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Voykit pocket guide · India
Amritsar
ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ
Give Amritsar 2 nights: Golden Temple at dawn and after dark, Jallianwala Bagh, then the Wagah border ceremony. Skip it as a day trip from Delhi.
Amritsar is the spiritual centre of Sikhism and the holiest city for Sikhs, built around the Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib) and its free community kitchen that feeds tens of thousands daily. Most visitors come for the temple, the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh memorial and the Wagah border flag ceremony. Two nights covers it; the city is compact and walkable around the old core.
- Country
- India
- Local name
- ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ
- Best months
- Oct–Mar
- Avoid
- May–Jun (40°C+), Jul–Aug (monsoon)May–Jun (104°F+), Jul–Aug (monsoon)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- INR
- Money
- Indian rupees (INR, ₹) in small notes for autos, street food, tips and entry tickets.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₹1,500–2,500 excl. bed · Mid ₹2,500–5,000 excl. bed · High ₹5,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Jio, Airtel and Vi sell tourist SIMs at airport counters and their shops; passport, visa and a photo needed; activation can take a few hours.
- Emergency
- All emergencies 112 · Police 100 · Ambulance 108 · Tourist helpline 1363
- Plugs
- Types C, D, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin C plugs fit most sockets; D (three round pins) is the common wall socket; hotels often have universal sockets. UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food and dhabas: Nothing.; Restaurant: 5–10% if no service charge is on the bill.; Car and driver: ₹300–500 a day at the end of the trip.; Guide: ₹300–500 for a half day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₹50–100.; Auto or Uber: Round up.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Buy sealed bottles (check the cap), or use RO-filtered refill stations in hotels and cafés; avoid ice from street stalls.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and airports; squat toilets with a water jug or hose in stations and villages. Carry tissue and sanitiser; paid public toilets (Sulabh) cost ₹5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Amritsari kulcha with chole | ₹60–120 |
| Glass of lassi | ₹40–80 |
| Thali at a mid-range restaurant | ₹200–400 |
| Auto-rickshaw, 3 kmAuto-rickshaw, 1.9 mi | ₹50–100 |
| Airport taxi to centre | ₹550–850 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ₹500–1,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ATQ · Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport (Raja Sansi)
- About 11 km northwest of the centre; taxi or app cab to the Golden Temple area, 20–30 minAbout 6.8 mi northwest of the centre; taxi or app cab to the Golden Temple area, 20–30 min
Typical fares
- Airport → Golden Temple area, taxi
- ₹550–850, 20–30 min
- Auto-rickshaw, train station → Golden Temple
- ₹20–50, 10 min
- Bus to Wagah border
- ₹50, about 1 h
Get around
E-rickshaws and auto-rickshaws are the main way around; a ride within the centre is ₹20–50. The old city around the Golden Temple is best on foot. App cabs (Uber, Ola) work for the airport and longer trips but cannot enter some lanes. Local buses exist but timings are unreliable.
See and do
Known for
- Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib)
- Jallianwala Bagh memorial
- Wagah border flag ceremony
- Punjabi food: kulcha, lassi, Amritsari fish
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Wagah border ceremony | Taxi or auto-rickshaw from the centre, about 30 km west on the Attari roadTaxi or auto-rickshaw from the centre, about 19 mi west on the Attari road | About 1 h each way |
| Tarn Taran Sahib | Train or bus southeast, about 22 kmTrain or bus southeast, about 14 mi | About 1 h |
| Pathankot | Bus or train north, about 100 kmBus or train north, about 62 mi | 2.5–3 h |
| Qadian | Bus or taxi northeast, about 55 kmBus or taxi northeast, about 34 mi | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Golden Temple / old city
- Walk to the temple in minutes; lanes are narrow and noisy. Best for a first visit and early-morning darshan.
- Lawrence Road / Mall Road
- Hotels, restaurants and shops; 10–15 min by auto-rickshaw to the temple. Easier for cars and luggage.
- Ranjit Avenue
- Quieter, newer hotels and cafés; 20–25 min from the temple. Good for families with a car.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Good day | ਸਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲsat sri akal |
| Thank you | ਧੰਨਵਾਦdhanvaad |
| How much is it? | ਕਿੰਨੇ ਦਾ ਹੈ?kinne da hai |
| Where is the toilet? | ਟਾਇਲਟ ਕਿੱਥੇ ਹੈ?toilet kitthe hai |
| Please / Excuse me | ਕਿਰਪਾ ਕਰਕੇkirpa karke |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Namaste (palms together) or a handshake between men; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging or kissing strangers
- Hands and feet: Give and eat with the right hand; apologise if your foot touches someone; avoid: Pointing feet at people or shrines; touching books or food with your feet
- Temples: Shoes off, walk clockwise around shrines, accept prasad (blessed food) with the right hand; avoid: Leather in Jain temples; entering sanctums that say Hindus only
- Home visit: Bring sweets or fruit; accept tea at least once; avoid: Refusing all food; wearing shoes inside
- Questions: Expect personal questions (married? job? salary?) as friendliness; avoid: Taking offence; answer vaguely if you prefer
- Saying no: A firm, polite 'nahi, dhanyavaad' (no, thank you) and keep walking; avoid: Long explanations to touts
- Dress: Loose clothes covering shoulders and knees; kurta tops are cheap and cool; avoid: Swimwear or shorts away from Goa beaches
Scams and watch-outs
- The Golden Temple is free and open 24 h; cover your head and remove shoes before entering — free scarves and shoe storage are usually provided.
- Expect crowds on weekends and Sikh festivals; go at 04:00–06:00 for the quietest darshan.
- Touts at the airport and station quote high taxi fares: agree the price or use an app before you get in.
- Summer heat (May–Jun) regularly tops 40°C; plan indoor or early-morning sightseeing.
- Wagah border ceremony: arrival window, photo-ID and bag rules can change — check current official arrangements before you travel.
Amritsar is generally safe for tourists, including solo women, but petty theft and overcharging happen in crowded lanes. The real risks are summer heat, traffic, and touts at the airport and station: agree fares first and keep valuables out of sight.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Amritsar yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib)
- Jallianwala Bagh memorial
- Wagah border flag ceremony
- Punjabi food: kulcha, lassi, Amritsari fish
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Punjab Tourism: www.punjabtourism.gov.in/
- Amritsar Airport (Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International): www.amritsarairport.com/
- Wikivoyage: Amritsar, revision 5308402 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5308402
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Amritsarਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ
ਇਸ ਪਤੇ 'ਤੇ ਲੈ ਚੱਲੋ
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Amritsar; most countries have embassies or consulates in New Delhi. Check your embassy's site for the current address.
Head covering and shoe removal are required at the Golden Temple; free scarves and shoe storage are usually provided.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/amritsar). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.