Airport
Indira Gandhi International Airport
IATA Code: DELLocation: The airport is located 12 miles (20km) south of Delhi.
Time: GMT +5.5
Contacts: +91 (0)11 329 6535, +91 (0)11 565 2011, IGIA Customer Care Line: +91 (0)12 4337 6000, Managing Director: +91 (0)25 696579
Transfer between terminals: Terminal transfer shuttles connect Terminal 3 and Terminal 1. The shuttles are free and run every 20 minutes. Some domestic airlines (Air India, Indian Airlines, Jet Airways and Kingfisher) operate from the International Terminal so it's best to check with your airline before mistakenly transferring terminals.
Transfer to the city: Train: The airport express Delhi Metro line connects the airport to central New Delhi. It operates from Terminal 3 between 5am and 11pm. Trains run at 20-minute intervals. The INR 80 tickets can be bought from the automatic ticket machines or at a manned counter. Taxis: New Delhi's airport is well known for scams related to taxis and taxi fares. Passengers are advised to take a prepaid official airport taxi rather than trying to negotiate a fare with unofficial taxis outside the airport. The official airport taxi companies are Easy Cabs, Mega Cabs and Meru Cabs. Taxis fares into New Delhi vary, depending on which part of the city you're heading to, but fares are all calculated at a rate of INR 20 per kilometre during normal hours and INR 25 per kilometre between 11pm and 5am. Bus: Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses run every 30 minutes between the airport and central Delhi's Interstate Bus Terminal and Connaught Place. The buses can be found at the 'staging area' near Terminal 3 and opposite the Centaur Hotel. The free DIAL shuttle runs between the staging area and the terminal every 15 minutes, 24 hours a day. Bus fares from the airport cost between INR 25 and INR 100, depending on your destination. Concessions are available for parents buying tickets for their kids.
Taxis: Metered taxis are available at the airport but it is best to use pre-paid taxis. The Airports Authority of India offer pre-paid taxi service for arriving passengers. Approved fares for various locations are displayed at the taxi counters located inside the Arrivals halls. Pick-up points are just outside the terminals. The fare is fixed at Rs.13 for the first kilometre and Rs.7 for subsequent kilometres, with 25% extra from 11pm to 5am. Travel time to the city is about 30 minutes.
Car rental: Passengers willing to brave the often crazy streets of Delhi in a car will find the airport's only car rental operator, Carzonrent, just after the customs area in the arrivals section of Terminal 3. The company offers a variety of cars as well as a chauffeur-driven service. Other companies, such as Avis and Hertz, operate from New Delhi itself.
Facilities: Money and communications: Several international and domestic banks have ATMs at the airport. Travel insurance services and currency exchange facilities are also available, as are public telephones and a post office. Luggage: The lost and found office is located in the domestic terminal (Terminal 1) and open from 9.30am until 6pm from Monday to Friday and until 1.30pm on Saturdays. Baggage wrapping and a left luggage facilities are available. Prices for storing luggage depend upon the size of the bag or suitcase and start at INR 60 for a small item (up to 7kg) for two hours and up to INR 120 for larger items (items over 20kg). Daily rates range from INR 150 to INR 450. Conference and business: Business facilities are best in Terminal 3's airline lounges. The airport has a number of work booths with power points for laptops and mobile phones. Airline lounges have business facilities including printing, faxing and work stations. For conferences there are a number of hotels located at or in the vicinity of the airport, including Centaur Hotel and the Radisson Hotel. Other facilities: The airport offers parents complementary strollers, a kids play area and baby changing rooms. There are also foot massages available, a smoking area, shower facilities, prayer room, drinking water fountains, medical facilities and a pharmacy. There are also sleeping pods available at an hourly fee. Wi-fi: Wi-fi is available throughout all areas of the airport. It is provided by Aircel and is free for the first 20 minutes. However, passengers need a mobile phone in order to register for this service. Information: The main information desk is just outside the duty-free shop in Terminal 3's international departures hall, and there's another next to Costa Coffee in the main hall. There are information desks both before and after security in Terminal 1. Shopping: Shopping options at the airport range from beauty and wellness products to electronics, books, fashion accessories and souvenirs. Terminal 3 has many more options than Terminal 1. Some popular shops include Delhi Delite, Fab India for last-minute gifts and souvenirs, or Electronixity for electronics and accessories. Bijou Blanc, Accessorize, Da Milano and Hugo Boss all sell a range of fashion items and accessories. The duty-free shop is located in the international departures section. Food and Drink: Indira Gandhi International Airport has a great selection of eating options ranging from quick pre-flight snacks to fine dining or post-flight coffees. Bars include The Good Times Bar, DareDevils Bar and Ember in Terminal 3's departures area. Coffee cafés range from Costa Coffee and Caféccino. Other options include a Haagen-Dazs, Curry Kitchen, Dilli Chaat, Domino's Pizza, KFC and McDonald's. Most restaurants are located in Terminal 3, but there are some in Terminal 1.
Parking: Parking garages are just 300 feet (100m) from Terminal 1, and there is a multi-storey garage attached to the International Terminal. The parking at Indira Gandhi International Airport is divided into general parking and premium parking. Parking rates start at INR 50 for the first 30 minutes and go up to INR 600 per day for general parking. Premium parking is INR 70 for the first half hour and INR 900 per day.
Departure tax: The departure tax is INR 500 on most international flights and INR 150 on flights to neighbouring countries. The amount tends to change quite often so it is best to check with your ticketing agent. It is also often included in the ticket price.
Website: www.newdelhiairport.in/traveller.aspx
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Delhi
Through a sweltering bazaar with each vendor crying out louder than the next, clamouring through a sweaty crowd, a beggar tugs at your shirt as the sticky stench of the city pierces your nostrils. Navigate your way across the road through a perennial traffic jam of blasting horns and angry shouts, and suddenly you'll find yourself stepping through the trees into a deserted courtyard, flanked by gurgling ponds below the huge glittering dome of an ornately patterned mosque. This is Delhi, city of contrasts, where an elephant can overtake an overheated Italian sports car on the streets, where colonial mansions stand next to squatter slums, and where cows are revered, but musicians are labelled 'untouchable'. The city's pace is chaotic, yet strangely relaxed, making it ideal for exploring. You're certain to be confronted with some strange and exotic sights. With a long and troubled history, Delhi is full of fascinating temples, museums, mosques and forts, each with a distinctive architectural style. In Old Delhi, visitors will find a charming selection of colourful bazaars and narrow winding alleys. In comparison, New Delhi - the city created to reflect the might of the British Empire - consists of tree-lined avenues, spacious parks and sombre-looking government buildings. While Delhi itself could take a lifetime to explore, it's also ideal as a base for visiting the Taj Mahal in Agra, and it provides the best links for travelling to the hill stations of the North.
