Train from New Delhi to Agra -is it safe ?

HI ,

I am female aged 27 and was looking to fly into Delhi from Mumbai to catch a train straight to Agra!

I will be alone and was wondering if this is safe to do this , is there many Westerners as i really want to visit Taj Mahal ..

Is this far from Agra train Station

Emma

Train from New Delhi to Agra -is it safe ?

Yes it%26#39;s 100% safe, if you travel on a pre reserved ticket (official site www.irctc.co.in).

You may go by Bhopal Shatabdi Express, it%26#39;s an aircon train and starts at 6 AM from Delhi. It takes two hours to Agra. Or you make take Taj Express which starts at 7 AM and takes some 3 hours.

Returning trains are 6:55 PM (Taj Express) and 8:30 PM (Shatabdi Exp.). It will be a long day as you%26#39;ll return around 10:30 PM.

Taj Mahal is 6 Kms. from the Agra Cantt. Railway Station. A taxi should take Rs. 125 and an Auto (Tuk Tuk) should charge around Rs. 50 for taking you there.

Train from New Delhi to Agra -is it safe ?

Hi Emma,

You can say that going by train in India is always a little bit exciting....;))

If you buy a first class AC - ticket, you will not have any problems at all!

But if you buy a coach ticket - you will have a fight going on and off the train, and to find any room to sit! Do not even try that level of travelling, as a lonely woman!

I have been many times in India, and have never been met with any major problems, but often I have had help from many people. On the other side, I am over 1,90m and 130kg, so I will stick out a little bit.....

Good luck to you!

Dear Emma -

In general you should avoid train timings that have you alone in Delhi after 10 p.m. I don%26#39;t like the idea of being a solo woman travelling alone at night in Delhi city (or in Agra city).

If you are flying in from Mumbai, you will most likely need to split your journey into two days. Assuming you get into Delhi airport by 10:00 a.m., the earliest train you should think of taking is 11:30 a.m. and then you will be able to see the Taj at dusk. Make sure you get into the complex before 5 p.m. since that%26#39;s when the ticket counters close.

There is a return train from Agra to Delhi that departs 8:30 p.m., but I am suggesting you avoid it. Instead, spend the night in Agra and leave the next morning for Delhi after seeing Agra Fort.

- Deepa

Or do it the other way - see Agra Fort the previous day, and see the Taj Mahal at dawn.

I looked up the mid-morning trains:

2626 KERALA EXPRESS departs New Delhi 11:30 and arrives at Agra Cantonment 14:30 .

1078 JHELUM EXPRESS departs New Delhi 10:20 and arrives Agra Cantonment 13:50

8478 KALINGA UTKAL EXP departs H NIZAMUDDIN 12:30 and arrives Agra Cantonment 16:00

Dear Steve -

I believe trains are the safest mode of transport for solo women.

However, I don%26#39;t have the blithe confidence in my countrymen that you have, when it comes to women%26#39;s safety in Delhi after dark.

The plain truth is that Delhi doesn%26#39;t exactly have a stellar record when it comes to crimes against women.

As a traveller to Delhi, I have never seen local women walk out on the streets at night without an escort. This is not just because Indian women are subject to archaic patriarchal attitudes, it is also because it is genuinely not safe.

Let%26#39;s face it - being a woman in India is not exactly easy. Statistics of rape and murder aside, I have lost count of the number of times I have been felt up and groped and ';accidentally'; brushed against. Delhi seems to specialise in roadside louts.

The only city in India where women travel solo at night currently is Mumbai. Of late, even this is becoming fraught with danger, and we have had several shocking incidents in the last 2 years.

Dear Emma -

I would avoid solo night travel if possible. I would not say the risks are significantly greater for foreigners - although different colouring and hair will attract more attention. Any woman on her own feels unsafe...and those of us who have on occassion walked alone at night have usually scurried quickly to the safety of our homes. I say this for certain - you will not find any lone women strolling along confidently!

I have a teenage daughter, and if she was travelling, I would not advise a train like the Shatabdi that has her on the Paharganj streets past 10:30 p.m.

It is a telling indicator of the sorry state of affairs, that one half of the population can%26#39;t trust the other half.

- Deepa

Emma,

Although you can choose for yourself. And if possible you should stay at Agra so that you may visit Fatehpur Sikri also and take some rest.

But New Delhi railway station where Agra-N. Delhi Shatabdi express comes, is situated bang in the middle of the city. It%26#39;s never empty rather it%26#39;s overflowing with people 24 hours.

And Paharganj, wher you have a range of budget hotels, is just opposite the exit gate of Railway Station.Connuaght Place(CP), the heart of the city is just 2 KMs from Rly Stn.

At 10:30 PM Paharganj is humming with activity, in fact there are many shops/restaurants that are open all night. CP at this time is full of families out for dinner at a restaurant or icecream.

Just follow normal precautions, no dark alleys in night (although all the alleys in Paharganj are residential areas) no eatables from strangers and walk confidently. All this is true for Indians as well as foreigners.

hope you enjoy your trip.

Well,its all safe here in India..but u need to keep ur eyes open and look confident, the best way to do it by Road,so u might have not to care about what to do next when u reach Agra, there is daily same day aircondition bus services from New Delhi to Agra,in which they will make u most of the monuments at agra including Taj Mahal and Red Fort,also u might can see birth place of lord Krishna at Mathura.thats also very cheap the to and fro price for bus would be app Rs 700/-

ATB

Paul

Hi Emma

As a solo female traveller ones needs to be totally ';switched on'; to travel in India. The trains are the best way to travel and you have some good advice from Steven Ber, a legend! Don%26#39;t worry! The TAJ is so fabulous you must not miss it!

The touts in Agra railway station are the worst in India %26amp; will try to take your luggage %26amp; grab you by the arm %26amp; hassle the hell out of you. Just smile %26amp; tell them to go away. Chale Jao in hindi! Yell it out loud %26amp; clear %26amp; walk confidently to the prepaid taxi or autorickshaw counters %26amp; ignore the buggers! Lose your Western manners and jossle along with the rest of us who love India.

shiseido