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Major city · India

Aurangabadछत्रपती 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.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
INR
Best months
Nov–Feb
avoid Apr–May (40°C+), Jun–Sep (monsoon)
Airport
IXU
Nights
2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 6
  • South Asia ↗Trekking regions, border districts and several Indian states need separate permits on top of the visa; check the permit before you book transport into them.
  • South Asia ↗Remove shoes (and in many Jain and Hindu temples, leather) before entering; cover shoulders and legs; ask before photographing people or rituals.
  • India ↗Apply for the e-visa only on the official government portal (indianvisaonline.gov.in); lookalike sites charge extra. Check the current rules, fees and how far ahead to apply.
  • India ↗Do not follow anyone who says your hotel is closed, the station ticket office is closed or a road is shut; use the prepaid taxi counter, the metro or an app car.
  • India ↗Carry Indian rupees in small notes (10, 20, 50, 100); change for 500 is often refused.
  • India ↗Parts of the Northeast, Sikkim, Ladakh, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and all border belts need a Protected or Restricted Area Permit or an Inner Line Permit for foreigners; check before you book the route.

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.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Aurangabad, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeFilter coffee or chai₹15–40 (≈ under US$1)
  • Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi, 5 km in the city₹150–250 (≈ US$2–3)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week₹500–1,000 (≈ US$6–12)
  • Museum or sight ticketEllora or Ajanta cave entry (Indian / foreign)₹40 (≈ under US$1)₹600 (≈ US$7) (check)
  • Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per person₹500 (≈ US$6)
  • Mid-range bedMid-range double room, a night, per room₹3,000 (≈ US$35)
  • High-end bedMid-range double room, a night, per room₹6,000 (≈ US$70)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget ₹2,000 (≈ US$25) · Mid ₹4,500 (≈ US$55) · High ₹9,000 (≈ US$110)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Ellora Caves (UNESCO)Ajanta Caves (UNESCO)Bibi ka MaqbaraDaulatabad FortCity of Gates
Airports
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).)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Aurangabad: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

29°C

12°C

1 rd

Feb

32°C

15°C

1 rd

Mar

36°C

19°C

2 rd

Apr

39°C

23°C

2 rd

May

40°C

25°C

3 rd

Jun

35°C

24°C

10 rd

Jul

30°C

22°C

14 rd

Aug

29°C

22°C

13 rd

Sep

30°C

21°C

12 rd

Oct

32°C

19°C

5 rd

Nov

30°C

16°C

2 rd

Dec

29°C

12°C

1 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting 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.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Ellora Caves

go

Door to door: About 1 h each way

MSRTC bus from Central Bus Stand to Verul, or taxi; about 29 km

Allow 3–4 h at the caves; the Kailasa temple is the centrepiece. Closed Tuesdays (check).

Daulatabad Fort

go

Door to door: About 45 min

On the Ellora road, about 15 km from the city; bus or taxi

Steep climb to the top; combine with Ellora in one day.

Ajanta Caves

go

Door to door: 2–2.5 h each way

MSRTC bus or taxi, about 107 km via Jalgaon road

A full day; leave by 07:00. Closed Mondays (check).

Khuldabad

caution

Door to door: About 45 min

Taxi or bus, about 20 km on the Ellora road

Aurangzeb's tomb and Sufi shrines; pair with Ellora, not worth a trip alone.

Paithan

caution

Door to door: About 1.5 h

MSRTC bus, about 51 km south

Ancient Satavahana capital and Paithani weaving; a half-day if you have a third day.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

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.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
₹1,500–3,000 (≈ US$18–35) excl. bed
Mid
₹3,000–6,000 (≈ US$35–70) excl. bed
High
₹6,000 (≈ US$70)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Mid-range double room1 × 2 nights × ₹3,000₹6,000
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × ₹4,500₹18,000
Taxi to Ellora and Daulatabad, return1 × ₹2,500 · check₹2,500
Taxi to Ajanta, return1 × ₹4,500 · check₹4,500
eSIM, about a week of data2 × ₹800₹1,600
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge₹3,260
Trip total≈ ₹8,970 per person per day, bed included₹35,860≈ US$450

2026 estimate in rupees; flights and cave entry tickets excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Filter coffee or chai₹15–40 (≈ under US$1)
Thali (veg) at a local restaurant₹120–250 (≈ US$2–3)
Auto-rickshaw, 3 km in the cityMeter-based; agree before boarding.₹60–120 (≈ US$1–2)
Taxi, 5 km in the city₹150–250 (≈ US$2–3)
Ellora or Ajanta cave entry (Indian / foreign)₹40 (≈ under US$1) / ₹600 (≈ US$7) (check)
Bibi ka Maqbara entry₹200 (≈ US$3) (check)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week₹500–1,000 (≈ US$6–12)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

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.
  • 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.

Emergency numbers

All services (police, fire, ambulance)
112
Tourist helpline (India, 24 h, multilingual)
1363

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Aurangabadछत्रपती संभाजीनगर

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

या पत्त्यावर न्याTo this address, please

Emergency

  • All services112
  • Tourist helpline1363

Embassy

No embassies in Aurangabad; the US, UK, Canada and Australia have consulates in Mumbai, embassies in New Delhi.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Auto, station → old city: ₹80–150 (≈ US$1–2) (meter, check)
  • Taxi, city → Ellora, return: ₹2,000–3,000 (≈ US$25–35) (check)
  • MSRTC bus, city → Ellora: ₹40–60 (≈ under US$1) (check)

Say or show

  • नमस्कार — Hello / Namaste (namaskār)
  • धन्यवाद — Thank you (dhanyavād)
  • किती आहे? — How much is it? (kitī āhe?)
  • मीटर लावा — Please use the meter (mīṭar lāvā)
  • स्वच्छतागृह कुठे आहे? — Where is the toilet? (svachhatāgṛuh kuṭhe āhe?)
  • कार्डने पैसे देऊ शकतो का? — Can I pay by card? (kārdne paise deū śakatō kā?)

Carry small rupee notes; many shops and autos do not give change for ₹500.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Aurangabad. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Nov–Feb · avoid Apr–May (40°C+), Jun–Sep (monsoon) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for IXU: last flight arrivals, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: station and Central Bus Stand, old city gates and Panchakki, Bibi ka Maqbara and the Aurangabad Caves, CIDCO.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Ellora, Ajanta, Daulatabad, Bibi ka Maqbara, Aurangabad Caves) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Cave-day fixtures for Ellora and Ajanta so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to India

Sources