Getting around Delhi: public transport, passes and taxis

Delhi rewards a two-mode plan: metro for the long, predictable legs and an app cab or app auto for the last kilometre and for evenings. The metro is cheap, air-conditioned and unaffected by traffic, but it does not reach everywhere — Old Delhi lanes, most of South Delhi's markets and the road up to Qutub Minar all need a road vehicle.

If you are here for two or three days and staying near a metro line, you may never need a taxi except to and from the airport. If you are staying in a guesthouse off the network, budget ₹400–800 a day for app rides and treat the metro as a bonus.

Prices are 2026 estimates for a single traveller. Journey times are for typical daytime traffic; add 50–100% at peak.

The metro is the one part of Delhi transport that works on a schedule. Trains run roughly 05:00–23:00, with a slightly later start on Sundays (check). Stations have lifts, escalators and signage in English, and every entrance has a bag scanner and metal detector — allow a few extra minutes at busy stations.

Fares are distance-based, ₹10–60 a trip. You can buy a single-journey token from a machine or counter, but a stored-value card is faster and cheaper per trip if you will ride more than a handful of times. Contactless bank cards and phone payments work on some gates; coverage is not universal, so keep a card as backup.

Two things to know before you board. The first carriage on each train is reserved for women, and it is enforced. And the network is radial: getting between two outer suburbs can mean riding into the centre and back out, which is where an app cab wins.

Uber, Ola and Rapido cover Delhi well, including auto-rickshaws and motorbike taxis on the same apps. App fares are fixed before you accept, which removes the negotiation that makes street autos tiring. Expect about ₹150–400 for a 10 km car trip; app autos are cheaper, bike taxis cheaper still.

The common friction is cancellation. Drivers may cancel a long pickup, or ask you to pay cash instead of through the app. Confirm the number plate before you get in, and if a driver asks for extra, refuse politely and rebook — the app price is the price. At the airport, use the official app pickup zones rather than accepting a driver who approaches you inside the terminal.

Street autos are fine for short hops if you agree the fare first. There is no reliable meter culture in Delhi, so a price agreed before departure is the whole negotiation. For a full day of sightseeing, a car with driver at ₹3,500–5,500 including driver, fuel and tolls is often better value than four separate rides, and it removes parking stress.

These are 2026 estimates for one traveller, in rupees. Your actual spend depends on how much you use the metro versus the road.

Carry small notes. Drivers and auto wallahs rarely have change for ₹500, and the same applies at metro ticket counters.

Keep a screenshot of your destination in Hindi or a map pin. Many drivers read English addresses poorly, and a phone number is more useful than a street name.

Build in slack at peak hours, roughly 08:00–10:30 and 17:00–20:00. A 10 km trip that takes 25 minutes at midday can take an hour then.

Monsoon rain floods underpasses and stops traffic; on those days the metro is not a preference but the only reliable option.

If you plan to travel onward by train, book on IRCTC well ahead — the same planning discipline applies to Delhi's intercity legs.