Agra Travel Guide: Things to Do, Where to Stay & How to Get There (2026)
How to get to Agra from New Delhi
The trains in India will be your best friend if you are travelling on a budget—they’re affordable, reliable, and a cultural experience in themselves.
The train from Delhi to Agra is relatively short making it the perfect introduction to train travel in India.
Booking Your Train
We booked our train via our hostel in Delhi (Smyle Inn), as we had only just landed in India. For our future train journey’s we used 12Go. There is an official Indian railway website but it is difficult to navigate and although online it says international passengers can use it, this is difficult if you don’t have an Indian sim card.
Do note that with 12Go you have to book 72 hours in advance in India. If booking for travel in the next 72 hours you will need to attend the station and book tickets but I don’t recommend doing this is New Delhi Station. It is common for people to stand outside and try to direct you to fake ticket offices, this is a scam.
If you approach New Delhi train station from the main entrance you will need to go through an x-ray security for your bags. This is common in a lot of Indian railways. Take care of your belongings – if you’re in a pair one put them through and the other collect them. Ignore the people trying to ask you about tickets and continue up the stairs and onto the bridge down to the platforms.
Which Train Class Should you Choose?
Trains in India have multiple classes, but I would recommend doing 2nd class as a minimum; you will want A/C due to the heat.
We travelled in AC 2-tier sleeper on the way to Agra as it was the only class left. Although it was manageable it is a little less civilised compared to seater class. This was actually the first train we did in India and I did almost get back off, in hindsight it wasn’t that bad.
You do get allocated a bed but if you travel in the day people don’t put the beds down and just sit on the long leather seats together. This makes for a lively experience but can be a bit overwhelming if you’re not expecting it.
On the way back we did the CC AC Chair Class which made for a much more relaxing journey. You have an allocated seat, the carriage feels much more organised, food and drinks are often included, and there’s usually a member of staff assigned to your carriage if you need assistance.
The only benefit of using the official website or booking through a hotel that can use the system is that you can select your food options i.e. vegetarian. Athough, when we travelled we just asked them for vegetarian when they served the meal and they provided it (it’s included in the ticket) so not an issue.
In general the trains in India were very easy to understand, on time and quick. In the five weeks there we never had a train cancelled.
Do check which Delhi train station you want to travel to and from. Smyle Hostel was very close to New Delhi train station. On the way back we arrived at Hazrat Nizamuddin which is on the other side of Delhi so you need to get another train or tuk tuk onwards. Therefore it’s worth checking based on where your hotel/hostel is located especially if you are getting an early/late train.
Top Tips for Train Travel in India
- Bring hand sanitiser/sanitiser wipes
- Toilets can not be the best so bring toilet roll and don’t wear open toe shoes (the floors can be wet!)
- Bring snacks, if you aren’t travelling with food included. There are vendors that come on and sell food/drink but we never purchased from them
- Be prepared for the smells/sights of the outside world as you travel
- People will try to speak to you and be interested in you – smile and embrace it as part of your experience (this was less common in upper classes)
- Be careful with bags and valuables, keep them near you and bring padlocks/ luggage locks etc to secure your bags when travelling
Where to Stay in Agra
We absolutely loved our stay at ZigZag homestay in Agra and think it was one of the reasons we had such a positve experience in Agra, especially due to John the host.
Agra in general was not our favourite place in India and embodies the negative sterotypes people often associate with India – smelly, dirty, busy and full of scams. In our experience this is not the case for the whole of India.
Then amongst all this chaos sits the incredible wonder of the world – The Taj Mahal. When you enter the grounds all the noise is silenced, it’s hard to describe but trust me it lives up to all expectations.
ZigZag Homestay
The accommodation consists of mixed dorms and private rooms with shared bathrooms. These sit above the families house who live below. When we stayed, there was only three of us in the dorm so it was comfortable. If the dorm was full it would have been a bit cosy, but if you’re only spending a few nights in Agra you’ll be out and exploring all day anyway.
The homestay is very secure with a locked gate and although the area around isn’t the prettiest (see picture below) we never felt unsafe.
A Note on John
John was amazing, the homestay is run by him and his brother.
John is even recommended in the Lonely Planet, and it’s easy to see why. John is a fantastic source of knowledge—not just about Agra, but about India as a whole. We ended up chatting for hours about Indian culture, politics, education, healthcare and everyday life. It was one of the most genuine local engagements I’ve had travelling; he simply loves sharing his country with visitors.
We did our Taj Mahal tour with John on our second day. He was a great tour guide, he got us to be some of the first people into the grounds, he knew all the best picture spots, was so thoughtful, knew all the history mixed in with some funny facts. Even if you don’t stay at his homestay, contact John – you won’t regret it.
His tripadvisor is linked here for the Taj Mahal Tour. If you’re on a tight schedule they even do a one day tour of the Taj Mahal from Delhi.
After the tour he took us to breakfast at Chia Taj View Cafe which had a rooftop view of the Taj Mahal. The food was nice, inexpensive, quick and most importantly gut friendly. It was a really nice way to take it all in after our tour, reflect on my first ever wonder of the world and make the most of the view.
Not only does John do Taj Mahal tours, he also does tours across India and therefore knows so much about the country. He’s worth reaching out to if you’re planning a trip to anywhere in India.
Other Things to do in Agra
Food Tour
In the evening John took us on a food tour around Agra’s main bazaar. The food we had here was some of the best we had in all of India. If you’re like us and had just arrived in India and aren’t confident around street food then this is the best way to sample the local foods with your own local guide – John. It is actually the only time we ate meat in the whole five weeks we were in India.
If you don’t stay at ZigZag then still visit this street on your own and eat at Agra Chaat House. Also you MUST try the Kulfi (my new favourite food, I never knew existed) from the stall across from them and thank me later.
Agra Fort
We did also visit Agra fort after the Taj Mahal. It is beautiful architecturally but without a guide you will not learn the history or significance of the area. I would advise you to get a guide if you want to make the most of your visit – you can get them from inside the fort.
Sunset Views of The Taj Mahal
In the evening we arrived in Agra we visisted Mehtab Bagh. This is a historic garden that boasts stunning views of the Taj Mahal from across the Yamuna River, particularly at sunset. We visited during this time and the evening was beautiful, even with the pollution smog. We arrived too late to actually enter the gardens but instead visited the viewing area that sits on the outside of the garden (note they have separate entrances and entrance prices). The gardens did look lovely though and we could hear lots of birds singing which was really nice.
This was actually our first sighting of the Taj Mahal and although beautiful we did feel a little underwhelmed. The day after we entered the Taj Mahal and I can confirm it is not underwhelming AT ALL and meets every inch of expectation I had. So if you have an evening free then you could visit here. On reflection I would of preferred to have left my first glimpse to our sunrise tour.
Where to Eat
John recommended us an upmarket restaurant for our first night – Pinch of Spice. At only day two in India we weren’t brave enough for street food yet. The food was very good but was quite expensive for India standards (£20 for both of us).
We also ate lunch at a more locals café the next day called New Agra Fast Food & Resturant. It does have some questionable reviews on google but we lived to tell the tail and I think if you order Indian food then you’ll be fine, most of the reviews seem to moan about pizza. My answer to that is, don’t expect to get a good pizza in the heart of India.
Best thing to eat – Do Johns food tour from Zig Zag Homestay.
Summary
No trip in India is complete without a trip to visit the incredible Taj Mahal. It really is as amazing as you can imagine.
While Agra in general does not need to take up a huge chunck of your itinerary in India – there are plenty of other places in India that offer a richer experience.
However, I hope you will all come solely for the Taj Mahal. If you are staying I hope this guide will help those that are trying to stick to a budget, without missing any of the experiences.
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