I have been a number of times in Delhi airport, but never had to stay long. On next trip I'll have about 4 hours to kill in the airport in between two flights. Is there a decent restaurant? Does it also offer international food, as my wife is not very keen on curries (she doesn't know what she is missing)?

Cant say there are any decent restaurants per se...there is a restaurant that is run by one of the hotel chains upstairs on your right hand side right after you pass through immigration..if you're flying on business class, there is one lounge downstairs as well..

No...no decent restaurant...even the lounges are not really international airport standard...is your second flight domestic or international?

One doesn't often think of the words "decent restaurant" and "airport" co-existing in the same sentence. I recall, when we were at the domestic terminal, there was a place there where you could sit and eat (and check your email), but there was no way you could look at it and know that you weren't at your own home airport; I expect that's how the food would taste, too.

Hobbes, check the Australian forum, will you.... I left a message there with your name in the heading.

Alan

Hobbes,
my second flight is domestic, to Jaipur. I have 4 hours between arrival on Emirates from Dubai and departure with Jet Airways to Jaipur. Are you asking this to see whether we would be able to leave the airport and spend time at a more welcoming place not too far away? Because, from the reactions I have understood that what I feared proves to be true....

As you have to collect your luggage and go through customs and immigration at the international airport and then get over to the domestic airport, 4 hours may take up all the time you need, esp if you have to check-in for your Jet Airways flight. (Although they call the domestic airport ��Terminal 1�� it really is a separate airport and is about 5 miles from the International airport/terminal, referred to as ��Terminal 2��). There is a free bus transfer between the two, or you can take a taxi. If you take the bus, plan at least 45 minutes to an hour for the transfer. If you take a cab, the transfer takes about 15-20 minutes, not including any time in line to get the cab.

I would get over to the domestic airport and check in. If you do all that and still have time, consider taking a cab to the Radisson Hotel (or take their shuttle) and have a meal there. (The hotel should be about 15 minutes from the domestic terminal, but I have only made the run from the Int�fl airport and that is about 5 minutes). The hotel has a shuttle service but I can�ft tell form the website where the pick-up is at the terminals, you might fax or e-mail them, or take a look at the radisson.com website. If you take a taxi, there is a pre-paid taxi counter in the arrivals hall at both the domestic and international terminals.

Radisson Hotel Delhi
NATIONAL HIGHWAY 8
NEW DELHI, 110037
Telephone: +91-11-26779191 Fax: +91-11-26785143
E-mail: [email protected]

I asked for the same reason as Ciecrone. The 2 airports are actually different. In my opinion 4 hours is ample time for you to exit one, have a meal at the Radisson or Orchid - both are ne route the international to domestic airport then go to the domestic airport. A few words of advice here re checking in then exiting the airport. Technically, the domestic airport does NOT allow people to get boarding passes then exit (to prevent boarding passes being exchanged outside, security type reasons). Hence I do not suggest you plan to check in then exit. Instead I would say book a car for your transfer between airports from any local travel agency, load your baggage, go to the hotels mentioned, freshen up, have a snack then proceed to the domestic terminal. With a car 4 hours is ample time for this. A half day car in india should cost between Rs4-600.

We went through the ND airports five days ago and can report security is very strict compared to any airport we have experienced in the USA. Strange, they do not demand you remove your shoes. But the body frisks are very thorough, using both hands and electronic wands. I would allow plenty of time between flights, but four hours seems sufficient, especially since there is quite a distance between the two terminals, international & domestic.