Taj Mahal from Delhi — day trip, timings and cab fare

The Taj Mahal is 233 km from Delhi — a comfortable day trip by car. This guide covers the realistic timetable, ticket prices, the Friday closure, the sunrise option, and what a cab from Delhi or Delhi Airport costs.

A realistic day-trip timetable

Tickets and timings

The Taj Mahal opens 30 minutes before sunrise and closes 30 minutes before sunset, and it is closed every Friday. Indian nationals pay a small entry fee; foreign visitors pay a higher ticket that includes the main mausoleum. Tickets are sold online and at the counter — buying online saves the queue.

Security is strict: no tripods, no large bags, no food, and only small water bottles. There is a cloakroom at the East Gate. Allow 20 minutes for security even on a quiet morning.

Sunrise or sunset?

Sunrise is the better choice. The crowds are thinner, the light is softer, and you finish the Taj before the tour buses arrive around 10:00 AM. That leaves the rest of the day for Agra Fort and a relaxed drive back. Sunset from Mehtab Bagh is beautiful but you will be viewing the Taj from across the river, not inside it.

For sunrise you need to leave Delhi by 4:30–5:00 AM. It is a long day, but it is the version most of our guests remember.

From Delhi Airport

If you land at IGI and want to go straight to the Taj, the drive is about 3 hours 30 minutes. Land by 10:00 AM and you can be at the East Gate by 2:00 PM. Landing after 2:00 PM is better spent on Agra Fort and Mehtab Bagh, with the Taj the next morning. We track your flight and wait up to 60 minutes free.

Cab fare

A one-way Delhi to Agra sedan starts at ₹2,800; a same-day return is about ₹5,000–5,500 including waiting. An Innova is ₹4,200 one-way. Tolls and state tax are at actuals or included in the all-inclusive fare. Parking at the Taj is extra and small.