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Voykit pocket guide · India
Aurangabad
छत्रपती संभाजीनगर
Give Aurangabad two nights: one full day for Ellora and Daulatabad, one for Ajanta or the city's Mughal sights. Skip it only if you have no interest in cave art.
Aurangabad — officially Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar since 2022 — is the base for two UNESCO cave sites, Ellora (29 km) and Ajanta (107 km), plus a Mughal-era city of gates and a scaled-down Taj. Most travellers come for the caves and stay two nights; the city itself fills a half-day. It is a Marathwada hub with an airport, a main rail line and good highways, so it works as a stop between Mumbai and Hyderabad rather than a destination on its own.
- Country
- India
- Local name
- छत्रपती संभाजीनगर
- Best months
- Nov–Feb
- Avoid
- Apr–May (40°C+), Jun–Sep (monsoon)Apr–May (104°F+), Jun–Sep (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 ₹1,500–3,000 excl. bed · Mid ₹3,000–6,000 excl. bed · High ₹6,000+ 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 services 112 · 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 |
|---|---|
| Filter coffee or chai | ₹15–40 |
| Thali (veg) at a local restaurant | ₹120–250 |
| Auto-rickshaw, 3 km in the cityAuto-rickshaw, 1.9 mi in the city | ₹60–120 |
| Taxi, 5 km in the cityTaxi, 3.1 mi in the city | ₹150–250 |
| Ellora or Ajanta cave entry (Indian / foreign) | ₹40 / ₹600 (check) |
| Bibi ka Maqbara entry | ₹200 (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ₹500–1,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- IXU · Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Airport (Aurangabad Airport)
- Jalna Road, Chikalthana, about 4 km east of the centre; Air India and IndiGo serve Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad (check current schedules).Jalna Road, Chikalthana, about 2.5 mi east of the centre; Air India and IndiGo serve Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad (check current schedules).
Typical fares
- Auto, station → old city
- ₹80–150 (meter, check)
- Taxi, city → Ellora, return
- ₹2,000–3,000 (check)
- MSRTC bus, city → Ellora
- ₹40–60 (check)
Get around
Metered auto-rickshaws are the default for short hops; agree that the meter runs before you board. Ola and Uber work in the centre. Chauffeur-driven taxis are the practical way to do Ellora, Daulatabad and Ajanta in a day — fares are quoted per km with a minimum of about 80 km. MSRTC and ITDC run daily conducted bus tours to the caves from the Central Bus Stand, but the schedule is tight.Metered auto-rickshaws are the default for short hops; agree that the meter runs before you board. Ola and Uber work in the centre. Chauffeur-driven taxis are the practical way to do Ellora, Daulatabad and Ajanta in a day — fares are quoted per km with a minimum of about 50 mi. MSRTC and ITDC run daily conducted bus tours to the caves from the Central Bus Stand, but the schedule is tight.
See and do
Known for
- Ellora Caves (UNESCO)
- Ajanta Caves (UNESCO)
- Bibi ka Maqbara
- Daulatabad Fort
- City of Gates
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Ellora Caves | MSRTC bus from Central Bus Stand to Verul, or taxi; about 29 kmMSRTC bus from Central Bus Stand to Verul, or taxi; about 18 mi | About 1 h each way |
| Daulatabad Fort | On the Ellora road, about 15 km from the city; bus or taxiOn the Ellora road, about 9.3 mi from the city; bus or taxi | About 45 min |
| Ajanta Caves | MSRTC bus or taxi, about 107 km via Jalgaon roadMSRTC bus or taxi, about 66 mi via Jalgaon road | 2–2.5 h each way |
| Khuldabad | Taxi or bus, about 20 km on the Ellora roadTaxi or bus, about 12 mi on the Ellora road | About 45 min |
| Paithan | MSRTC bus, about 51 km southMSRTC bus, about 32 mi south | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Station Road / Padampani
- Walk to the rail station and Central Bus Stand; best for early trains and conducted cave tours.
- CIDCO
- Newer hotels, the MSRTC CIDCO depot and airport road; quieter, needs autos for the old city.
- Old city (Kranti Chowk / Paithan Gate)
- Closest to Bibi ka Maqbara, Panchakki and the surviving gates; busier and noisier.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Namaste | नमस्कारnamaskār |
| Thank you | धन्यवादdhanyavād |
| How much is it? | किती आहे?kitī āhe? |
| Please use the meter | मीटर लावाmīṭar lāvā |
| Where is the toilet? | स्वच्छतागृह कुठे आहे?svachhatāgṛuh kuṭhe āhe? |
| Can I pay by card? | कार्डने पैसे देऊ शकतो का?kārdne paise deū śakatō kā? |
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
- Auto drivers at the station and bus stand often refuse the meter and quote inflated flat fares — insist on the meter or walk to the next stand.
- Conducted cave tours allow only a rushed look; if you want time at Ellora, hire a car or take a bus and go independently.
- Ajanta is 107 km each way — a return day trip is long; leave early.
- Some roads away from the centre are potholed; allow extra time in the monsoon.
- The city was renamed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in 2022 — signs, tickets and maps may use either name.
Aurangabad is generally safe for tourists; the real risks are heat in April–May, aggressive auto fares and long, tiring cave drives. Keep valuables out of sight in crowds and use a licensed taxi with a yellow number plate for day trips.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Aurangabad yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Ellora Caves (UNESCO)
- Ajanta Caves (UNESCO)
- Bibi ka Maqbara
- Daulatabad Fort
- City of Gates
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation: chhsambhajinagarmc.org/
- Airports Authority of India — Aurangabad Airport: www.aai.aero/en/airports/aurangabad
- Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC): msrtconline.in/
- Wikivoyage: Aurangabad, revision 5333539 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5333539
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Aurangabadछत्रपती संभाजीनगर
या पत्त्यावर न्या
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Aurangabad; the US, UK, Canada and Australia have consulates in Mumbai, embassies in New Delhi.
Carry small rupee notes; many shops and autos do not give change for ₹500.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/aurangabad). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.