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Voykit pocket guide · India
Prayagraj
प्रयागराज
Give Prayagraj one full day plus a dawn at the Sangam: the fort, Khusro Bagh and the confluence are the trip. Skip it in May–June heat.
Prayagraj is where the Ganges and Yamuna meet, and the Sangam is the reason to come. The city is a working Uttar Pradesh administrative and university town with Mughal tombs, a colonial-era park and a fort at the confluence. Most travellers pass through on the Delhi–Varanasi rail line; one night and a dawn boat covers the core, two nights if you add Kaushambi or Kannauj.
- Country
- India
- Local name
- प्रयागराज
- Best months
- Oct–Mar
- Avoid
- May–Jun (41°C+), Jul–Sep monsoonMay–Jun (106°F+), Jul–Sep monsoon
- Stay
- 1–2 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 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 at a stall | ₹10–20 |
| Thali at a local restaurant | ₹120–300 |
| Cycle rickshaw, 3–4 kmCycle rickshaw, 1.9–2.5 mi | ₹50–100 |
| Auto-rickshaw, 5 kmAuto-rickshaw, 3.1 mi | ₹100–200 |
| Sangam boat, return | ₹300–800 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ₹500–1,000 |
| Monument entry (Allahabad Fort, Khusro Bagh) | Free–₹25 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- IXD · Prayagraj Airport (Bamrauli)
- Small civil enclave on a military base; limited flights, mostly to Delhi. Checked bags are hand-delivered after arrival — wait in the terminal.
Typical fares
- Airport → Civil Lines, taxi
- ₹600–800, about 30 min (check)
- Prayagraj Junction → Sangam, auto
- ₹150–250, about 20 min (check)
- Sangam rowing boat, return
- ₹300–800 per boat (check)
Get around
Cycle rickshaws are the cheapest and most available way around the centre; agree the fare before you sit. Auto-rickshaws are faster for longer hops. City buses run on some routes but timings are unreliable. For the Sangam, take an auto or rickshaw to the boat jetty and hire a rowing boat to the confluence point.
See and do
Known for
- Triveni Sangam (Ganges–Yamuna confluence)
- Kumbh Mela and Magh Mela
- Allahabad Fort
- Khusro Bagh Mughal tombs
- University of Allahabad
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kaushambi | Road via NH 19, about 60 km west; taxi or busRoad via NH 19, about 37 mi west; taxi or bus | 1.5–2 h each way |
| Kannauj | Train or road via Kanpur, about 150 km northwestTrain or road via Kanpur, about 93 mi northwest | 3–4 h each way |
| Varanasi | Train from Prayagraj Junction, about 2 h | 2–2.5 h |
| Kanpur | Train from Prayagraj Junction, about 2 h | 2–2.5 h |
Sleep
- Civil Lines
- Colonial-era grid, most hotels and guesthouses, quiet at night, 10–15 min by auto to the fort.
- Near Prayagraj Junction (PRYJ)
- Best for one night with bags and early trains; Khusro Bagh is a short walk south.
- Sangam / Daraganj area
- Closest to the confluence and the mela grounds; basic pilgrim lodgings, busiest during Magh Mela (Jan) and Kumbh years.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Namaste | नमस्तेnamaste |
| Thank you | धन्यवादdhanyavaad |
| How much is it? | कितना है?kitna hai |
| Too expensive | बहुत महंगा हैbahut mehnga hai |
| Where is the Sangam? | संगम कहाँ है?sangam kahan hai |
| Please take me to this address | मुझे इस पते पर ले चलिएmujhe is pate par le chaliye |
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
- Boatmen at the Sangam quote per person or per boat — fix the total and the return before boarding.
- May and June regularly top 40°C; do sights before 10:00 and after 17:00.
- Monsoon (Jul–Sep) brings heavy rain and high river levels; boat trips can be suspended.
- During Magh Mela (Jan) and Kumbh Mela years the Sangam area is packed and prices rise — book beds ahead.
- Temple and ghat areas: dress modestly, and expect requests for donations at religious sites.
Prayagraj is generally safe for visitors by day; the real risks are heat, traffic, and boat or rickshaw fares that change once you are seated. Fix prices first, avoid unlit lanes after dark, and keep an eye on your bag in crowds at the Sangam.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Prayagraj yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Triveni Sangam (Ganges–Yamuna confluence)
- Kumbh Mela and Magh Mela
- Allahabad Fort
- Khusro Bagh Mughal tombs
- University of Allahabad
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Prayagraj district administration (official): prayagraj.nic.in/
- Airports Authority of India — Prayagraj Airport: www.aai.aero/en/airports/prayagraj
- Indian Railways — IRCTC (official booking): www.irctc.co.in/
- Wikivoyage: Prayagraj, revision 5325487 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5325487
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Prayagrajप्रयागराज
इस पते पर ले चलिए
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Prayagraj; the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have embassies or high commissions in New Delhi (check addresses).
Carry small rupee notes; many stalls and rickshaws have no change.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/prayagraj). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.