Uttar Pradesh · India
Agra travel guide
Agra is a city in Uttar Pradesh, India, home to about 1,586,000 people.
- Best months
- December to February
- Nearest airport
- AGR6 km · Agra Airport / Agra Air Force Station
- Currency
- INRIndian rupee
- Time zone
- Asia/Kolkata
- Language
- English, Hindi
About
About Agra
Agra is a city on the banks of the Yamuna river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is a part of Western Uttar Pradesh, about 230 kilometres (140 mi) south-east of the national capital Delhi and 330 km west of the state capital Lucknow.
While the heyday of Agra (AHG-rah) was as the capital of the Mughal Empire between 1526 and 1658, the city was founded much earlier. There has been much debate regarding the origin of the city's name. The most commonly-held theory is that it comes from the Hindi-Urdu word agar (अगर), meaning "salt pan", referring to the region's brackish soil; salt was once made in the area by evaporation.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Agra
Do
Other than the monuments visits, one can also stroll in the local markets in old city area. It's a nice experience to have a walk in one of the oldest parts of the city.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Agra to stay in
Thanks to heavy competition, Agra's five-star hotels are good value compared to most other cities in India.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Agra
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Agra are December to February. May is the warmest month, with average highs of 42 °C; August is the wettest, with about 230 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Agra: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Agra Airport / Agra Air Force Station (AGR), about 6.3 km from the city centre in a straight line; Gwalior Airport (GWL, 101 km) and Noida International Airport (DXN, 118 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
Agra is 200 km southeast of Delhi and is one of the points of the tourist's Golden Triangle of Agra-Delhi-Jaipur. Agra is also very well connected via rail and road with other nearby cities and tourist destinations, and thus suitable for a day trip from Delhi or as a part of a larger itinerary.
Getting around
Metro, electric buses, tongas (horse-drawn carriages) and e-rickshaws are readily available and the best way to get to the Taj Mahal. Camels are also available. The Agra Metro runs between the Agra Fort and the Taj Mahal. Tickets are ₹30 and trains run from 6AM to 10PM. Auto-rickshaws and cycle rickshaws are available everywhere. Remember to agree on fares clearly in advance. Foreigners should bargain everywhere and bargain hard. Generally, things are available at 40% of the initially quoted fares.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
AGR · Agra Airport / Agra Air Force Station
GWL · Gwalior Airport
DXN · Noida International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Agra
Eat
Agra specialities are petha, a type of very sweet candy, and Dal Moth, a spicy lentil mix. Both are also popular souvenirs.
Drink
A bottle of Indian beer costs around ₹70-100 in a hotel, but there is virtually no nightlife in Agra outside of cultural shows at some of the larger hotels and restaurants. After getting off the streets of Agra and into your hotel, you will not want to go back anyway.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Agra: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Agra?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Agra are December to February. May is the warmest month, with average highs of 42 °C; August is the wettest, with about 230 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Agra?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Agra Airport / Agra Air Force Station (AGR), about 6.3 km from the city centre in a straight line; Gwalior Airport (GWL, 101 km) and Noida International Airport (DXN, 118 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Agra?
Indian rupee (INR).
Nearby
Destinations near Agra
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.