New Delhi Railway Station Guide: Hotels, Trains, Tips

If you are travelling by train in India, you will almost certainly pass through New Delhi station at some point. It is loud, enormous and surprisingly well connected, and it can feel overwhelming the first time. This guide is the friend you wish you had on that first visit: where to enter, how to find your platform, where to sleep, what to see if you have a few hours to spare, and which traps to avoid.

New Delhi railway station at a glance

How to reach New Delhi railway station

From Delhi airport

The easiest way is the Airport Express Line of the Delhi Metro, which runs between the airport (Terminal 3 station) and New Delhi metro station in roughly 20 minutes. Fares and timings are revised from time to time, so check the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation website for the current fare and the first and last trains. Terminal 1 has its own metro station on the Magenta Line, so use the route planner for that terminal. A prepaid taxi or app cab is the alternative, but traffic can stretch the 15 to 18 km trip well beyond half an hour.

By metro from the city

The New Delhi metro station is attached to the railway station and is served by the Yellow Line and the Airport Express. A skywalk connects the metro to the Ajmeri Gate side of the station. Rajiv Chowk, the interchange for Connaught Place, is a short metro hop away.

By cab, auto or bus

Prepaid taxi and auto booths operate at both entrances, and app-based cabs and auto-rickshaws drop at the station too. Tell the driver which side you need: "Ajmeri Gate side" for the metro, Connaught Place and Platform 16, or "Paharganj side" for the Main Bazaar hotels and Platform 1. On a busy day, ask to be dropped a little away from the main gate to avoid the traffic knot.

Station facilities at New Delhi

Facilities change as the station is being redeveloped, so treat this as a guide and check on arrival.

Booking a retiring room

For a long layover or late-night train, a retiring room beats a hotel for convenience. You need a valid ticket, and rooms are booked in slots. Book through your IRCTC account (see our IRCTC ticket booking guide or the customer care page) and do it early during festivals.

Platforms, entrances and layout

The station has two main sides, and picking the right one saves you a long walk:

• Paharganj side (Platform 1): the budget-hotel and Main Bazaar side. A foot overbridge serves this side, and the Delhi division railway offices are nearby.
• Ajmeri Gate side (Platform 16): the newer building, the side for the metro, parking and Connaught Place. A 242 m skywalk links it to the metro station and parking complex.

Lower platform numbers are generally easier to reach from Paharganj, and higher ones from Ajmeri Gate. Check the electronic display boards, listen for announcements and confirm your platform on the NTES app, because platforms can change at short notice. For where your coach will stop on the platform, use our coach position and platform guide. For your chart and seat status, see the online reservation chart and PNR status guides.

Key and popular trains from New Delhi

More than 250 passenger trains use NDLS each day, which is why the platforms feel like a living timetable. These are well-known services that use the station. Timings, frequencies and platforms change, so check them on NTES, the IRCTC app or our live train status guide before you travel.

These lists come from public listings and may be out of date, so confirm on IRCTC.

Popular destinations from NDLS

These journey times are approximate and vary by train and day. For exact timings, use the train schedule and seat availability guide. Remember that online reservations open 60 days ahead at 8 AM, so check your date with our booking date checker. If you are chasing a last-minute berth, read our Tatkal booking guide and ticket booking tips.

Which Delhi station is your train from?

This is the question that trips up more visitors than any other. Delhi has several large stations, and booking the wrong one can mean a very expensive taxi ride across the city.

Where to stay near New Delhi railway station

You have three broad choices: a retiring room inside the station, a hotel in the Paharganj lanes right outside, or a more comfortable hotel around Connaught Place. The properties below are real and commonly listed, but hotels change names, ownership and standards, so check recent reviews and current rates before you book.

Budget (Paharganj, a few minutes' walk)

• Hotel Delhi Heart: listed within about 170 m of the station on the Paharganj side. Good for early trains.
• Family Hotel Euro: in the Main Bazaar area, also within a short walk. Suits backpackers and solo travellers.
• Hotel Red Stone Inn: another walkable Paharganj option.
• Konnect Inn POD Hotel: a pod-style stay listed opposite NDLS, handy for a few hours of rest between trains.

Mid-range (comfort close to the station)

• Ginger New Delhi (Taj Group): a simple, clean budget-brand hotel at the railway station, with a 24-hour restaurant and Wi-Fi according to travel guides.
• The Western Grand: in Paharganj, listed within a few minutes' walk of the station and Connaught Place.
• The Arjun: a newly built hotel listed a few minutes from the metro and railway station.
• Hotel Star Villa City Centre: listed close to the station entrance and around five minutes from Connaught Place.

Upscale (Connaught Place area, a short ride away)

• The Imperial, New Delhi: the heritage luxury hotel on Janpath, near Connaught Place.
• The LaLiT New Delhi: a luxury hotel on Barakhamba Road, also close to Connaught Place.

Retiring room or hotel?

• Choose a retiring room for a short layover, an early train or a late arrival when you only need a bed and a shower. It is inside the station, so there is no hunting for a taxi.
• Choose a hotel if you want privacy, a proper breakfast, a longer stay or a quiet room. Paharganj lanes are lively and noisy, and the area can feel rough around the edges, so pick a hotel on a main road if that matters to you.

Booking tips: read the cancellation policy, match check-in times to your train, and carry your passport and visa or other photo ID. If a train is cancelled, see our cancellation and refund guide.

Shopping near New Delhi railway station: markets and malls

Central Delhi is a market city more than a mall city. Within a short ride you will find:

• Paharganj Main Bazaar: right outside the Paharganj entrance. Cheap clothes, souvenirs, travel gear and street food.
• Connaught Place, Janpath and Palika Bazaar: the central business district, with shops, cafes and Janpath's stalls for clothes, jewellery, handicrafts and gifts. Opening days and hours vary, so check before you go.
• Karol Bagh (including Ajmal Khan Road): a busy market for clothes, accessories and wedding shopping, a short metro or cab ride west.
• Chandni Chowk and Sadar Bazar: old Delhi's wholesale and retail maze, best for spices, fabrics and trinkets.
• Dilli Haat (INA): a craft and food bazaar reachable on the Yellow Line in about 18 to 20 minutes, according to a Trip.com guide.

Big malls such as Select Citywalk (Saket) and DLF Promenade (Vasant Kunj) are far from the station, so plan them as separate trips.

Places to visit near New Delhi railway station

If you have a few hours, the Delhi Metro makes much of central and old Delhi easy to reach. The distances below are ballpark road distances from the station, so use Google Maps or the metro planner for your exact route. Many monuments have a weekly closing day and security checks, so confirm timings first.

If you have 6 hours between trains

Leave bags at the cloakroom, take the metro to Chandni Chowk or Lal Qila for the Red Fort and Jama Masjid, eat in Old Delhi, stroll Connaught Place, then be back at your platform 45 to 60 minutes before departure. Delhi traffic is unpredictable, so lean on the metro.

Food near the station

You will not go hungry. The station has a 24-hour food court and snack counters, but for a proper Delhi meal, try these classics in Old Delhi, a short metro ride away:

• Karim's (near Jama Masjid): famous for Mughlai curries, kebabs and breads.
• Paranthe Wali Gali, Chandni Chowk: stuffed parathas, including at Pandit Gaya Prasad Shiv Charan Paranthe Wale.
• Kuremal Mohan Lal Kulfi: fruit-filled kulfi.
• Moti Mahal (Daryaganj): linked to the history of tandoori cooking.

Look for busy stalls, fresh food and bottled water. If you have a sensitive stomach, eat at a clean, popular place and avoid cut fruit from street carts.

Safety, scams and tips

NDLS is generally safe if you stay alert, but any huge, crowded station attracts touts and pickpockets. A few sensible habits go a long way:

• Ignore "your train is cancelled" or "the station is closed" stories. Verify everything on the official display boards, NTES or the IRCTC app.
• Use official help desks. Unofficial "tourist offices" outside the station may push overpriced tours or hotels. Foreign visitors can use the International Tourist Bureau on the first floor of the Paharganj side.
• Beware of impersonators. Police have previously arrested people posing as ticket examiners (TTEs) at New Delhi station. Real railway staff wear official uniforms and ID, and you should never hand money to someone you cannot verify.
• Mind the crowds. A stampede on 15 February 2025 during a festival rush is a reminder to avoid peak crowds when you can, follow staff and police instructions, and never push on stairs or the foot overbridge.
• Keep valuables close and watch your bag in waiting halls and on platforms.

For international travellers

• Book before you arrive. Trains fill up quickly. Our guide to booking IRCTC tickets from the USA, UK, Canada and abroad covers cards, UPI, time zones and the Foreign Tourist Quota. You will need an IRCTC account, so see the IRCTC registration guide.
• Carry your passport and visa. You will need ID for retiring rooms, hotels and some ticket checks.
• Use the International Tourist Bureau. It is on the first floor of the Paharganj side for foreign nationals and NRIs, according to travel guides, and it can help with currency exchange and reservations. Check its current hours.
• Arrive by Airport Express if you land in Delhi and want a straightforward route to the station.
• Compare apps: see our list of IRCTC alternatives for other booking options.

Accessibility for passengers with disabilities

Wikipedia lists the station as accessible, with lifts, ramps and at least one escalator on each platform. Wheelchairs are offered at stations, and some guides mention a refundable deposit with ID, so confirm the current process at the enquiry counter. For help, call the Railways helpline 139 or contact the station staff in advance, and plan extra time to move between the entrances and platforms.

Frequently asked questions about New Delhi railway station

Final thoughts

New Delhi station is chaotic, but once you know the two entrances, the metro link and the right station for your train, it is easy to handle. Arrive early, confirm your platform on official sources and stick to licensed services.

More station guides: planning a trip that also passes through Gujarat? Read our Ahmedabad railway station guide.

Sources and further reading

• Wikipedia: New Delhi railway station
• Wikipedia: Delhi railway division
• Wikipedia: Rajdhani Express and Shatabdi Express
• RailMitra: Vande Bharat Express guide
• Trip.com: New Delhi Railway Station guide
• The Week: Amrit Bharat station scheme in Delhi (March 2026)
• Official IRCTC website and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation

Disclaimer: myIRCTC.co.in is an independent information portal and is not affiliated with IRCTC or Indian Railways. Facilities, timings, fares, hotel listings and train details change often. Confirm important details on the official IRCTC website, NTES or at the station before you travel.