Delhi · How to Reach

Delhi is the best-connected city in India, and reaching it is rarely the hard part. Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL), in the city's southwest, is India's busiest airport by passenger traffic and its principal international gateway. It handles direct flights from across the Middle East, Europe, Southeast and East Asia, North America and Australia, alongside a dense domestic network reaching virtually every airport in the country. The main international operations run from the large Terminal 3; Terminals 1 and 2 handle much of the domestic traffic. If you are flying into India for the first time, there is a good chance Delhi is where you land.

By rail, Delhi is the hub of the Indian Railways network, with several major stations serving different directions and train types. New Delhi (station code NDLS), beside Connaught Place and Paharganj, is the flagship — origin of premier services such as Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Vande Bharat trains, and the most convenient for central sightseeing. Old Delhi / Delhi Junction (DLI), near the Red Fort, is the historic terminus and still handles heavy traffic. Hazrat Nizamuddin (NZM), in the south, serves many trains heading towards central and southern India and is handy for the southern neighbourhoods. Anand Vihar Terminal (ANVT), in the east, handles routes toward eastern Uttar Pradesh and beyond. Booking well ahead is strongly advised on popular routes; premium trains fill up fast.

By road, Delhi sits at the convergence of several national highways and expressways, including fast links towards Agra (the Yamuna Expressway), Jaipur, Chandigarh and Lucknow. Modern air-conditioned inter-state buses connect it to towns across the north from terminals such as Kashmere Gate, Anand Vihar and Sarai Kale Khan.

Getting around the city itself is where Delhi genuinely shines: the Delhi Metro is one of the world's largest and most efficient urban rail systems, clean, cheap, air-conditioned and signed in English, covering most tourist areas and the wider NCR. A contactless smart card or QR ticket makes travel simple, and the Metro is often the fastest way to cross the congested city. The dedicated Airport Express Line (Orange Line) links Terminal 3 directly to New Delhi Railway Station in roughly 20–25 minutes, a smooth alternative to road traffic. For door-to-door trips, prepaid airport taxis and app-based cabs (booked from within the arrivals area) are reliable; insist on the meter in autos or agree the fare first, and prefer app cabs or prepaid counters over unmetered offers. Cycle-rickshaws still ply the lanes of Old Delhi, where cars cannot easily go — often the most sensible way to reach Chandni Chowk.