New Delhi Prices

« Today, I got acquainted with the Delsky metro. It would have been more convenient if the acquaintance happened yesterday, as we reached the city from the airport in about 30 minutes for $1.50 instead of $10 per hour for the cabs. At the metro entrance, there are attendants who check and clarify things. The system is zoned—before the ticket offices, there’s a chart showing how much it costs to travel to the desired station. The ticket offices sell yellow tickets (and extend cards) depending on the zone. You need to pay $0.40, standing in a line for about 30. At the entrance, you show the yellow ticket to the turnstile, and on exit, you just pass through.

Inside, weirdly enough, it’s clean and not very crowded. Maybe that’s because it’s Sunday. 😊 »

« In India, I went on my own. I was probably a stickler. I wanted to visit the Indian museum on Park Street. I approached the ticket counter, and there was a price tag! Why is it that in my country they don’t charge foreigners 20 bucks? Why do Americans and other Europeans get to enjoy our budget-friendly options, while I can't savor the Asian experience? Not even a decent meal! It’s ridiculous, and not just 500 rupees. And let me be grouchy.  »

« In India, when it comes to money, always carry fresh currency—preferably in dollars or euros. Just the latest version! Here, a dollar bill is valued anywhere from around $1 to $100. But in Asia, it's a different ball game. Today, I visited the bank at the hotel; the exchange rate was $63 for an old bill (while a new one was $64), and $59 for 5s and 20s. 😊 »

« We tried Uber in Delhi, it was an interesting experience – it's quite unusual to go from tuk-tuks to a climate-controlled car with a driver who navigates using Google Maps and with whom you don't have to haggle! :) The price is roughly comparable to rickshaws, maybe a bit more – it's hard to beat them.

By the way, in India, you can pay with cash. There's also this option where you can pay a little less but agree to ride with other passengers if they happen to be going the same way. We didn’t have any fellow travelers, but we still paid less than if we had ordered the car just for ourselves. »

« I went to the market, haggled a bit, and refreshed my wardrobe for 12 dollars. »

« 04.12.2015
Today, we completed the main quest of our stay in Delhi - we bought train tickets to Goa for December 6th! 2,200 km for $10.50) It's worth noting that purchasing train tickets in India is quite a task! Most people and goods are transported by rail because the quality of regular roads leaves much to be desired. With so many people wanting to travel, tickets for the upcoming month are usually sold out.
But there's an interesting quota system - a portion of tickets are reserved. For travelers, there are two noteworthy quotas.
The first is the Tatkal quota, which is for urgent tickets with a 10-20% markup on the regular price. The catch is that you can only purchase these tickets starting from 10 AM the day before departure. You can buy them at any train station.
The second option is the tourist quota for foreigners. This is appealing because the ticket price is the same as regular tickets and you can buy it in advance or even on the day of departure.
Typically, between 2 to 12 seats are allocated for the tourist quota on each train, though this varies and not all trains have it. You can only purchase such a ticket at a special tourism office, which isn't available at every station.
Of course, there are many unscrupulous individuals near the stations! We saw several signs where locals claimed to have official tourist offices. In Delhi, there’s only one such office, which is shown in the photo above my head. So it’s essential to know the exact location of the real office. »

« By the way, regarding transportation, the most popular option is the tuk-tuk, although locals call it auto or auto-rickshaw, that's how they pronounce it! The price depends on the distance and your bargaining skills or knowledge of the real price; on average, it's about $1 for 5 km. Another affordable option is the cycle rickshaw, which is a bicycle with a carriage for people, the oldest form of transport. The average fare is around $0.25 for 3 km; rickshaws generally don’t travel long distances. In the largest cities, there’s also a metro system, such as in Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, and Mumbai. Delhi has a modern metro with a developed network throughout the city, reaching Gurgaon and Noida (major nearby cities). I can only compare it to the Dubai metro, the only difference being that there are conductors here. Interestingly, each train car has four designated seats for women right at the entrance and four seats for elderly people and those with disabilities. 😊🚆 »

« If you have an e-visa, make sure to go to the very last line. Hand over your passport and a printed confirmation of your visa; no payment is necessary. They will take your fingerprints and a photo. The line, like any line in India, moves very slowly. Be patient!

Once you're out of the airport, head straight outside. I wouldn't recommend changing money at the airport; the exchange rate is terrible.

Outside, you can buy water for about $5 (it costs between 20-40 rupees, as stated on the bottle), and make sure to ask for change in rupees.

If you're taking the metro, there are signs directing you; it costs around 60 rupees to get to the center and takes about 30 minutes. Keep in mind: trains run every 15-30 minutes.

By car, it will be around 300 rupees, but you'll need to walk straight away from the airport a bit, as taxis on airport grounds are more expensive. »

« In Delhi, prices are twice as high as in Goa, traffic is terrible, and there are aggressive beggars. There are plenty of hotels, motels, and hostels. »

« In Delhi, you can unearth everything. From a tiny screw to bulky furniture. These are the oldest and most colorful markets, each with its own theme. For example, the largest and oldest of them is Chandni Chowk. Here you can find a wide variety of fabrics, authentic clothing with traditional embroidery, saris ranging from wedding to everyday wear. One street is dedicated solely to stationery, another to plumbing supplies, and a third to plastic containers, and so on. There are countless such markets in Old Delhi, and the prices are the lowest in all of India. And the spice market is so vibrant; I have to show you that for sure. Getting around these markets in the old city often requires a cycle rickshaw; even walking a mere 100 meters becomes quite an adventure, as the roads are bustling with auto-rickshaws, bikes, monkeys, cars, cows, porters, and dogs. It's all captured in the photos! ☺ »

« A giant souvenir shop with fixed prices featuring everything from across India. There's so much to see. It's like a multi-story museum. Stop by if you have time before you leave; you won't regret it. »

« Why did I buy so little? Everything was a dollar. »

« I'm finally in a sleeper coach, this time with no air conditioning and no windows – just grilles... In about 7-8 hours, I'll be in Delhi. The ticket price for this coach is ₹150 ($1.80). »

« Metro tokens cost on average $0.18 per trip. The price starts at $0.12 and increases depending on the number of stops. »