A Complete Guide for Visiting the City of Agra, India
The city of Agra, India is most widely known for the iconic Taj Mahal, and is known as the "city of love" because of it. But are there are other reasons for visiting?
In our opinion, Agra has so much more to offer than simply the Taj Mahal. It's where ancient meets modern, and where chaos meets peace. We absolutely loved it, and are so happy we decided to go for more than just a day trip from Delhi.
Our complete travel guide is here to show you all of the cool things to do in the city of Agra, India, as well as all the logistics for having an incredible stay.
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📍 Where is the City of Agra in India?
The city of Agra is located in the north of India, in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
How to Get to the City of Agra, India
Now that you know where Agra is, let's look at the different options for traveling there.
✈️ Flying to Agra
While Agra does have its own airport, it is very small and only has some domestic flights. The places that fly to the city of Agra, India include Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Jaipur, Lucknow, and Mumbai.
The best international airport to fly to for Agra is Delhi, which is the capital city, and just 3 1/2- 4 hours away. You can find direct flights from the US, as well as many cities around the world.
Another option is to fly to Mumbai, and then from there you can fly direct to Agra.
Flight Tip: Using Skyscanner you can put from "your city" to "India". This way you can see which is the cheapest airport to fly to. Also, you can check the calendar to see which are the cheapest dates for each city.
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How to Go to Agra from Delhi
In order to go to Agra from Delhi you can either take a train, bus, or a private taxi/Uber.
The train from Delhi takes around 4 hours, while the bus from Delhi to Agra takes approximately 3 1/2- 4 hours depending on traffic. The train is a tad more comfortable, but the bus is definitely the most affordable option.
🚕 How Much is a Taxi from Delhi to Agra?
If you want to get to the city of Agra the quickest way from Delhi, then you could opt for taking a taxi or a private transfer. This is more common than you'd think, and while it's definitely not the cheapest option, it's not ridiculously expensive either.
We found prices on Uber ranging from 3,000-5,000 IDR which equals about $35-$60 USD. You could also arrange a transfer with local drivers, which we'd recommend doing through your hotel in Delhi.
Entry Requirements for India
Before planning your trip to the city of Agra, you'll want to make sure you know what the requirements are for entering India.
🛂 Visa Entry Requirements for India
India requires a visa to visit, and you can purchase your visa online for $25.
Nationals of Japan, South Korea, and the UAE can get their visa upon arrival, and those from Bhutan and Nepal are visa-exempt.
🇺🇸 Can US Citizens Travel to India Without a Visa?
US citizens also need a visa, which can be purchased online for $25.
Every hotel asks for your visa, so keep it handy when you are arriving to your hotel and checking in.
💉 Do You Need to Be Vaccinated to Go to India?
As an American or European, you don't need to be vaccinated to go to India. However, there are other countries that need vaccines.
Also, it is recommended to get a rabies vaccine, as there are a lot of stray animals (mostly dogs and monkeys), and it is quite common for tourists to get bitten.
Countries Who Need Vaccines for India
Those coming from a country where yellow fever may be prevalent must present proof of a yellow fever vaccine before visiting India.
African counties that need a yellow fever vaccine for India include Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Cote d’ Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritiana, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, South Sudan, Togo, and Uganda.
American countries that need a yellow fever vaccine for India include Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad (Trinidad only), Venezuela, Panama, Paraguay, and Peru.
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Local Adjustments for the City of Agra, India
If you're traveling to a new country, there are a lot of things that may change from where you come from such as the language, currency, or tipping culture.
As India is such a big country, these things can even change from state to state!
Here are some of the local adjustments to keep in mind when you travel to the city of Agra in India.
🗣 What Language is Spoken in Agra?
The official language Agra is Hindi.
Being such a touristic city, it's pretty common that people also speak English who are working in restaurants, shops, or hotels.
💶 What Currency is Used in Agra?
The currency used in Agra is the Indian Rupee (INR). Currently (September 2024) each 1 USD is equal to about 84 INR.
It's important to note that there are a lot of things in Agra that can only be paid with cash, including the mausoleum in the Taj Mahal, and the entry tickets for practically every attraction in the city. For that reason, we highly suggest taking out quite a bit of cash from an ATM.
🔌 Electrical Outlets in Agra
India uses the same electrical outlets as Europe, and accommodates plug types C, D, & M. Plug type C is the one which has two round pins, plug type D is the one which has three round pins in a triangular pattern, and plug type M also has three round pins.
India operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz.
🚰 Is Agra Water Safe to Drink?
The water is not safe to drink in Agra, so you'll have to stick to bottled water. We suggest buying large jugs from the supermarket, and buying an insulated water bottle to refill during your travels around the country.
💸 Is Tipping Expected in India?
The tipping culture in India is typically 10%, and sometimes is even included in the bill. Make sure to look for a service charge, and if it's not included you can leave cash on the table for the server.
We'll be honest, Agra was probably the only city in India that we received really good service! The rest of our trip we had pretty awful and inattentive servers.
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Things to Do in the City of Agra, India
Now that you know the basics, let's dive into all of the fun things to do in the city of Agra, India!
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🕌 Experience the Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is hands down the number one reason to visit the city of Agra in India. As one of the seven wonders of the world, you'll want to set apart quite a few hours of your day to visit.
We wrote a Taj Mahal travel guide, so that you can know all of the details of visiting.
🚣♂️ Take a Boat Ride Outside the Taj Mahal
Right next to the East Gate of the Taj Mahal you can find a street leading down to the river behind the Taj. Here you can find a couple of locals who offer boat rides, and a truly serene time to experience this is during sunset.
Some people say that the boat ride is "illegal", but the boats actually make sure to stay within legal boundaries, and have you wear life jackets, so it is pretty legitimate.
We honestly got lucky when we were there, as we only found one boat during sunset and the guy allowed us to join last minute with another couple. Make sure to arrive early, and to bring cash with you! We paid 1,000 INR each, and although it was just a half hour ride, we felt that it was truly worth overpaying for this unique experience.
🏰 Explore Agra Fort
In our opinion, the second most impressive site in Agra is the fort. Similar to the fort in Delhi, it is mostly red in color, and has very impressive architecture.
It open right after sunrise, but we definitely recommend getting there a bit before to see if they'll let you in so you can actually see the sunrise, which you'll get to witness coming up right behind the Taj Mahal in the distance!
🪦 Check Out Itmad-ud-Daula
This is another incredible tomb in Agra, and is sometimes even referred to as the "Baby Taj". Despite some locals not agreeing with this, we did find the tomb really beautiful and worth visiting while in the city of Agra, India.
The complex is much smaller than the Taj Mahal. In fact, it simply has one large mausoleum in the middle, with a few other buildings surrounding it. We spent just a half hour here, but you could spend up to an hour if you explore it very slowly.
5. Visit the Tomb of Akbar
It's wild that most of the top things to do in city of Agra, India are in fact revolved around death.
The tombs are really some of the most stunning locations to visit in the city, and the Tomb of Akbar is another great one to visit. (We suggest visiting right after the red fort in the morning).