New Delhi: Travel guide, prices and free housing · 2026
You escape the city's notorious ring road gridlock through the air-conditioned metro, paying ₹25,182 each month for a central room near the broad colonial avenues.
- Airport Express Metro
- ₹60
- Single ticket
- ₹38.40
- Local SIM card
- ₹299
Sources: 3 · As of September 5, 2026
- Monthly pass
- ₹800
Metro riders use reloadable smart cards or single tokens, while city buses sell physical paper tickets on board.
- Coffee at the counter
- ₹224.06
- Lunch at a canteen
- ₹400
- Dinner out
- ₹2,000
- Beer at a bar
- ₹200
- Water, 0.5 l
- ₹16.83
- 1 day
- India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Connaught Place
- 3 days
- + Humayun's Tomb, Lodi Gardens, Jama Masjid
- 7 days
- + Akshardham, Red Fort, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib
Planned imperial geometry defines the administrative heart of the nation.
British planners Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker designed the central capital around a grand axis running from India Gate to the presidential palace atop Raisina Hill. This administrative quarter features expansive tree-lined boulevards and low-density government bungalows, housing national ministries alongside the supreme court and parliament. The resulting open layout creates wide pedestrian paths rare elsewhere.
Read on
Connaught Place anchors the commercial core with colonnaded financial blocks, retail markets, and heavy transit footfall. Commuters face severe road congestion and sluggish traffic on the major ring routes during peak hours, forcing long-term residents onto the expansive, air-conditioned metro system to stay mobile. New arrivals must also navigate persistent ticket touts and transport solicitors around the railway terminals.
Beyond government complexes, expansive green retreats such as Lodi Gardens and Buddha Jayanti Park provide quiet outdoor corridors across the urban landscape. Neighborhood food hubs like Bengali Market provide vegetarian staples and traditional street dishes alongside historic bakeries in the central circles. Residents quickly learn that public demonstrations frequently assemble near Jantar Mantar, requiring occasional detour planning.
- Lutyens' Bungalow Zone
- Connaught Place
- Delhi Metro
- Transit Touts
- Peak-Hour Gridlock
- The capital hosts all executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the national government.
- A dedicated airport express rail line links the international airport directly to the central railway station.
- Public municipal buses run on compressed natural gas across the territory.
- Foreign nationals booking train departures at the central station must present a valid passport and tourist visa.
Frames are tied to places on the map: every photo has an author and a licence. Look-alike shots from another city never appear here — if there are no photos of the place, there is no strip.
Money
What a month really costs and what everyday things are priced at
- Coffee
- ₹224.06
- Lunch at a canteen
- ₹400
- Dinner at a café
- ₹2,000
- Beer at a bar
- ₹200
- Single transit ticket
- ₹38.40
- Room, per month
- ₹25,181.82
- SIM card
- ₹299
- Bottle of water
- ₹16.83
- Taxi, per km
- ₹17
Up to 50% of exchange programmes, internships and ecosystem services can be covered with points.
4 sources · As of September 5, 2026
Getting there and staying
Free first, paid second
There are no free-stay hosts in New Delhi yet — the nearest city with hosts:
- Airport Express Metro
- ₹60
- 01Purchase a prepaid SIM card at an official airport arrival booth.
- 02Withdraw Indian rupees from an automated teller machine in the arrivals area.
- 03Take the dedicated airport express train directly to the central transit terminal.
- 04Check in at your accommodation and lock away primary travel documents.
4 sources · As of September 5, 2026
Visa and practicalities
Choose a passport
The visa answer is computed for the pair “passport → country”: timing, fees and documents differ by passport. Pick a passport and the answer opens here.
- The railway International Tourist Bureau serves foreign passengers on tourist visas and explicitly bars holders of student or work visas.
- Pedestrian access beneath the central archway of India Gate is cordoned off behind permanent security barriers.
- Riding public municipal buses without an issued ticket or valid pass subjects passengers to on-the-spot penalty charges.
- SIM card
show more
Long-term postpaid contracts require local residence verification.
- eSIM
- Wi-Fi
How do travelers get from Indira Gandhi International Airport to the city center?
The Airport Express metro line connects the main terminal directly with central railway infrastructure. Official prepaid taxi desks run by the local police operate outside passenger arrival areas to prevent overcharging. App-based rides and public buses also link the terminal complex with various municipal districts.
Source: Wikivoyage · Wikipedia · Delhi Airport Transfer Guide – Honest Prices & Options | AirportTransfer PortalWhat documentation is needed to obtain a SIM card at the airport?
Foreign travelers must present a passport, valid visa paperwork, and a passport photograph at airport telecommunications counters. Network kiosks operate inside arrival terminals and configure accounts after verifying credentials. Card activation generally completes shortly after registration.
Source: Delhi Airport Sim Card Guide: Best Spots To Stay Connected | ShunHotelHow can international visitors book train tickets at New Delhi railway station?
Foreign passengers can purchase rail passes at the dedicated International Tourist Bureau located on the upper level of the station. Travelers must present their passport alongside valid entry documentation to obtain reservations. Independent touts loitering outside the hall often try to redirect tourists and should be disregarded.
Source: Wikivoyage · WikivoyageWhat common arrival scams should visitors anticipate around transit hubs?
Unauthorized touts around major stations frequently claim that official ticket desks have closed or moved. Some taxi drivers falsely assert that designated hotels are inaccessible or fully booked to divert passengers toward unauthorized agencies. Utilizing official police taxi booths and booking transport through verified portals avoids these solicitations.
Source: Wikivoyage · WikivoyageWhat is the most efficient way to navigate the city using public transit?
The Delhi Metro offers an air-conditioned rail network that spans municipal districts and neighboring regional hubs. Surface transport includes extensive public bus fleets operating throughout central and suburban corridors. Footbridges and subways provide separated paths to cross major road thoroughfares safely.
Source: Wikipedia · WikivoyageWhere can visitors find vegetarian dining and local specialties?
Bengali Market serves local chaat and regional vegetarian food within the central district. Connaught Place features a variety of historic eateries, traditional restaurants, and international chains with dedicated vegetarian choices. Diners can also visit historic quarters for traditional street specialties.
Source: WikivoyageWhat major historic sites and public monuments are found in New Delhi?
The central ceremonial avenue connects prominent government landmarks, including Rashtrapati Bhavan and India Gate. Connaught Place houses the historic masonry astronomical observatory known as Jantar Mantar. The city also maintains significant green spaces, such as Lodi Gardens and the memorial grounds at Rajghat.
Source: Wikipedia · Wikipedia5 sources
Safety and health
Official travel advice and the medical minimum
Getting here
Airports, distances and public transport
When to go and itineraries
When to come and what fits into a day, three days and a week
- 09:00Rashtrapati BhavanView the presidential residence atop Raisina Hill before heading down the ceremonial avenue.
- 11:30India GateObserve the war memorial arch from the perimeter gardens.
- 14:00National Gallery of Modern ArtExamine the national collection of contemporary and historical Indian art.
- 16:30Jantar MantarInspect the historic stone astronomical instruments near Connaught Place.
- 09:00Red FortExplore the historic Mughal citadel grounds.
- 11:30Jama Masjid, DelhiVisit the grand courtyard of the historic mosque.
- 14:30Humayun's TombTour the garden tomb complex and stone architecture.
- 17:00Hazrat Nizamuddin DargahExperience the evening atmosphere at the historic Sufi shrine.
- 10:00Gurudwara Bangla SahibEnter the complex and observe the community kitchen and water pool.
- 13:00Gandhi SmritiWalk through the memorial rooms and grounds commemorating Mahatma Gandhi.
- 16:00Lodi GardensRelax in the open public park amidst historic tombs.
You can come for a week on your own. To live and work here — on a programme.
Visa, an invitation from the employer, insurance and support on site are handled by the IEC International Programmes team. These are the programmes that bring people to India to live and work, not just to look.
Cities of India
Places in New Delhi
Countries nearby
Frequent questions about New Delhi
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