Taxis & Rickshaws in Delhi

Taxis & Rickshaws

Apart from a hired car, the best way to get around New Delhi is by taxi. Black-and-yellow metered taxis are available at every major hotel and at taxi stands in every shopping area and residential neighborhood and shopping area, and most drivers speak a little English. Tell the driver where you want to go and make sure he turns on the meter before you set off. If he insists the meter is broken, get out of the car and find another cab. Most taxi drivers are honest, so it's not worth dealing with one who isn't.

Three-wheeled auto-rickshaws, known locally as "autos," are half the price of taxis and roughly half as comfortable -- except in summer, when the open-air breeze keeps you cool while taxis trap the heat horrendously. The problem is that auto drivers refuse to use their meters (here they really are broken, as the drivers deliberately break them), and if you look even remotely new to Delhi they will quote absurdly high fares. A trip around the corner costs Rs. 15; most trips cost Rs. 30-Rs. 60. A very long trip from one end of Delhi to the other might cost Rs. 90; under no circumstances pay more than that. Try to have exact change, as many drivers will claim to have none, and discussion is difficult as most do not speak English.

In Old Delhi, you can still hire a cycle-rickshaw to cruise Chandni Chowk, explore the maze of narrow lanes, and get from one sight to the next. A short one-way trip costs Rs. 15; work out a higher fare, perhaps Rs. 100, if you want to ride around for an hour. Don't bargain too aggressively -- these guys pedal hard for a living, and many are kindly old gentlemen.