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 a circuitous route around Delhi, requiring you to change trains to get to the city centre.
There is also an express bus service from Terminals 2 and 3 with direct connections to major tourist and transport destinations.
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 route connects the airport with New Delhi's downtown, the main railway station and Dwarka, the largest housing development in Asia.
Although the "Airport Express" line crosses several other routes, a direct transfer is only possible to the yellow line at the New Delhi terminus.
Official information and connection search: delhimetrorail.com.
Tickets
Tickets are sold at the ticket counter at the station and can only be paid in cash. You will be given a paper ticket with a QR code which you scan at the turnstile when you enter the station.
Tickets can also be paid by QR code via the RIDLPR mobile app (available on Google Play / App Store). However, registration with personal data 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
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 get to the city centre, you need to change to either the yellow line at "Hauz Khas" station or the blue line in the other direction at "Janakupri West" station.
- 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 counter at the station and can only be paid in cash. 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 40 inr and can be bought with cash from the driver or conductor.
Taxi, Uber, Bolt
If you're travelling with bulky luggage or want to get directly to your destination in comfort and without a transfer, use the Uber app.
While there are also traditional metered taxis to the airport, many cabbies will try to negotiate an off-the-meter price that will be disadvantageous to you.
In contrast, when you travel in Uber cars, you know the price up front and you can also pay by mobile payment. Uber is 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
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 "Airport Express 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".
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).