Destinations, Hotels, Foods, Transport and Tour Guide (original) (raw)

Agra Tourism

The city of Agra is famous for its exceptional monuments and buildings. Tourists and history freaks have endless love for the city.

However, people with religious inclination will never feel deprived as there are has several Religious Places in Agra. Numerous tombs, stones and graveyards dedicated to well known religious leaders are conspicuous with their presence in Agra.

There are temples, mosques and other structural wonders, which arise religious and spiritual feelings among the worshipers. Agra is unique in the sense that it has several famous places of worship for both the Muslims and the Hindus, indicating the secular lookout of the city.

A religious tour across Agra will take you through various places to visit in Agra. One of them is the Guru Ka Taal, which is large tank with beautiful towers erected around it. The red stone structures were built during Jehangir's reign beside the holy tomb of Itibar Khan Khwajasara.

How to Reach Agra

By Air

The nearest airport to Agra is the Kheria Airport located around 5 km from the city center. Agra is connected to Delhi, Varanasi and Khajuraho by air. For other cities, tourists need to take a flight to Delhi and continue their journey by train or bus. Find Flights to Agra

By Train

There are four main railway stations in Agra; they are Agra Cantt, Raja-ki-Mandi, Agra Fort and Idgah Agra Junction. The city is well linked with train services to all major cities in India. There are many super fast express trains connecting Agra with Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.

By Road

Agra is well connected by road to major cities in India. The National Highway Number 2 links it with rest of India. Delhi and Lucknow are well connected with Agra. There are regular bus services from these two cities to reach Agra. Taxies are also to reach Agra from these cities. Main bus stations in Agra are at Idgah and Agra Fort.

Distance to Agra

• From Mathura - 59 km
• From Delhi - 210 km
• From Kanpur - 278 km
• From Lucknow - 330 km
• From Jaipur - 238 km
• From Gwalior - 119 km
• From Gurgaon - 196 KM
• From Varanasi - 577 KM

Agra Distance Chart

Hotels and Accommodation in Agra

Some of the Budget, Mid-Range and Top Hotels in Agra are:

Budget Hotels

Mid-Range Hotels

Top Hotels

Find More Hotels...

Eating Out and Restaurants in Agra

There are several restaurants in Agra which serve awesome Mughlai, Indian, Chinese and other cuisines. However, if you want try out the famous local flavors, don't forget to try out the Petha, a type of sweet candy and Dal Moth, a spicy lentil mix. These two things are the specialties of Agra. Panchhi's Petha is one of the most prominent names for Petha. The Angoori Petha sold here is worldwide famous and is exported as well. Agra is also a heaven for Chat lovers. One can find Chat stalls at every nook and corner in the city. After a delicious meal, don't forget to round off your meal with a Paan (betel leaf combined with areca nut or cured tobacco) which is another speciality of this beautiful city. Following are some the popular restaurants in Agra:

Multi-Cuisine

• Pinch of Spice - 23/453, Wazirpura Road
• Dasaprakash Restaurant - 9 Bansal Nagar, Fathehabad Road
• Only Restaurant - 45 the Mall S of Taj Ganj

Vegetarian

• Shankara Vegis Restaurant - Taj Ganj
• Joney's Place - Taj Ganj
• Zorba the Buddha - Gopi Chand Shivhare Road

Mughlai

• Park Dining Room - Taj Road
• Moti Mahal Delux Tandoori Trail - Gandhi Nagar N.H. 2

Continental

• Shah Continental - 14, Bansal Nagar
• Bharat Plaza Hotel - Sikandara, Bodla Road, Rajajpur
• Kwality Restaurant - Surya Nagar, Civil Lines

South Indian

• Aahar Fast Food & Restaurant - 26/118, Sanjay place
• Lakshmi Vilas South Indian Restaurant - 50A, Taj Rd, Taj Ganj, Sadar Bazar

Chinese

• Mughal Room - 54 Taj Road
• Park Dining Room - Taj Road, Sadar Bazaar Area

Non - Vegetarian

• Stuff Makers - Hotel Kamal
• Taj Cafe - Taj Ganj Street
• Bellevue - The Oberoi Amarvilas, Taj East Gate Road

Shopping in Agra

Shopping in Agra can be an interesting and beautiful experience. The markets of Agra bear the remnants of the past glory when their ethnic arts and crafts were patronized and popularized by the Mughal emperors. Some of the items for which Agra is famous include handicrafts items like marble tabletops, soft stone lay work, semi precious stones, jewellery items and hand made leather items. The small replica of the Taj Mahal makes a popular souvenir, decorated with inlay work with semi-precious and precious stones imitating the style of the pietra dura work on the grand Taj. The 'Chikan embroidery' and thread and zari work on clothing illustrate the plush art traditions that have been carried down over the generations in the family of artisans.

Other popular items to shop for in Agra are Sandalwood items, durries, carpets and textiles. Food lovers can purchase Petha, Gazak or Dalmoth, as they are the speciality of the city. Some of the popular bazaars in Agra that you can visit on your shopping tour include the Kinari Bazaar, Pratap Pura, Sadar Bazaar, Munro Road, Taj Ganj and Gwalior Road. There are the modern shopping sites and complexes too especially the state emporiums like Kraft Palace, Handicraft Inn, Marble Emporium, etc where you can purchase antique souvenirs to luxury items.

Agra Travel Tips

• Always travel with your proper identification while traveling in a train or flight.
• When hiring a taxi from airports or railway stations get a prepaid taxi.
• In summers Agra is hot, plain cottons are the most practical and coolest.
• Always carry a hat or shades for protection from the harsh Sun.
• In monsoons, an umbrella comes in handy
• In winters, woolens or warm clothing is essential at nighttime.
• To enter a holy shrine, women should wear a long skirt, dress or trousers.
• Women travelers are expected to be modestly dressed
• Avoid tight fitting or revealing clothes especially when traveling alone
• Beware of touts and tricksters cheating tourists.
• Do not accept any type of food from strangers while traveling on trains and busses.
• Eating at roadside cafes can be risky because of unhygienic cooking environments.
• Drinking tap water can be a health hazard. It is best to carry mineral water bottles bought from a reliable store. In summer, extreme heat can cause heat strokes and dehydration, take enough fluids.

Tourist Helpline Numbers

Local Transport

One can opt to commute within the city from various modes of transport. The city has various services like cycle rickshaws, auto-rickshaws and tongas for which rates can be negotiated as these are unmetered services available in the city. While auto-rickshaws could be expensive even after negotiation, Tempos could be a better alternative. This is a sharing facility available with routes already specified. Vehicles around Taj Mahal is not permitted as they result in polluting the monument. Hence, from the distance of about one to one-and-a-half kilometre tongas and electric autos are available.

For tourists who have planned a single day's travel, they can hire prepaid taxis rights outside the Agra Cantonment railway station. The taxi service is affordable with various combinations of sightseeing options available with rate charts. The taxis available are both non-air-conditioned and air-conditioned. These taxis can be booked for a couple of hours or for the entire day, depending on your requirement. Also, the tour operators can book various packages for sightseeing and roaming around the city in luxury, which could turn out to be a little expensive.

Other than this, one can take the UP State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) or Agra Municipal Corporation bus services which is functional around the city. These UPSRTC buses are also air-conditioned as well as non-air-conditioned.

Popular things in Agra

One of the famous things Agra is known for is the sweet dishes like Petha, Gajak, etc. Petha is available in various innovations like Angoori Petha, Kesar Petha, coconut-flavoured Petha, etc. The salty snack called as Dalmoth (mixture) is also famous here.

Because Agra was majorly ruled by Mughals, the things the city is famous for is largely influenced by them. The popular things available here are marble inlay and handicrafts like carpets, leather, Pietra Dura (parchin kari), zari embroidery, brassware and jewellery. These crafts boost the Agra Tourism industry majorly.

In order to buy authentic and genuine handicrafts, one should shop from emporiums like Kraft Palace, Akbar International, Marble Emporium, Kohinoor Jewellers, Geneshilal Emporium, Handicraft Inn, etc.

Cost to Travel

For economical travelling, one needs to focus on various modes like buses, taxis and trains.

The closest cities to Agra are Delhi, Matura, Lucknow, Dehradun, Haridwar, Ajmer, etc. Taking buses from these cities to reach Agra is one of the most comfortable and cheap options. The buses that leave from Delhi's Sarai Kale Khan charge Rs 105 (Approximate) per person to reach Agra. However, the deluxe air-conditioned buses charge somewhere around Rs 166 (Approximate) per person, which are available twice a day at the times 7.30 am and afternoon 3.30 pm. The hourly bus service available from Jaipur to Agra charges Rs 174 (Approximate) per person. The air-conditioned buses (thrice a day) get functional from March to October for Rs 250 (Approximate) per person. The buses from Mathura to Agra charge around Rs 30 (Approximate) per person.

The buses from Dehradun charge Rs 210 (Approximate) per person, Lucknow charge Rs 197 (Approximate) per person and Haridwar charge Rs 190 (Approximate) per person.

The Taj Express train ticket charges for second class and chair car is Rs 56 and Rs 211 (Approximate) , respectively scheduled daily at 7.15 am from Delhi (Hazrat Nizamuddin) to Agra Cantt and return at 6.55 pm. Shatabdi Express train from New Delhi railway station to Agra for chair and executive class at Rs 395 and Rs 760 (Approximate) . This train leaves the New Delhi station early morning at 6.15 am and returns to Agra in the evening at 8.30 pm.

The Marudhar Express train ticket prices from Varanasi for sleeper, 3AC and 2AC is Rs 243, Rs 687 and Rs 985 respectively (Approximate) . This train has a connectivity to Jaipur and Jodhpur too. The Jaipur ticket charges are Rs 117, Rs 330 and Rs 473 (Approximate) .

Cost to Travel within City

For Agra Travel within the city for sightseeing, prepaid taxi is the most viable option. The taxis can be hired on hourly basis. The price ranges from Rs 300 to Rs 950 for three to eight hours for a non-air-conditioned cab. The air-conditioned cab ranges between Rs 375 and Rs 1400. The packages may differ as the sightseeing locations are fixed as per the hours. Taxi service from Delhi and Jaipur is also available for Rs 2500 and Rs 2700, respectively.

How many days are enough to travel?

Depending on your proximity to the city, a couple of hours is enough to travel.

Journey from Delhi is around five hours, Mathura and Bharatpur are one-and-a-half hour, Jaipur is six hours, Khajuraho is 10 hours, Fatehpur Sikri is one hour, Dehradun is 12 hours, Haridwar is 11 hours, Lucknow is 10 hours by road.

By train, it takes two to three hours from Delhi, three hours from Khajuraho, around 12 hours from Varanasi, around nine hours from Jaipur and Jodhpur, 30 hours from Kolkata, etc.

Last Updated on : December 21, 2013

• Tourist Map

• Shopping

• Hotels

• Taj Mahotsav

• Travel Agents

• Agra Handicrafts

• Malls in Agra

• About Agra

• Weather

• Pin Code

• STD Code

• Taj Mahal

• Agra Fort

• Fatehpur Sikri

• Tomb of Itmad ul Daulah

• Jama Masjid

• Tomb of Akbar

• Mangleshwar Temple

• Chini ka Rauza

• Jehangir Palace

• Sikandra Fort

• Taj Mahal Garden

• Moti Masjid

• Octagonal Tower

• Taj Mahal Museum

• Shah Jahan Garden

• Spiritual Museum

• Jodha Bai ka Rauza

• Guru ka Taal

• Mehtab Bagh

• Bageshwarnath Temple

• Jama Masjid Fatehpur Sikri

Travel to Uttar Pradesh

• Travel to Agra

• Travel to Allahabad

• Travel to Ayodhya

• Travel to Ghaziabad

• Travel to Gorakhpur

• Travel to Jhansi

• Travel to Kanpur

• Travel to Kushinagar

• Travel to Lucknow

• Travel to Mathura

• Travel to Noida

• Travel to Sarnath

• Travel to Sravasti

• Travel to Varanasi

• Travel to Vrindavan

• Agra Hotels

• Aligarh Hotels

• Allahabad Hotels

• Bahraich Hotels

• Balrampur Hotels

• Bareilly Hotels

• Basti Hotels

• Bhadohi Hotels

• Ghaziabad Hotels

• Gorakhpur Hotels

• Greater Noida Hotels

• Jhansi Hotels

• Kanpur Hotels

• Kosi Hotels

• Kosi Kalan Hotels

• Kushinagar Hotels

• Lucknow Hotels

• Mathura Hotels

• Meerut Hotels

• Mirzapur Hotels

• Moradabad Hotels

• Muzaffarnagar Hotels

• Noida Hotels

• Orai Hotels

• Rampur Hotels

• Sahibabad Hotels

• Sravasti Hotels

• Varanasi Hotels