Quick Answer
- Best time: October to March, average highs about 22 to 35°C; fog delays in December and January.
- Taj Mahal: 1,100 rupees for foreigners, plus 200 for the mausoleum; children under 15 free; closed Fridays.
- Timing: opens 30 minutes before sunrise; arrive for opening.
- From Delhi: Gatimaan Express, around 100 minutes to Agra Cantt.
- Where to stay: Taj Ganj to walk to the gates, Fatehabad Road for bigger hotels.
- Beyond the Taj: Agra Fort 650 rupees, Fatehpur Sikri 610, Mehtab Bagh 300 for the sunset view.
At a glance
- Best time
- Oct–Mar
- Time needed
- 1 to 2 days
- Currency
- Indian rupee (INR)
- Language
- Hindi
- Getting around
- Gatimaan Express from Delhi, auto-rickshaws
Most people give Agra half a day and a selfie. The Taj Mahal deserves better than that, and so does the rest of the city: a red sandstone fort, a garden across the river built for the view, and an abandoned Mughal capital an hour away. The trip comes down to three decisions: the day (never a Friday for the Taj), the hour (sunrise), and whether you sleep there. Fees and hours below were checked on 10 October 2026.
When is the best time to visit Agra?
October to March. Agra sits on the hot plains of Uttar Pradesh, so the season is set by heat, not rain.
| Month | Average high / low (IMD 1991-2020) | Rain | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| October | 34.7°C / 18.7°C | 24.7 mm | Dry, warm days, the season opens |
| November | 29.2°C / 13.2°C | 2.5 mm | Ideal sightseeing weather |
| December | 23.7°C / 8.1°C | 3.2 mm | Cool mornings, 4.5 fog days on average |
| January | 22.2°C / 7.4°C | 12.5 mm | Coldest month, 5.4 fog days on average |
| February | 26.2°C / 10.4°C | 10.8 mm | Fog fades, pleasant days |
| March | 32.1°C / 14.2°C | 8.3 mm | Warming fast by the end of the month |
| April to June | 38.4 to 41.9°C highs | 8.5 to 46.4 mm | Brutal heat; go at dawn only |
| July to September | 33.1 to 36°C highs | 110.8 to 245.8 mm | Monsoon, humid, fewer visitors |
Figures are the India Meteorological Department’s 1991-2020 climatological table for Agra. Winter is the best time, with one catch: the fog. Agra averages 5.4 fog days in January and 4.5 in December, and a foggy dawn can hide the Taj until mid-morning and delay trains from Delhi. If your trip falls then, keep a spare morning.
How much does the Taj Mahal cost, and when is it open?
These are the official figures from the Taj Mahal website, which is run by the Uttar Pradesh tourism department; the monument itself is managed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
| Visitor | Taj Mahal entry | Main mausoleum (optional) |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign tourist | 1,100 rupees | +200 rupees |
| SAARC and BIMSTEC citizens | 540 rupees | +200 rupees |
| Indian citizens and OCI cardholders | 50 rupees | +200 rupees |
| Children under 15 | Free |
- Closed every Friday. No exceptions for sightseeing.
- Opening hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes before sunset. Ticket windows at the Western Gate (near Saheli Burj) and the Eastern Gate open one hour before sunrise and close 45 minutes before sunset. The Southern Gate is exit only.
- Book online through the ASI e-ticket portal or asiagracircle.in and save 50 rupees on a foreign ticket. Carry the passport you booked with: government ID is required.
- What the foreign ticket includes: shoe covers, a half-litre water bottle, a tourist map of Agra and the battery bus and golf cart from the parking areas.
- Left at the hotel: food, tobacco, knives, tripods, headphones, mobile chargers and electrical goods other than cameras. Drones are banned inside and around the Taj, and photography is not allowed inside the main mausoleum. A water bottle is fine.
- Night viewing runs on five nights a month, the full moon and two nights either side, from 20:00 to midnight in half-hour batches of up to 50 people. Mobile phones are not allowed then, and you report to Shilpgram for security 30 minutes early. Batches are small, so book ahead and check the dates on the official site.
Is the mausoleum add-on worth 200 rupees? The interior is small and dim, and photography is banned inside, but it is the only way to see the cenotaphs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan.
Where should you stay in Agra?
Agra hotels cluster in three areas, and the choice is really about how close you want to be to the Taj at dawn.
| Area | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Taj Ganj | Walking to the East or West Gate before sunrise, budget guesthouses with rooftop Taj views | Narrow, busy lanes, simpler rooms |
| Fatehabad Road | Larger and chain hotels a short ride from the Eastern Gate | Less atmosphere, you need a ride for the sunrise slot |
| Sadar Bazaar / Agra Cantt | Early trains from Agra Cantt station, shopping street | Furthest from the Taj |
First visit with one night? Book in Taj Ganj or on Fatehabad Road so the sunrise entry is minutes away, not a pre-dawn drive. Compare Agra hotel prices and check the walking or driving distance to the gate you will use.
How do you get to Agra and around it?
Most international travellers fly into Delhi (DEL) and come down by train or road. The rail distance from Delhi is around 188 km.
You need a visa to visit India unless you are exempt. The e-Tourist Visa is applied for on the official indianvisaonline.gov.in site at least 4 days before arrival, with 30-day, 1-year and 5-year options; see our India visa guide for the details.
- Activate before you fly: data works on arrival
- Plans for 200+ countries from a few dollars
- Keep your number; no physical SIM swap
What should you see in Agra besides the Taj Mahal?
Agra has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and the other two are open on Fridays. All fees below are the official foreign-visitor prices on weekdays (Friday prices in brackets).
| Sight | Foreign visitor fee | Why go |
|---|---|---|
| Taj Mahal | 1,100 rupees (+200 mausoleum), closed Friday | The white marble tomb Shah Jahan built for Mumtaz Mahal |
| Agra Fort | 650 rupees (600 on Friday) | Red sandstone Mughal fortress-palace with Taj views over the river |
| Fatehpur Sikri | 610 rupees (600 on Friday) | Akbar’s abandoned capital, around 40 km west of Agra |
| Itimad-ud-Daulah | 310 rupees (300 on Friday) | The inlaid marble tomb often called the “Baby Taj” |
| Akbar’s Tomb, Sikandra | 310 rupees (300 on Friday) | Akbar’s mausoleum in large gardens on the Delhi road |
| Mehtab Bagh | 300 rupees | Mughal garden across the Yamuna, aligned with the Taj; the sunset view |
- The Taj Museum inside the complex is free and open 10:00 to 17:00.
- Sunset: watch from Mehtab Bagh, directly across the river, rather than queueing in the Taj gardens at closing time.
- Food: Agra is known for petha, a translucent sweet made from ash gourd, and for Mughlai cooking. Eat at busy local restaurants and sweet shops in Sadar Bazaar rather than the set-menu places that tour drivers steer you to.
What goes wrong on an Agra trip?
- Arriving on a Friday. It is the single most common mistake. If your itinerary forces a Friday, use it for Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri, and see the Taj the next morning.
- Touts and commission shopping. Hire only approved guides and photographers who show an ID card, as the official site advises. Drivers will often route you to marble and carpet showrooms; say no before you set off.
- Big bags. There is a cloakroom at both gates, but a large bag lengthens the security check. Take only what you need.
- Midday visits in spring. From April the white marble terraces get extremely hot underfoot, and you walk them in shoe covers. Go at sunrise.
- The heat in May and June. Average highs above 41°C make anything but early morning sightseeing hard.
How many days do you need in Agra?
One night is the sweet spot: arrive in the afternoon, see Agra Fort and the sunset from Mehtab Bagh, then enter the Taj at opening the next morning before the crowds and the heat. A day trip from Delhi works if time is tight, but it means the Taj at mid-morning with everyone else. Add a second night for Fatehpur Sikri, Itimad-ud-Daulah and Sikandra at a gentler pace.
Agra is the middle point of the Golden Triangle: Delhi is around 100 minutes away by train, and Jaipur is around four to five hours by road or rail. Our India itinerary shows how to fit the three together.
Sources
Ticket prices, opening hours, prohibited items and night viewing rules come from the official Taj Mahal website (Uttar Pradesh tourism department) and the Archaeological Survey of India’s Agra Circle. Climate figures are the India Meteorological Department’s 1991-2020 normals for Agra. Visa rules come from the Government of India e-Visa site, and the expressway length from the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority. Train times and fares change: confirm them on IRCTC.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Taj Mahal ticket for foreigners?
The Taj Mahal costs 1,100 rupees for foreign tourists, including both the ASI and Agra Development Authority fees, and the main mausoleum chamber is an optional extra 200 rupees, so 1,300 rupees in all. Citizens of SAARC and BIMSTEC countries pay 540 rupees and Indian citizens 50 rupees, plus the same 200 for the mausoleum. Children under 15 enter free, and buying online saves 50 rupees per foreign ticket.
Is the Taj Mahal open on Fridays?
No. The Taj Mahal is closed to sightseers every Friday. Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Mehtab Bagh and the other Agra monuments stay open on Fridays, so a Friday in Agra still works if you save the Taj for another day.
What time does the Taj Mahal open?
The Taj Mahal opens 30 minutes before sunrise and closes 30 minutes before sunset. Ticket windows at the Western and Eastern Gates open one hour before sunrise and close 45 minutes before sunset. The Southern Gate is exit only.
What is the best time to visit Agra?
October to March. India Meteorological Department normals for 1991-2020 put Agra’s average highs at about 22 to 35°C over those months, against around 42°C in May. The catch is winter fog: Agra averages 5.4 fog days in January and 4.5 in December, which can delay trains and veil the Taj at dawn.
Can you do Agra as a day trip from Delhi?
Yes. The Gatimaan Express runs from Hazrat Nizamuddin to Agra Cantt in around 100 minutes, so the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort fit into one long day. Stay overnight instead if you want the Taj at sunrise without a pre-dawn train, or want to add Fatehpur Sikri, about 40 km away.
What can’t you take into the Taj Mahal?
Food, tobacco, knives, tripods, headphones, mobile chargers and other electrical goods except cameras are prohibited, and drones are banned inside and around the monument. A water bottle is allowed. Photography is not allowed inside the main mausoleum, and big bags slow down the security check.
Start planning your Agra trip
If a tour from Delhi already includes your transport and hotel, you don’t need this part. If you are booking yourself, pick a night that is not Thursday (so your Taj morning is not a Friday) and compare rooms near the Eastern Gate.
Find cheap flights to Delhi | Compare Agra hotel prices
Planning the wider trip? See our India travel guide, getting around India, the India budget guide, where to stay in Delhi, India etiquette mistakes and the India eSIM guide.
