To get around New Delhi in one day from the airport area, combine an airport transfer with Delhi Metro and allow time for your return. Choose your city stops before setting out rather than trying to cover the whole city.
- Airport cabs: Delhi Airport describes cab options outside the arrival gates at Terminals 1, 2 and 3 as available 24/7.
- Airport bus: a 24-hour service runs every 30 minutes.
- Metro reference: Lajpat Nagar is an interchange for the Violet and Pink lines.
Choose a manageable route for one day
A manageable New Delhi day starts with a short list of central stops and a clear plan for getting back to the airport area. The transport options support a car transfer to the city centre and use of the metro once you are travelling around Delhi.
For a metro-based plan, Lajpat Nagar is an interchange station serving Line 6, the Violet Line, and Line 7, the Pink Line. Delhi Metro’s operational network map also places Jangpura on the Violet Line. Check Delhi Metro’s official site before you go for current station and train information.
If your plans include Old Delhi and the Red Fort, keep that as a distinct route in your day plan rather than assuming it fits alongside other stops; the Old Delhi and Red Fort one-day visitor route covers that itinerary.
How do you get from the airport area into New Delhi?
You can travel from the airport by cab or bus, with airport transport options available around the clock. Delhi Airport describes app-based cabs, prepaid and fixed-rate taxis, and car rentals outside the arrivals zone at Terminals 1 and 2.
At Terminal 3’s multi-level car park, Level 0, the options include those services as well as Evera electric cabs. Delhi Airport describes cab options at all three terminals as available 24/7 outside the arrival gates.
The airport’s bus service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with a stated frequency of every 30 minutes. Its 24-hour DTC route from Terminal 3 serves Terminal 1, Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi railway station, Old Delhi railway station and ISBT. If you are choosing a bus, check that the route serves the stop you need.
Delhi Traffic Police says prepaid taxi and three-wheeler booths are optional and provide a receipt showing the vehicle number, destination, service charges, any baggage charge and fare. Booths at IGI Airport Terminal 1, Terminal 2 and Terminal 3, as well as at Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station, operate day and night.
How can you use Delhi Metro during the day?
Delhi Metro can help you connect between city stops, and Lajpat Nagar offers a transfer between the Violet and Pink lines. Nearby stations include Jangpura, Moolchand, South Extension and Vinobapuri.
Lajpat Nagar station’s listed opening hours are 5:36 AM to 11:41 PM, and Delhi Metro provides separate first- and last-train information for weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Check the official site before you go so your route and train timing match your travel day.
For a day that begins at the airport, decide whether you will take a cab or bus into the city before planning metro connections. The guide to getting around New Delhi by metro from the airport area focuses on using the rail network for that kind of trip.
Plan the return to the airport-side hotel area
Keep your return journey in mind when choosing the last stop, and leave enough time to reach your transport connection. Airport cabs are available 24/7 outside the arrival gates at all three terminals; the bus service also runs around the clock, with a stated frequency of every 30 minutes.
The airport’s free shuttle between terminals operates 24 hours a day, every 20 minutes. Passengers are instructed to show a boarding pass at the kiosks to get a transit-bus coupon. For a return after city stops, a hotel in New Delhi is about 45 minutes by car from the city centre.
Airport transport arrangements, station hours and train details can change, so check the official site before you go.
FAQs
Does Delhi Airport have transport available at night?
Delhi Airport describes cab options at Terminals 1, 2 and 3 as available 24/7 outside the arrival gates. Its bus service also operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Which Delhi Metro lines meet at Lajpat Nagar?
Lajpat Nagar is an interchange for Line 6, the Violet Line, and Line 7, the Pink Line.