How to Get to Agra & Around: Gatimaan & Vande Bharat Express Trains, Yamuna Expressway, Metro & Rickshaws

Located 210 kilometres (130 miles) south-southeast of New Delhi and 240 kilometres east of Jaipur, Agra forms the eastern apex of India's famous Golden Triangle rail and highway circuit. Indian Railways operates the country's fastest semi-high-speed daytime trains along the flat Yamuna plain between Delhi and Agra Cantt Station. Reaching the city by express train takes just 95 to 105 minutes, which is frequently faster than driving out of Delhi's urban traffic. Once you arrive in Agra, a newly opened underground-and-elevated Agra Metro line together with ride-hailing apps (Uber and Ola) makes navigating between the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, and the railway station straightforward. Below are all transport options, stations, and approximate November 2026 fares.

01Arriving by train from New Delhi: Which station and express train to book

Agra has four railway stations, and checking the three-letter station code on your ticket before boarding a taxi is critical.

• Agra Cantt (Station Code: AGC, Primary Hub, 6 km southwest of the Taj Mahal). Almost all fast trains from New Delhi, Mumbai, Bhopal, and Varanasi arrive here. Outside Platform 1 sits a government pre-paid taxi and auto-rickshaw booth, and Uber/Ola pick up outside the station forecourt.
• Agra Fort (Station Code: AF, 3 km northwest of the Taj Mahal, right beside Agra Fort). This station serves trains on the east-west line toward Bharatpur, Jaipur, Ajmer, and Kolkata, including the popular evening Marudhar Express and Shatabdi / Intercity services to Jaipur.
• Raja Ki Mandi (RKM) and Tundla Junction (TDL). Raja Ki Mandi is a small suburban stop in northern Agra near Dayalbagh. Meanwhile, Tundla Junction sits 25 kilometres east of Agra on the Delhi-Howrah main line, where certain eastbound trains to Varanasi stop instead of entering Agra Cantt. A taxi from Tundla to Tajganj takes 45 minutes and costs around 800 to 1,100 INR as of November 2026.

When travelling from New Delhi to Agra Cantt, book seats on one of three premier air-conditioned morning trains via the official IRCTC portal. Foreign visitors can register an international IRCTC account or reserve confirmed seats via 12Go or MakeMyTrip 30 to 60 days ahead.

1. 12050 Gatimaan Express (Departs Delhi Hazrat Nizamuddin NZM at 08:10, Arrives Agra Cantt AGC at 09:50, returns from AGC at 17:45). Operating at speeds up to 160 km/h with onboard catering included, the Gatimaan Express runs six days a week and does not run on Fridays (matching the Taj Mahal's Friday closure). Fares sit around 755 INR in AC Chair Car (CC) and 1,505 INR in spacious 2x2 Executive Class (EC) as of November 2026.
2. 20172 Rani Kamalapati (Bhopal) Vande Bharat Express & 22470 Khajuraho Vande Bharat Express. India's sleek white aerodynamic trainsets depart Hazrat Nizamuddin (NZM) early in the morning (around 06:00 and 14:40 depending on the train number, check current weekly maintenance off-days on IRCTC before booking). These streamlined trainsets cover the sprint to Agra Cantt in 95 minutes with automatic plug doors and panoramic windows. Onboard meals are included in the fare (around 700 to 850 INR in CC and 1,350 to 1,550 INR in EC as of November 2026).
3. 12002 Bhopal Shatabdi Express (Departs New Delhi NDLS at 06:00, Arrives Agra Cantt AGC at 07:50). This train is ideal if you are staying in central Connaught Place or Paharganj and prefer departing directly from New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS) rather than Hazrat Nizamuddin. You arrive at Agra Cantt by 07:50, early enough for a morning visit to the Taj Mahal.

02Driving the Yamuna Expressway from Delhi and NH-21 to Jaipur

If you are travelling as a couple or family with luggage, hiring a private air-conditioned sedan (Toyota Etios or Maruti Dzire) or SUV (Toyota Innova Crysta) offers door-to-door flexibility.

• Delhi / Noida to Agra via the Yamuna Expressway (165 km Expressway, 210 km total from Central Delhi). Opened in 2012, the six-lane access-controlled Yamuna Expressway links Greater Noida directly to northern Agra (exiting near the East Bank of the Yamuna for quick access to Itimad-ud-Daulah and Tajganj). The drive takes 3 to 3.5 hours from central New Delhi or Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL). One-way private car charters cost around 3,500 to 5,500 INR (including around 500 INR in FASTag highway tolls) as of November 2026.
• Agra to Jaipur via NH-21 (240 km, The Golden Triangle Westward Leg). Rather than taking a direct train to Jaipur, many travellers hire a one-way private car from Agra to Jaipur. Expect to pay around 4,500 to 6,500 INR for a sedan or 6,500 to 8,500 INR for an Innova SUV as of November 2026. Driving west along NH-21 lets you stop 37 kilometres outside Agra for 2.5 hours at Fatehpur Sikri. Afterwards, you can pause for a cycle-rickshaw bird safari at Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur (55 km west) and admire the 13-storey stepwell of Chand Baori at Abhaneri before reaching Jaipur by evening.

03Getting around Agra: The Agra Metro, battery golf carts, and Uber/Ola

Navigating inside Agra has become significantly cleaner and easier since the launch of the city's rapid transit corridor.

• The Agra Metro Priority Corridor (Taj East Gate to Mankameshwar Temple / Jama Masjid). Inaugurated in March 2024, the 6-kilometre Priority Corridor of Agra Metro Line 1 (Yellow Line) includes three elevated stations along Fatehabad Road (Taj East Gate, Shaheed Captain Shubham Gupta, and Fatehabad Road). It then dives underground to serve three stations in the historic core: Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, and Mankameshwar Mandir. Air-conditioned trains run every few minutes from 06:00 to 22:00 for 10 to 30 INR per ticket as of November 2026, taking you from Taj East Gate to Agra Fort in 10 minutes without street traffic.
• Battery Golf Carts and Electric Buses in the Taj Eco-Zone. At the Shilpgram (East Gate) and Amrood Ka Teela (West Gate) car parks, battery golf carts shuttle visitors the final 600 to 900 metres to the Taj Mahal gates. The ride from Shilpgram is included for foreign 1,100 INR High-Value ticket holders, or costs 10 to 20 INR cash per person.
• Booking Auto-Rickshaws and Cabs via Uber and Ola. Street auto-rickshaw drivers outside hotels often quote 300 INR for a 2-kilometre hop or try to detour to commission marble showrooms. Instead, book through the Uber or Ola smartphone apps, which offer both "Auto" and "Mini/Sedan" categories in Agra with transparent cash fares of 80 to 180 INR across town as of November 2026. Alternatively, arrange a full-day 8-hour/80-kilometre local AC sedan through your hotel reception for 1,800 to 2,500 INR to cover Agra Fort, Sikandra, Baby Taj, and Mehtab Bagh in one smooth loop.

04Traveller tips

Note that Agra Airport (IATA: AGR, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Airport) operates inside the Kheria Indian Air Force base. Because commercial flights are restricted to a few regional IndiGo routes (such as Bengaluru, Mumbai, or Lucknow), arriving via New Delhi remains the standard choice for international visitors. For international and domestic connections, flying into New Delhi (DEL) and taking the Yamuna Expressway or Gatimaan Express is always faster and more reliable. Combine these transport tips with our Agra orientation and 3-day itinerary.