| Delhi - Questions about New Delhi, hotels, restaurants, and basic survival tips. |
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#1 |
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Japan
Posts: 6
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Delhi to Agra n Back. Train or Car?
When I go to Delhi I'll be on a tight schedule, but want to fit in a quick trip from Delhi to Agra to see the Taj in one day. I can't stay in Agra the night, so that's out. It doesn't sound all that expensive either way so cost isn't a consideration, it's more of comfort, fun, travel times, and getting in the sightseeing. Seems like I should try to fit in Fatephur Sikri too if I can.
So it's either go by train or hire a car? What are the pro's and cons? and if it were you, how would you plan your day? Oh, about the car. I read somewhere that night driving back in the dark isn't a good idea?? Finally, my travel partner is worried about getting car sick if the road/driving is bad!! |
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#2 |
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Dreaming of India...
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: New York
Posts: 374
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Hello Ensie,
The pros of taking the train: - more comfortable than car. - quicker - cheaper Cons: - you WILL run into touts, etc. at the train station - which can be a HUGE hassle. pros of taking a car: - it will take you directly to the Taj - you get to see the countryside cons: - can be uncomfortable and long - more expensive than train Hope this helps. |
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#3 |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 1,460
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my trip to Agra from Delhi
I took a one day tour from Delhi Tourism (governmental orgn) and enjoyed the company of my travel companions more than the sites (guilty!!! so what?)
it was eight of us in a jeep, an Indian couple from India, two Indians from Australia, a woman from Pakistan, a girl from Australia and myself. we had fab time! the guide was somewhat boring (trying to get us to go to shops even if it was not in the programme) but we had fun making fun of him. no trouble with touts (apart from the guide himself) here are details (originally from radz) Delhi Tourism - one day trip to Agra. Departure 7.am,return 10pm. Tariff: Non ac adult Rs630.A/c Rs700. Delhi Tourism, Central reservation office,Cofffe Home 1,Baba Kharak Singh Marg,(D-6)Tel,3365358/3363607 http://delhitourism.nic.in |
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#4 |
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Yangon, MYANMAR
Posts: 4,129
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Agra's MUST SEE sights are: Taj, Dayal Bagh, Sikandara, Etmad-ud-Daulah and Agra Fort and you will need to spend the entire day visiting these spots, including the transit from Delhi.
A night halt at Agra hence becomes a necessity if you wish to see Fatehpur Sikri too.
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Whoever said money can't buy happiness didn't know where to shop ! |
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#5 |
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Maha Guru Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: India
Posts: 748
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Hi Ensie
If you dont mind for budget then i will suggest go by car, If you can start early morning around 6am (if u can 5) from Delhi you will reach around 9.30 am ,morning hrs less traffic,after seeing Taj,then Fatehpursikri. Night driving AGRA TO DELHI the road is good.so it wont be problems. Only winders i wont suggest night driving. radz
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#6 |
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zindabad!
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Israel
Posts: 170
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The Shatabadi Express between New Delhi and Agra is uncharacteristically (for India) comfortable - if a bit expensive. Even left on time when I took it.
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Jai Hind. |
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#7 |
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laid traps for troubadours
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with a car you can see Sikandra on the way, highly rec. With a train,nyet.
Shatabdi is very efficient, tho . . . .
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Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential. Barack Obama lookit me!!!: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bijapuri/ Utube fuzzy logic: http://youtube.com/profile_videos?user=bijapuri&p =r |
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#8 |
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Japan
Posts: 6
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HI. Thanks for the comments.
I'll consider the option of taking the Shatabdi round-trip and making arrangments for a car in Agra to take us around there. I'll look into the Indian Railways site and see if I can figure out a booking. As for the car all day from Delhi to Agra and back. I am mainly concerned about the safety of drving at night on the road back. I heard to avoid traveling in the night/dark. Is this a genuine concern on the Agra to Delhi route? |
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#9 |
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laid traps for troubadours
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you can always make a strong request to the agency for a sane driver, and remind the driver FORCEFULLY of your expectations.
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#10 |
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: New Delhi
Posts: 6
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Hi
You could take a bus trip from ITDC ( India Tourism Development Corp.) A govt orgn. They send an english speaking guide with the bus The bus is AC. Takes you to Taj , Sikandara and Fatehpur Sikari (Main attractions of Agra) Bus leaves at 06 30 Am gets back to Delhi 10 00 PM. Drive is comfortable on four lane highway connecting Delhi Agra. Hope it will help Have a good time |
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#11 | |
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Senior Member
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Quote:
Cheers |
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#12 |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Maryland
Posts: 351
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I took the ITDC trip 12 years ago. Not enough people signed up to send a bus so they put us in old Ambasador sedans. The road both ways was pretty hairy, especially at night, but they have upgraded the Delhi-Agra road a lot since then. One does get a good idea of what it is like to travel India's roads, as well as see some village life, by taking the road. We saw a huge accident and drove thru a farmer's field to detour around it. We were able to visit Sikunder (sp?), and after touring the Taj we caught a cab to the house of a friend on the outskirts of Agra and had a great lunch. We caught back up to our ITDC tour at Agra fort.
ITDC provided food, at government rest house style places. Our guide did steer us into one tourist trap, and our driver stopped on the way back to buy booze. At the time my wife was working as an editor of a big newspaper in Delhi and she wrote an editorial about this. There are definitely two schools of though on Delhi-Agra transportation among locals: they either prefer to drive or prefer the train, and it's probably a majority who prefer the train. Portie |
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#13 |
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Delhi
Posts: 233
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Definately train...its much more convenient and you dont have to deal with unprecedented traffic jams, driving at night etc.. shatabdi of course is the best but Taj Express also has convenient timings.
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