How do I contact a car/driver option and how expensive can it be?

You can arrange this through your hotel or through a local travel agent. Cost depends on type of vehicle, length of stay, overnight or not etc. You could e-mail your hotel with your requirements and request a quote.

How doable/enjoyable is a day trip to Agra from Delhi? Has anyone had experience with this? We'll be going this December.

It is doable - whether it is enjoyable is another question. It is better to see the Taj Mahal at sunrise before the crowds arrive and have time to see the other major sites in and near Agra: Agra Fort, Baby Taj, and Fatephur Sikri (45 minutes outside of Agra).

Hmm. So, I guess I should consider at least one night. Thanks.

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Definitely do an overnight. The Taj is breath taking and well worth seeing twice is what I advise most visitors. The first time in the day and the second time as soon as it opens at 6 AM. Apart form the fact that the crowds are normally least in the morning, an additional reason is the sun reflects off the marble differently at different times of day and it seems almost to have a distinct glow. I;d reco a car-driver from a local Delhi travel agency. They can also fix up for a guide to meet you at the Taj or your driver will pick him up en route. The advantage of car driver over the fast train is flexibility it offers in terms of departure times. I have recoed a Delhi agency in some earlier posts. I also suggest if you can afford it a splurge on the Amar Vilas for the night, if you cannot at least a meal there - it is a stunning property.

Namaste!

U can do a day trip from Delhi to Agra by either using a car/driver and coordianting with a local Agra guide or by taking the Shatabdi Express to/fro and and again coordianting that with train trasnfers and local guide..

However, ***I would certaily suggest more time in Agra, *worthy of at least one night, and depending on trip routing as if you are comming in from jaipur or elsehwer in Rajasthan, than perhaps two nights would better fit in. so much depends on your routing and of course how much time u have!

And of course, if you can afford the bill for a room with a view, the AmarVilas is a beautiuful place to stay.

Beyond the AmarVilas, i have also stayed at Jaypee, The Mughal Sheraton, and the Trident, and all are fine properties, deppending on tastes and prefernces.

However, if you only have time for a day trip from Delhi, by all means it can be done, relished and enjoyed!!!

In terms of hiring car/driver, or sorting out Shatabdi train logistics to include transfers and local guides, *ur best bet is to contact a local and reputable agencey in Delhi. Costs for a trip of such depend on various factors and of course what is included in the trip? Variations in cost can reflect type of car, guides, entrances, length of trip, excusrion to Fatherphur sikir, lunch, etc.

That said, as a American living/working in the region and en route to Agra a couple of times a month, I would be happy to help you with anything, so feel free to drop me a line at [email protected]

namaste and happy travels.

Thanks so much. I am really going to have to think this all through.

A day trip to Agra is not a great idea, IMO, and certainly not one by car. (I don't recco day trips to places like Pompeii or Venice either, and would put Agra in the same group.) The drive from Delhi takes about 4.5 hours each way, so you are looking at 9 hours in the car. This is a trip by Indian roads, which while I love India, 9 hours on Indian roads in one day would be too much for me. Also, the round-trip fare by car will be about US$250. ( Even taking a car for an overnight will be about the same price. If you find a cheaper way, let me know. )

If you want to do this, you really have to take an early morning train like the 6 am Shabtabdi Express that will get you to Agra by 8 am and would give you maximum time in Agra. The most expensive train will be about US$35 for first class/executive class.

As with the others above, I would really recco that you stay one night so you can see the Taj at dawn when it is quite beautiful, esp in the winter months when cooler temps and cloudless days mean quite spectcualr sunrises and sunsets. Also, you should really get out to Fatephur Sikri, the abandon capital city, and also try to see the Agra Fort. There is also Sikandra which I find impressive and the Itimad-ud-daula (the "baby taj&quot. To go all that way to just go to the Taj is a waste, and I predict you will wonder what all the fuss is about because you will be hassled by the touts at the entrance and only see the quite chaotic streets of the city and think Agra is a horrible place, when in reality it is a big little village with lots of interesting bits which people who come for 12 hours never see.

You do not by any means need a guide to the Taj Mahal, IMO. You would want one for the Agra Fort and certainly for Fatephur Sikri. Don't really need one for Sikrandra or the Itimad-ud-daula, but if you combine this with the Agra Fort, then the guide can do them all together.

a. it is certainly not a bright idea to do all the intensive sightseeing in Agra & return the same day by car. Yes, you may do it if you catch the very early morning train to Agra & board it again on the return journey...but who wishes to get up that early on a holiday!
b. Better stay overnight in Agra. You may see fort Agra on your arrival & the Taj Mahal, early next morning. It normally takes about two hours for you to absorb the ambience. Come back for B'fast & check-out.
c. You may now visit Itmad-udaullah & Fatehpur Sikri. Drive back to Delhi.
d. There are plenty of good hotels in Agra suitable for all budgets.
e. A car should cost you about US$ 175 for this trip & overnight in Agra.
Very best for your plans!

yp, who is quoting you US$175 for the car for an overnight round trip? Was that for a Qualis or similar SUV type car or for an Ambassador? The cheapest rate I got quoted for a Qualis was US$210, the highest was US$280. I looked at about 5 different car services.

I just did the trip this past weekend, and am doing it again over Chinese New Year and am still trying to find cheaper car services. My regular car service in Delhi, who I think are reliable, are qoting me US$210 for 4 days, including all driving around Agra (i.e. Fatephur Sikri), which I think is pretty good, but if you have a cheaper alterntive, I would certainly be interested.

What hotels would you suggest? Amarvilas seems to be about $526 a night and we'll need two rooms so that is not something we want to do? Any great 5* deals out there?

There are not a lot of 5 star bargains out there in high season in Agra. There is no question that the best hotel is the Amarvillas, and it leads the pack by a long mile in terms of quality and service. I have to say that other than the Oberoi, my favourite hotel here would be the Taj View. For value, location, rooms, and a good view of the Taj, the hotel is quite nice. I would say it is a good 4 star. The doubles are a good size with marble floors and nice new bathrooms with pedestal sinks. The suites were two good-size rooms with a canopy bed, flat screen TVs and a huge bath with separate shower. The Taj view rooms have excellent Taj views across the city, and only this hotel and the Oberoi have Taj views, albeit the Oberoi's are truly superb ones with lots of greenery. The prices were about a third less than the Sheraton (rack rates), the suites cost about the same as a deluxe room at the Sheraton, which are basically motel rooms. You can walk out from the hotel to bits of Agra which is a nice change from the other hotels like the Jaypee Palace or the Sheraton. They do not have the great big lawns and gardens of the Oberoi or the Sheraton, but then you aren't paying Oberoi prices. They have a nice small lawn area at the back with a pretty pool. I preferred it to the Sheraton where I have stayed twice before, the first time in 1992, and I can attest after seeing it again over this past weekend that they have not changed the furniture in the lobby nor the carpets in the hallways since then. (The rooms they showed me smelled musty, which is a problem with hotels in this climate that are fully carpeted.) For the Taj View, take a look at tajhotels.com.

a. I would rate the Trident-Hilton & Taj View as very good hotels in their category. For reasons of ambience, comforts & all other attributes, a guest looks for in a hotel.
b. In my opinion, The Sheraton is getting woefully old & the ambience is missing. The Jay Pee, a new property, is physically very good but lacking in attributes of a good restaurant.
c. Cicerone, get in touch with me when you are next in India. I shall put you through to the car operator, his cars are new & drivers most reliable. I had an SUV in mind in the previous post.
Best Wishes.