Travel Guide

 This Guide would be more than enough to save a lot of money if you just take few efforts in planning your journey. I suggest never buy any package from Travel Agency to visit Taj, since you miss the real taste of India, also you end up in paying a good amount of profit for them!

Relax, everything is there online! You have to just spend few hours researching your best requirements for  Accommodation and Ticketing. I assure you you will find a good difference between the package provided by your travel agent or online travel agency.

You will find unbelievably cheap services there, which will save up your costs. Believe me most of them are safe as well as exciting.

Further, I will post most of the recommended options, service providers for all your requirements.

From Delhi Airport:

By plane:

It only takes 40 minutes from Delhi to Agra.

Agra airport is 7 km from the city center, 3 km from Idgah bus stand. Major Indian airlines operate daily tourist shuttle flights to Agra, Khajuraho, Varanasi. The city is served by Kingfisher Airlines and Air India Regional, who both fly on the Delhi-Agra-Jaipur tourist triangle route. The flight time to either is less than an hour. 

By train:

Train is most convenient & cheapest way to reach there.The main railway station is the Agra Cantonment station. Agra is well connected by rail to Delhi, Varanasi , cities of Rajasthan. Trains like Palace on Wheel, Shatabdi, Rajdhani, and Taj Express are the best choices if you want to reach Agra from Delhi in luxury.

Agra is on the main train line between the Delhi-Mumbai (Bombay) and Delhi-Chennai routes, as well as many trains connect Agra with these cities every day.

Raja Ki Mandi is a small station. Some of the trains which stop at Agra Cantt also stop here. This station is also a good option if you hotel is nearby to this station, you can check it on Google Maps. From there, you can grab a tuk tuk or rickshaw ride, directly to your stay.

By road:

Idgah bus stand is the main bus stand of Agra, from where one can catch buses for Delhi, Jaipur, Mathura, Fatehpur-Sikri, etc. Buses for Mathura also leave from Agra Fort bus stand.

In Agra:

You can travel to different parts of Agra using different modes of transport like taxi, tempo, auto-rickshaw, cycle rickshaw from the Taj Mahal area. Prepaid taxis and autos from the railway station are available. Prepaid transport is also available for excursions around the city limits.

Avoid government buses if possible.

If you are traveling in a group, luxury bus is arranged by your hotel or tour operator, they may be fine to use. However if you have the option, choose a private taxi for Agra travel by road.  When you rent a private car in India, it usually comes with a driver.

Prices for private taxis can be negotiated depending on the number of days you need the taxi. Private taxi charges also vary with the make of the car you choose. In Delhi most taxis will quote a price starting from Rupees 7/Km. Check about night charges.

Tips for food

When you travel Agra, you will surely come to its specialities, which are pethas, a type of very sweet candy, and Dal Moth, a spicy lentil mix. Both are also popular souvenirs.

Go for Panchhi Petha  if it is your first time!

Few of the best known are-

1. http://www.panchhipetha.com/products.html

2. Pracheen Petha near Chipitolaa state bank and on highway near Guru ka Tal.

If you want to enjoy local and safe food specialities, here are few options you must go for.

Tips for food: 

Keep it to certain limit when you are not used to sweet or very lightly spiced food.

Tourists are readily provided with no spice or less spice if requested, or generally they know.

Small and big vendors all over the city are usually very hygienic, but please avoidvendors selling food on cycles, on road with big baskets, very risky and unsafe.

Aloo Chat (Potatoes Snack), Pani Puri, Dahi Puri are few which might amaze you!
Also go for Allo tikki, Ragda Puri, Bhel Puri etc wherever you see them. Try them, its mouth watering!
Chaat, Bhallas, Lassi, Sweets etc are most recommended  when you travel Agra.



There are several restaurants in the Taj Mahal area, catering for the many tourists staying around the Taj Mahal.

• Treat Restaurant, South Gate Taj Mahal, ☎ 9319697497 (treatagra@yahoo.co.in). breakfast, lunch and dinner. 20-60 for main dish, great Indian food.

• The Silk Route Restaurant (TSR), 18-A/7-B Fatehabad Road (Opposite Howard Park Plaza), ☎ 0562 4002786.

• Only Restaurant, ☎ 0562-2364333 / 2266508, 600-800 for main dish of 2.

• Joney's place Taj ganj. Perfect for early breakfast, when you want to wake up early to visit the Taj at 6 Am. 10 Rs Toast, 10 Rs coffee, 15 Rs cornflakes.

• Kamat Hotel Roof top restaurant with view on the Taj. Correct quality. Beer available. 70 Rs for a vegetable curry.

General Tips

 

Taj Mahal tips, firstly include a primary thing which is to protect your skin. India is a very hot country, especially in the summer. Sunscreen, lip balm, hats, umbrella and mittens would protect sensitive skin from sunburn.

- Necessary thing is water supply.India is also famous for it dry clime, you'd better take a bottle of water with you. For the ladies, take the serum for optimum hydration and masks, which will be very helpful for your skin protection. Secondly these are few other Taj Mahal tips when you visit India.

Taj Mahal Tips:

• One tip is to go to the mosque on the left side and for a fee, they will let you frame the Taj through their door ways making some dramatic photos.
• One gets Rs 50 discount when presenting ticket for Taj Mahal at Agra Fort. 
• Please note that the Taj Mahal is closed every Friday
• Self-guided audio tour (allows two to a device) for Rs. 100 in English and foreign languages
• The city becomes more colorful during the Taj Mahaotsav - the Taj Festival. A large number of dancers and singers gathers at one place to exhibit their performances.

There are many places where you can combine your travel plan, specially for the monument lovers. Travel Agra completely when you pla to visit Taj Mahal. Agra is one of the most beautiful city for monument lovers.


Agra Travel tips:


Red Fort: This powerful fortress of red sandstone encompasses, within its 2.5-km-long enclosure walls, the imperial city of the Mughal rulers.


Sikandra: This is also one of the very good historical monument in Agra.


Fatehpur Sikri: It is the second half of the 16th century by the Emperor Akbar, Fatehpur Sikri (the City  of Victory) was the capital of the Mughal Empire for only some 10 years.


Buland Darwaza: It is the greatest architectural monument of Akbar's entire reign


Itmad-Ud-Daula: Before the Taj Mahal was built, its design was already standing in the form of Itmad Ud Daulah's Tomb.


Taj Mahal is now disabled friendly.


They will be able to get a closer and more intimate view of the magnificent monument of love


Keep in mind few things:

-  Don't kiss or embrace each other or Indian people in public because it is regarded as part of public sex.

-  When entering the private houses, temples or noble places, DON’T forget to remove your shoes.

-  Indian people are very conservative about clothing, trousers are acceptable but short skirts and shorts are offensive to many people. So avoid wearing short skirts and shorts.

-  Currency is the rupee and all money should be changed with authorized money changes available at various places.

-  India has much different type of foods so grab your fork or simply use your fingers and taste all delicious foods in India.

-  Don't forget to bring a converter plug.Indian voltage is 220 volts.

- Indian Standard Time is 4 hours and 30 minutes ahead of Paris, 3 hours and 30 minutes behind of Tokyo, 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of London, 10 hours and 30 minutes behind New York and 4 hours and 30 minutes behind Sydney.