The fastest and most reliable way to get to the airport is by metro. Terminals 2 and 3 are served by a direct line from the city centre, while Terminal 1 is served by the Magenta circle line around Delhi and requires a change of trains to get to the city centre.

An express bus service from Terminals 2 and 3 also provides direct connections to major tourist and transport destinations.

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Metro - Airport Express (Terminals 2, 3)

The fastest metro line to central Delhi is the orange "Airport Express", station is located directly between terminals 2 and 3. Delhi Metro is modern, clean and safe.

The Airport Express Metro can also be used to get to Terminal 1. From the T1 arrival hall, the so-called "Feeder Bus" runs to the Aerocity metro station. A ticket for the Feeder Bus costs 60 inr and can only be bought with cash from the conductor inside the bus.

The route connects the airport with New Delhi's city centre, main railway station and Dwarka, the largest housing estate in Asia.

Although the "Airport Express" line crosses several other routes, it is only possible to buy a ticket within the airport line and you must subsequently buy a new ticket when you change buses.

Official information and connection search: delhimetrorail.com.

Tickets

Tickets are sold at the station ticket office and can only be paid for with cash. You will be given a paper ticket with a QR code that you scan at the turnstile when you enter the station.

Tickets can also be paid by QR code via the DMRC Momentum mobile app (available at: Google Play / App Store). However, registration with personal details is required.

The price is calculated according to the distance travelled.

• Terminal 2/3 - New Delhi (centre + station): 60 inr
• Terminal 2/3 - Shivaji Stadium: 50 inr
• Terminal 2/3 - Aerocity: 20 inr
• Aerocity - New Delhi (centre + station): 50 inr

Tourist Card with unlimited day pass for 200 inr is valid for all Delhi Metro lines except "Airport Express".

Timetable

Metro lines "Airport Express" run every day of the week with the same timetables.

• Travel time - 15 minutes
• Frequency - 4 to 6 minutes
• Last train from the airport - 23:18
• First train to the airport - 4:40
• Tip for cheap hotel about 10 minutes walk from Shivaji Stadium station - New Delhi YMCA Tourist Hotel

Metro - Magenta Line (Terminal 1)

There is a purple metro line to Terminal 1, but it only connects the southern and eastern areas of Delhi.

To reach the city centre, you need to change either to the yellow line at "Hauz Khas" station or in the other direction at "Janakupri West" station to the blue line.

• Terminal 1 - Hauz Khas - change to the yellow line - New Delhi (downtown): approx. 47 minutes
• Terminal 1 - Janakupri West - change to Blue Line - RK Ashram Marg (downtown): approx. 58 minutes

Official information and connection search: delhimetrorail.com.

Tickets

Tickets are sold at the ticket office or at the vending machine at the station and can be paid by cash or regular credit card. You will be given a paper ticket with a QR code which you scan at the turnstile when you enter the station.

Tickets can now also be paid by QR code via the DMRC Travel App (available on Google Play / App Store). However, registration with personal details is required. Through this app, you can pay tickets for all Delhi Metro lines except the orange "Airport Express" running to terminals 2 and 3 (see info above).

The price is calculated according to the distance travelled.

• 40 inr: Terminal 1 - Ramakrishna Ashram Marg (including transfer to the Blue Line)
• 40 inr: Terminal 1 - New Delhi (incl. transfer to Yellow Line)
• 40 inr: Terminal 1 - Kalkaji Mandir (Lotus Temple)

Tourist Card with unlimited day pass for 200 inr is valid for all Delhi Metro lines except "Airport Express" and can be purchased at the ticket counter.

Timetable

Metro Magenta Line runs from Monday to Saturday as per weekdays. On Sundays, the service starts later.

• Frequency - 15 minutes
• Last train from the airport towards Hauz Khas and Botanical Gardens - 23:07
• Last train from airport towards Jankpuri West - 23:42
• First train from Hauz Khas station - 6:35am (8:35am on Sundays)
• First train from Janakpuri West station - 5:40am (Sunday 8am)

Bus Terminal 1 <-> Aerocity

A special shuttle bus runs between Terminal 1 and the Aerocity metro station, where the much faster "Airport Express" metro stops, every 15 minutes from 6:00am to 11:00pm.

Tickets cost 60 inr and can be bought with cash from the driver or conductor.

Public transport map

See the map of metro and express bus routes to/from Delhi Airport.

Uber, Ola

If you're travelling with bulky luggage or if you want a convenient and hassle-free transfer directly to your destination, use the Uber or Ola app.

When you travel in Uber or Ola cars, you know the price upfront and can pay by mobile payment. Uber / Ola are very popular in Delhi and you can get a car around the city and at the airport at all hours of the day and night.

Average prices are as follows:

• Terminal 2/3 - Railway Station New Delhi: 600 inr
• Terminal 1 - Railway Station New Delhi: 470 inr
• Terminal 2/3 - Red Fort: 700 inr
• Terminal 1 - Red Fort: 550 inr

The Uber / Ola car ranks are different from regular taxis and are marked with a sign App Based Taxi.

Taxi

Regular taxis always have a stand directly in front of the terminal.

On your way from the airport, you can pre-pay for a taxi at the ticket office outside the terminal. The cheapest prices are offered by the official city taxis, which you can subscribe to at the ticket office, signposted Delhi Traffic Police.

You can pay by cash or card and prices are higher than Uber/Ola:

• Terminal 2/3 - Railway Station New Delhi: 1 000 inr
• Terminal 1 - Railway Station New Delhi: 900 inr
• Terminal 2/3 - Red Fort: 1 100 inr
• Terminal 1 - Red Fort: 950 inr

Buses to the city centre

The last option for getting to downtown Delhi is the special Airport Express bus service. Sometimes this line is also referred to as "EXP-4".

The buses run from Terminals 1 and 3 and make more than 40 stops during their journey. The journey to the city centre is significantly slower than the metro, but on the other hand it is cheaper than a taxi and offers a direct, non-stop journey to more destinations than the metro.

Airport Express Line 4 runs to Central Bus Station Kashmere Gate or one of Delhi's main landmarks, the Red Fort.

The timetable can be found at dtc.delhi.gov.in under "IGI Airport Bus Service".

• Price: 100 inr (payable in cash to the driver or conductor)
• Travel time: 100 minutes
• Frequency: 30-40 minutes

Tickets for buses in Delhi can also be purchased through the Chartr mobile app (available on: Google Play / App Store).

Other bus routes run only to nearby neighbourhoods and are mostly used by airport employees.

Airport shuttle buses

A free shuttle bus runs between all terminals 24 hours a day.

Buses run at intervals of 5-10 minutes during the day and 15-20 minutes at night. Follow the signs "Shuttle Bus".

The bus is only free if you pick up a paper coupon at the bus stop in the waiting area of Bus Waiting Lounge. This is obtained by presenting your boarding pass with your connecting flight from the relevant terminal. Otherwise, the bus ticket costs 20 inr and is payable to the conductor inside the car (cash only).

There is a special bus service between Terminal 1 and Aerocity Metro Station from 6:00am to 8:00pm with a fare of 40 inr (journey time 15 minutes).