New Delhi

Newcomers (and even some residents) often confuse between Delhi and New Delhi. In fact, New Delhi is a city within the Delhi metropolis, built by the British as the capital of India. Whereas Delhi has served as the political centre of various empires before the British came, from the Rajputs to the Delhi Sultans, and eventually the Mughals.

The British established their capital at Calcutta (present-day Kolkata) in 1757 after defeating the Nawab of Bengal. In 1905, Lord Curzon, Viceroy of India, divided Bengal into two halves for ease of administration, creating a massive upsurge in anti-colonial movements in Calcutta. This forced the colonial government to reunite the province and shift the capital to Delhi in 1911.

On 12 December 1911, King-Emperor George V declared the capital of India to be shifted to Delhi. British architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker were responsible for planning large parts of the new capital of India, later named New Delhi to distinguish from the Mughal-era Old Delhi. However, the construction truly began after World War I, and the planned city was inaugurated on 10 February 1931 by Lord Irwin, Viceroy of India. Lutyens designed the central administrative area of the city as a testament to Britain's imperial aspirations, now known as "Lutyens' Delhi".

The first major extension of New Delhi outside of Lutyens' Delhi came in the 1950s, after India's independence, when the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) developed the diplomatic enclave of Chanakyapuri southwest of Lutyens' Delhi, where land was allotted for embassies, chanceries, high commissions and residences of ambassadors, around a wide central vista, called the Shanti Path (शांति पथ Shānti Path), literally the "Path of Peace".

The government tourist office is listed at Delhi#Visitor information.

Official website:

• New Delhi Municipal Council

Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL ^IATA) is the main arrival point for visitors into New Delhi, and a 20- to 30-minute ride by road from the city.

Other airports include Noida (DXN ^IATA) and Hindon (HDO ^IATA).

• 1 New Delhi  NR  (NDLS) (outside Paharganj, also known as the backpacker ghetto, about 40 min-1 hr to travel from New Delhi station to Delhi Airport by car). 6AM–11PM. A tourist ticket office called the International Tourist Bureau is open during office hours upstairs of, but still within, the main New Delhi railway station (on the side away from the metro, near platform 1). Note that it is only for foreign tourists, so you must have a tourist visa (i.e. student and working visas are not acceptable). Non-resident Indians can also book their tickets through this office. Passport will be requested. Even the visa number is needed. They also accept debit/credit from Visa/Mastercard and RuPay cards (which is an Indian way of payment). To get a ticket, first go to the centre of the room and get numbers for the reservation and information desks, as well as a form to fill out. Then line up at one of the two u-shaped lines of chairs, fill out the form, and prepare for a protracted wait. When your information number is called, have the clerk check the availability of the train(s) you desire and answer any questions you have about the form. Then wait for your reservation number to be called. Note that by the time you get to the reservation desk, your train may no longer be available, in which case you can try to reserve a different one. If you need a bathroom during this lengthy process, there is a relatively clean male and female toilet just outside on the verandah through the side door (the door you didn't enter through). The station is large, crowded, confusing and packed with touts.   Allow one hour to find your train the first time you visit. Don't trust the electronic display boards, which often show incorrect information. Instead listen to the announcements and ask multiple people in uniform (including police officers) until you find your train.  (updated Feb 2026)

Transport options:

• By metro: New Delhi station is served by Yellow  2  and Orange  Airport Express  lines of the Delhi Metro. Metro exits are at the Ajmeri Gate (second entrance) side near platform 16.
• By taxi: Depending on traffic, a taxi fare costs you about ₹400. Pre-paid taxi booth run by Delhi Police. If you are arriving at the station, and want to take a taxi, head to the Delhi Police pre-paid taxi booth. Unfortunately, this booth is at the extreme far north end (about 50 m from the station main exit) of the taxi parking and you will encounter touts claiming to provide prepaid taxi; just ignore them and find the pre-paid taxi booth run by the Delhi Police which are safe and least expensive. There is some chance that the booth clerk, who works for the police, will shortchange you less than anyone else who handles cash in Delhi. You can also take prepaid rickshaws and taxis from the plaza outside the main entrance.

For other stations, see Delhi#By train.

New Delhi is served by three major Inter-State Bus Terminals (ISBTs): Kashmere Gate, Sarai Kale Khan and Anand Vihar. All three are outside the city limits; see Delhi#By bus.

• 2 Bikaner House, Pandara Rd (metro: Central Secretariat  2  6 ). Buses, including air-conditioned Volvo buses from Jaipur arrive at this place. For travel between Jaipur and New Delhi, this bus stop is very clean, less crowded than ISBT, and easy to reach. (updated Jul 2026)

New Delhi is connected to other parts of India by national highways, including expressways. See Delhi#By car for details.

The fast-growing Delhi Metro network provides a cheap, quick, mostly hassle-free and air-conditioned way of zipping around the city, although its increasing popularity means that rush hour crowds at key interchanges are starting to resemble Mumbai. Fares range from ₹10-60. Special fares apply for travel on the Airport Express.

As of 2025, there are 9 lines operational:

• Red Line  1 : Dilshad Garden–Rithala
• Yellow Line  2 : Samaypur Badli–HUDA City Centre
• Blue Line  3/4 : Dwarka Sector 21–Noida Electronic City
  • Blue Line branch: Yamuna Bank–Vaishali
• Green Line  5 : Mundka–Inderlok
  • Green Line branch: Ashok Park Main–Kirti Nagar
• Violet Line  6 : Kashmere Gate–Ballabhgarh
• Orange Line  Airport Express : New Delhi–IGI Airport–Dwarka Sector 21
• Pink Line  7 : Majilis Park–Shiv Vihar
• Magenta Line  8 : Krishna Park Extension –Botanical Garden
• Grey Line  9 : Dwarka–Dhansa

New Delhi is well-connected by buses and with tickets ranging from ₹5-25 they are very cheap, but they are also quite crowded most of the time. They buses are pretty frequent, running every 15-20 min or so on most routes.

There are two kinds of buses in New Delhi:

• Government run DTC (Delhi Transport Corporation) buses (red and green with big windows)
• Privately run Blue-Line buses (orange)

Due to the city's urban planning, New Delhi is more pedestrian-friendly compares to the rest of the metropolis. Plus there are footbridges and subways to bypass the road traffic.

The main point of interest in New Delhi is the Kartavya Bhavan Area (literally the "House of Duty Area"), the city's central administrative district. Developed by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, the district is home to the India Gate (monumental arch for Indian soldiers), the Rashtrapati Bhavan (residence of the President of India), and of course the Kartavya Path (Path of Duty) connecting the two. The Kartavya Path is flanked by ministry buildings at both sides. The newest of them are the Kartavya Bhavans (Houses of Duty).

Being the capital of India, New Delhi is home to several national museums, showcasing India's history and cultural heritage. The National Museum and National Gallery sits right at the Kartavya Path. The Samvidhan Sadan (House of Constitution) is also worth visiting, showcasing the history of India's democracy. The building itself housed the Parliament of India until 2023, when it was shifted to a building adjacent to it. Both places are very much worth visiting and provide an excellent insight to how the world’s largest democracy operates. Tours are available, and you can sit and watch a live parliament debate when a session is ongoing.

Take a walk at Connaught Place (CP), the heart of New Delhi. The British-designed colonial equivalent of a shopping mall, it's laid out in two concentric rings divided into blocks, all bursting with shops and lots of pampered pigeons waddling about. Long neglected, the area received an upsurge after the opening of the major Metro junction of Rajiv Chowk under it, and it's going more upmarket by the day. At the centre is a small but pleasant park, while on one edge is the notorious Palika Bazaar, an underground den of cheap wares, many pirated or smuggled from overseas. The area is surrounded by tall office buildings on nearly all sides. Train fans will want to check out the Metro Museum inside the Patel Chowk station, open Tu-Su 10AM-4PM (free with valid Metro ticket).

New Delhi is the place to go for parks; here are Delhi's Central Park, the Nehru Park which is a great place to hang out on a sunny afternoon in the winter, and the Kartavya Path which is the city's main parade route lined by grassy lawns and leading from the presidential residence Rashtrapati Bhavan to the India Gate.

If you come from the West, it may be interesting to eat at a fast food restaurant like McDonald's or Burger King. The menus are different and, unlike in the west, very vegetarian friendly - even KFC has a veg option.

The best place to go for chaat is the Bengali Market (metro: Mandi House  3/4  6 ) near Connaught Place in the city centre. The restaurants are high quality and the food is great. There are ATMs as well. One of the best known restaurants there is Nathu's. But for the really good chaat, you have to make your way to Old Delhi, and particularly to Ashok's near Chawri Bazaar. While connoisseurs insist that the best chaat is prepared on the street, most travellers try to find a comfortable middle ground between hygiene and authenticity.

United Coffee House in Connaught Place offers premium, historical vibe with first establishment in 1942.

Wengers in Connaught Place is also good option for western food, established in 1924.

Kake da hotel, in Connaught place with spicy parathas and great desserts, established 1931.

New Delhi is home to two major shopping districts:

• Connaught Place (CP) — the central business district, and a unique cross between a European shopping arcade, an Indian bazaar and an upmarket shopping mall.
• Dilli Haat — a paid-entrance open-air market cum food plaza, with crafts from all over the country.

This guide uses the following price ranges for a standard double room:
Budget	Under ₹4,000
Mid-range	₹4,000–8,000
Splurge	Over ₹8,000

Budget travellers can check out the Paharganj area west of New Delhi station. Despite its noise, filth and touts, Paharganj is considered safe for tourists.

Much of New Delhi's expensive hotels are along the axis between Connaught Square and the airport. A few are in areas further south and west.

Smoking is not allowed in hotels.

Many first-time travellers find themselves falling victim to scams and touts. Be on guard for anybody trying to help you by giving you unsolicited directions or travel advice, including taxi and auto drivers. Carry your cash, passport, and cards in a secure money belt, with only enough cash for a few hours at a time in your wallet or other accessible place.

New Delhi is unsafe for women travellers. If you are arriving for the first time at night, stay in either the lounge or well lit areas until daybreak if you haven't booked a hotel yet. It is recommended to walk with a male that you know to avoid sexual harassment.

The Tolstoy Road area near Jantar Mantar in Connaught Place is a hotbed of protests. Visitors are advised to stay away from protest sites.

Several tourist agencies have been known to swindle customers by changing their travel plans or charging them extra money. You should book your flights online and secure train tickets from the IRCTC website.

Many scammers around the New Delhi station will ask visitors for "help" to find a "ticket office for foreigners", where you will be overcharged and cajoled into signing up for cars, tours, etc. Some even try to block you from entering, demanding to see your tickets.

If arriving late at night at a transit hub, beware of a common taxi scam where the driver will take you to a barricade and suggest to take you to a different hotel. Then they will take you to a number of hotels which all say they are full up, so as to increase your desperation to pay more.

New Delhi experiences moderate to unhealthy air quality throughout the year, resulting in smog that potentially harms the health of all residents and causes a few flight delays due to low visibility. Air quality tends to be the best in the monsoon because of the prevailing winds and frequent rainfall, and it is worst during the summer and winter, especially around the crop burning season of September–November.

Keep an eye on air quality data. Have masks (single-use surgical masks are okay), tissues, and eyedrops ready when going out.

The hospitals are listed at Delhi#Hospitals.

Cell phone coverage in New Delhi is excellent. There are three major service providers offering a wide variety of plans. Among them are Airtel, Jio and Vi. It might be a good idea to buy a cell phone and use one of those prepaid plans to get yourself connected while you are in the city.

Dial 112 for any emergency.