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Voykit pocket guide · India
Indore
इन्दौर
Give Indore 2 nights as a Malwa base: eat at Sarafa and Chappan, see Rajwada and Lal Baag, then day-trip to Mandu or Ujjain.
Indore is Madhya Pradesh's largest city and its commercial capital, on the Malwa Plateau at 553 m. It is best known for street food, Holkar-era palaces and as the gateway to Mandu, Ujjain and Omkareshwar. Two nights covers the city; add nights for the day trips.
- Country
- India
- Local name
- इन्दौर
- Best months
- Oct–Mar
- Avoid
- Apr–Jun (40°C+), Jul–Sep (heavy monsoon)Apr–Jun (104°F+), Jul–Sep (heavy 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 (24 h) 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 |
|---|---|
| Street-food plate at Sarafa or Chappan | ₹50–150 |
| Thali in a mid-range restaurant | ₹250–500 |
| Coffee or chai | ₹30–120 |
| Auto-rickshaw across the centre | ₹80–150 |
| App cab across the centre | ₹150–300 |
| Museum or palace entry | ₹20–100 (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ₹500–1,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- IDR · Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport
- About 8 km from the centre; prepaid taxis and app cabs to the city.About 5 mi from the centre; prepaid taxis and app cabs to the city.
Typical fares
- Airport → city centre, taxi
- about ₹400, 20–30 min (check)
- Auto-rickshaw across the centre
- ₹80–150 (check)
- Train Indore → Ujjain
- about ₹50–150, 1–1.5 h (check)
Get around
App cabs (Ola, Uber) and auto-rickshaws are the practical way around; agree the fare or use the meter. City buses (AICTSL) and the iBus BRTS cover much of the city cheaply. The Indore Metro serves the north-west with five stations as of October 2025. Traffic jams are common at peak hours.
See and do
Known for
- Sarafa Bazaar night food street
- Chappan Dukan
- Rajwada and the Holkar Chhatris
- Lal Baag Palace
- Gateway to Mandu and Ujjain
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mandu (Mandav) | Taxi or car, about 100 km via DharTaxi or car, about 62 mi via Dhar | 2–2.5 h each way |
| Ujjain | Train or taxi, about 55 kmTrain or taxi, about 34 mi | 1–1.5 h each way |
| Omkareshwar | Taxi or bus, about 77 kmTaxi or bus, about 48 mi | 2–2.5 h each way |
| Dewas | Train or taxi, about 35 kmTrain or taxi, about 22 mi | About 1 h each way |
| Burhanpur | Train toward Khandwa, about 180 kmTrain toward Khandwa, about 112 mi | 3–4 h each way |
| Ratlam | Train, about 130 kmTrain, about 81 mi | 2.5–3 h each way |
Sleep
- Vijay Nagar
- Modern hotels, malls and Chappan Dukan food street; 20–30 min from the old centre.
- AB Road / Palasia
- Mid-range hotels and malls between the airport and the centre; good bus and cab access.
- Rajwada / old city
- Closest to Rajwada, the Chhatris and Sarafa Bazaar; noisier, fewer international hotels.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Namaste | नमस्तेnamaste |
| Thank you | धन्यवादdhanyavaad |
| How much is it? | यह कितने का है?yah kitne ka hai |
| Too expensive | बहुत महंगा हैbahut mehnga hai |
| Where is the toilet? | शौचालय कहाँ है?shauchalay kahaan hai |
| Please stop here | यहाँ रोकिएyahaan 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 from April to June regularly tops 40°C; plan sightseeing for early morning and evening.
- Monsoon (Jul–Sep) brings the heaviest rain of the year and flooded roads.
- Most markets close on Sunday.
- Agree auto-rickshaw fares before you get in, or book by app.
- Avoid the state-run intercity buses where private operators run the same route.
Indore is generally safe for visitors and is officially India's cleanest city. The real risks are summer heat, traffic, and street food that your stomach may not be used to: eat where the crowds are and drink sealed water.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Indore yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Sarafa Bazaar night food street
- Chappan Dukan
- Rajwada and the Holkar Chhatris
- Lal Baag Palace
- Gateway to Mandu and Ujjain
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Indore district administration: indore.nic.in/
- Madhya Pradesh Tourism: www.mptourism.com/
- Airports Authority of India — Indore: www.aai.aero/
- Wikivoyage: Indore, revision 5336190 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5336190
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Indoreइन्दौर
इस पते पर ले चलिए
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Most countries have embassies or high commissions in New Delhi and consulates in Mumbai; there is no consulate in Indore (check).
Carry small rupee notes; many street vendors cannot change ₹500.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/indore). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.