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Voykit pocket guide · India
Bikaner
बीकानेर
Give Bikaner one full day and two nights: Junagarh Fort in the morning, havelis and Bhandasar Jain temple after, then leave for Jaisalmer or Jaipur.
Bikaner sits in the Thar Desert in north-west Rajasthan, about 330 km west of Jaipur. It is smaller and quieter than Jodhpur or Jaisalmer, and its draw is Junagarh Fort — one of the few major Rajput forts never taken — plus red-sandstone merchant havelis and the rat temple at Deshnok. Most travellers pass through on the Jaipur–Jaisalmer route; two nights is enough to see the city without rushing.
- Country
- India
- Local name
- बीकानेर
- Best months
- Oct–Mar
- Avoid
- Apr–Jun (40°C (104°F)+ heat), Jul–Aug (humid, most rain)Apr–Jun (104°F (40°C)+ heat), Jul–Aug (humid, most rain)
- 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 |
|---|---|
| Chai | ₹10–20 |
| Kachori or samosa | ₹20–40 |
| Thali at a local restaurant | ₹150–350 |
| Bikaneri bhujia, 500 g | ₹150–300 |
| Auto across the old city | ₹50–100 |
| Auto, full day | ₹300–500 (check) |
| Junagarh Fort entry | ₹100–300 (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ₹500–1,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BKB · Bikaner Airport (Nal)
- About 15 km (9.3 mi) from the centre; daily flights from Delhi and Jaipur (check schedules).About 9.3 mi (15 km) from the centre; daily flights from Delhi and Jaipur (check schedules).
Typical fares
- Auto, station → Junagarh Fort
- ₹80–150 (check)
- Auto, full day
- ₹300–500 (check)
- Train, Bikaner → Jaisalmer
- about ₹300–800 sleeper to 3A, 5–7 h (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Streets in the old city are too narrow for cars, so three-wheeler autos do the work; a day's hire is cheap. Agree the fare before you get in, or ask your hotel to book. For Deshnok and Gajner, hire an auto or car by the half-day.
See and do
Known for
- Junagarh Fort
- Rampuriya havelis
- Bhandasar Jain temple
- Karni Mata temple at Deshnok
- Bikaneri bhujia
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Deshnok (Karni Mata temple) | Auto or car, about 45 min each way on the Jodhpur road | About 2.5–3 h |
| Gajner Palace and lake | Car, about 30 km (19 mi) south-westCar, about 19 mi (30 km) south-west | About 3 h |
| Ratanpura | Car via the Bikaner–Jodhpur road | Half day |
| Churu | Train or car, about 190 km (118 mi) eastTrain or car, about 118 mi (190 km) east | 3–4 h |
| Hanumangarh | Train or car, about 250 km (155 mi) north-eastTrain or car, about 155 mi (250 km) north-east | 4–5 h |
Sleep
- Station Road and the old city
- Walkable to Junagarh Fort and the havelis; cheap guesthouses and the busiest food.
- Lalgarh and Laxmi Niwas area
- Palace hotels and heritage stays, 3–4 km (1.9–2.5 mi) north-east of the station; quieter, need an auto for everything.Palace hotels and heritage stays, 1.9–2.5 mi (3–4 km) north-east of the station; quieter, need an auto for everything.
- Sardul Ganj
- Residential lanes with mid-range guesthouses, about 1.5 km (0.9 mi) from the station.Residential lanes with mid-range guesthouses, about 0.9 mi (1.5 km) from the station.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Namaste | नमस्तेnamaste |
| Thank you | धन्यवादdhanyavaad |
| How much is it? | कितने का है?kitne ka hai |
| Too expensive | बहुत महंगा हैbahut mehnga hai |
| Where is the toilet? | शौचालय कहाँ है?shauchalay kahan hai |
| Please stop here | यहाँ रोकिएyahan rokiye |
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
- Summer heat: April–June regularly passes 40°C; do sights before 11:00 and after 16:00.
- Sandstorms are common in summer — keep a scarf and eye drops.
- At Karni Mata temple you walk barefoot among rats; watch your step and keep bags closed.
- Auto drivers at the station quote high for tourists: fix the price first.
- Palace hotels and the RTDC guest house fill in the Dec–Jan peak; book ahead.
Bikaner is a small, low-crime city and generally safe for tourists, including solo women in daylight. The real risks are heat, traffic in the old city, aggressive auto pricing and stomach trouble from street food — drink sealed water.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Bikaner yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Junagarh Fort
- Rampuriya havelis
- Bhandasar Jain temple
- Karni Mata temple at Deshnok
- Bikaneri bhujia
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Rajasthan Tourism — Bikaner: www.tourism.rajasthan.gov.in/bikaner.html
- RTDC Dhola Maru, Bikaner: rtdc.tourism.rajasthan.gov.in/Client/HotelDetails.aspx?HotelID=BikanerDholaMaru
- Indian Railways — IRCTC: www.irctc.co.in
- Wikivoyage: Bikaner, revision 5198765 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5198765
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Bikanerबीकानेर
इस पते पर चलिए
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Bikaner; the US, UK, Canadian and Australian missions are in New Delhi.
Carry small notes: ₹10–100 for autos and chai.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/bikaner). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.