Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI, IATA: DEL) , located in the west of the city, is the arrival point for many visitors into Delhi. Once notoriously bad, since privatization the airport has been extensively revamped and, with the opening of Terminal 3 in 2010, has been transformed into a thoroughly modern facility equivalent to the best airports in the world.
Delhi Airport has no less than six terminals, but only two are currently operational:
Terminal 1D, also known as "Palam" or "Domestic", is used only by low-cost carriers IndiGo, GoAIR and SpiceJet. (Oddly, their flights arrive at neighboring Terminal 1C)
Terminal 3, the enormous main terminal, is used by all international flights and all full-service domestic carriers including Jet Airways, Air India, and Kingfisher.
A free shuttle bus operates between two every 20 min. While the terminals share the same runways, connecting between the two requires a massive detour via a nearby highway, so allow plenty of time to connect.
The Delhi Airport Metro Express (DAME) is a Delhi Metro train line from New Delhi Metro Station to Dwarka Sector 21, passing through airport. As of April 10, 2011, its operating timings are from 5AM-11PM every 20 min. In the future, the trains may run 24 hr/day. The one-way fare between the airport and New Delhi Metro Station is Rs 80. The journey time is 20 min. From the railway station, you can transfer to the Metro (it's a bit of hike though), continue by taxi, or simply walk to backpacker ghetto Paharganj.
There are also public buses to and from the city throughout the day and night. Travel time is approximately 50 minutes. There are two bus companies: Delhi Transport Corporation (green-yellow buses) and EATS (white-blue buses). The EATS (Ex Serviceman's Airlink Transport Service) Buses run to ISBT (Inter State Bus Terminal) near Kashmiri Gate, Connaught Place, Delhi Train Station and many hotels in the city centre, departing from both airport terminals every 60 mins from 00:10AM-11:10PM. The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) (schedule: ) offers 8 bus routes to both the city center and the more outlying areas of Delhi. Tickets can be bought and a fixed seat can be booked at a desk in the Arrivals Hall. 1 way fare for both companies: Rs 50 per adult, Rs 25 per child below 12 years, Rs 25 for heavy luggage.
If you'd prefer to go directly to your destination and are willing to sit around in traffic, or are arriving on the many long-distance flights that land in the dead of night, take a taxi. The easiest and safest way is to arrange transport ahead of time through your hotel (some hotels provide this service for free). Alternatively, you can pay for a taxi at the prepaid taxi booths in the international terminal. The pre-paid booths are visible as soon as you exit customs. The one on the left is managed by the Delhi police. To the right of the exit door are private taxi operators. They are more expensive but the cars are air-conditioned. The number of the taxi assigned to you will be on the receipt. Then, go straight through the airport and turn right immediately outside the front doors and someone will help you find your taxi. There are several options, but the booth operated by the "Delhi Police" is considered the best, with non-A/C taxis to most points in the city Rs 200-300.
Do not give the receipt to the driver until you get to the destination as this is what they are paid on. Also, ignore the explanation of the driver for additional payment. There is no practice of tipping taxi drivers anywhere in India. When you reach your destination, take your baggage first, then give the driver the receipt and walk away without further discussion.
There is a minor problem with this system. As there is a checkpoint manned by the traffic police just as your taxi moves away from the airport, you will have to give the receipt to the driver who will hand it over to the police who will record the taxi number. Make sure that you get the receipt back from the driver which you would hand over to driver only after you have safely reached your destination.
When leaving Delhi from international terminal, security at the airport is tight, so you should show up three hours before your flight is scheduled. For domestic flights two hours should be enough. While sometimes time-consuming, the process is smooth, and the new terminal's shops and restaurants are sensibly located at the gate area, not before security. However, if you wish to change Rupees back into foreign currency, you must do this before clearing security.
During the winter (Dec-Jan), Delhi often experiences dense fog and visibility is reduced considerably, making it difficult for flights to land and take off. Both international and domestic flights are often diverted or cancelled, so plan accordingly and allow for one or two days for possible delays.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Delhi
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Delhi - updated May 2024
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Delhi Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
