.m and a rickshaw driver came up and asked for 150/- to go to Taj Ganj. We said no, this was too much and walked off. He followed us and a second driver came up to make a lower offer. Driver no 1 turned and punched him right in the mouth, knocking him down. The poor guy staggered to his feet looking dazed only to be knocked down again. We should have taken driver no 1's number and reported him to the tourist police but we were too shocked and just walked away. Another driver then approached us and took us to Taj Ganj for 50/-.
Not a good introduction to Agra, though after this we had no problems and did not find people too pushy.
Hotel Sheela is a good place to stay, just a minute's walk from the east gate of the Taj.

Ringo Ng

Lizs, just wondering is there any pre-paid rickshaw or taxi in the train station , i think this way could be better and save time .Please comment .

Lizs

According to Lonely Planet, there is a prepaid booth at Agra Cantonment Station; however we arrived at Agra Fort and certainly didn't see one there.

anarkali

Well, you know, if you want to avoid hassle, wouldn't it be best to steer clear of North India completely? I was glad only to spend a day in Agra but the level of hassle there was only a matter of degree more hassley than many other places we visited in North India.

We hired a car from Agra Ctt Station prepaid booth, sailing past many a persistent railway platform tout to get there. The guide (he had a driver) seemed well informed and didn't skimp on time at the Agra Fort or Taj. He pointed out great places to take photos, and we're very happy with our photos from Agra. We paid him "Whatever you think is right" which equated to Rs. 300 (on top of the car cost) for pretty much a whole day of guiding. Yes, the trip included stops for shopping, but we didn't mind that. And who knew we would want to buy a wool carpet??

We found Jaipur a whole lot less fun. The rickshawwalas were persistent, a lot of hassle to buy in the old city, but then again it was in Jaipur we went to that yummy not too exy Parantha restaurant where I learnt the joys of the Indian breakfast of parantha-curd; Parantha Hut was also where we met a fun travelling companion (nice lady from Northern California); plus at Amber Fort we met a really sweet local family (young Mum, twin toddler daughters, grandma and aunty) and there was that lovely little shop in the old city that sold us the first postcards we could bring ourselves to buy in India. Everywhere has its annoyances and it's part of travel in India.

Suggest giving Agra a go anyway. Everyone has to see the Taj and Agra Fort is spectacular too...

nedhopkins

No: you didn't mis-read. Rs500 (a bit over US$10) is not much for me; it no doubt meant a lot to the guard/guide.

But I understand your point. Even 40 years ago, when I was just out of graduate school and quite impecunious I tipped a guide at Herculanæum the equivalent of US$5 (more like US$30 today). Two elderly German women saw the gift and were offended. "You'll spoil it for us," one said.

I've been generous (or profligate, if you will) ever since: perhaps out of First World guilt.

stellap

Much the same with us, no hassle at all in Agra - Fatehpur Sikri was a different matter!

We spent a lovely afternoon at the Wildlife SOS Sloth Bear rescue centre at Agra, lovely staff and very informative tour, plus the chance to see happy rehabilitated bears. I'd really recommend a visit, but call ahead.

Nick-H

They should have walked through saying, 'he gave for us too' !