Delhi to Agra by Road: A Self-Drive Guide to the Taj Mahal Trip

Agra is the classic road trip from Delhi. The Yamuna Expressway turns it into an easy morning's drive: about 230 km and 3.5–4 hours on a straight, six-lane road. You can see the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort and be home the same night, or stay over for a sunrise at the Taj and a detour to Fatehpur Sikri. This guide covers the route, tolls, where to stop and how to plan the day in a self-drive car.

Delhi to Agra at a glance

• Distance: about 230 km from central Delhi.
• Driving time: 3.5–4 hours on the Yamuna Expressway.
• Tolls: about ₹450–500 one way for a car, paid by FASTag.
• Speed limit: 100 km/h for cars on the expressway.
• Best time: October to March. The Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays.

The route: Yamuna Expressway

From Delhi, cross into Noida (the DND Flyway is free) and take the Noida–Greater Noida Expressway to Pari Chowk, where the Yamuna Expressway begins. It runs about 165 km to Agra, six lanes all the way, past Jewar and Mathura, with three toll plazas and rest areas for fuel, food and toilets.

The old route: NH19 via Faridabad and Mathura

The older highway runs through Faridabad, Palwal and Kosi Kalan to Mathura and Agra. It is a little shorter on the map but slower, with town traffic and more trucks. It is worth it only if you are starting from south-east Delhi or Faridabad, or want to stop in Mathura and Vrindavan.

Plan the day

As a day trip

1. Leave Delhi by 5–6 am and stop for breakfast at a rest area or in Mathura.
2. Spend the morning at the Taj Mahal: allow two to three hours.
3. Have lunch in Agra, then see Agra Fort in the afternoon.
4. Catch the Taj at sunset from Mehtab Bagh, across the river.
5. Head back by 6–7 pm to be in Delhi by late evening.

Overnight

Stay the night and you can see the Taj at sunrise, when the marble turns pink and the crowds are thin, then visit the Baby Taj (Itimad-ud-Daulah) and make the 40 km detour to Fatehpur Sikri before driving home. Agra also works as the first stop of the Golden Triangle: our Delhi to Jaipur guide covers the next leg.

Rest stops and food

The expressway's rest areas have fuel, food courts and clean toilets, so you don't need to leave the road. Mathura, about two-thirds of the way, makes a good break: detour into town for its temples and its famous pedas. In Agra, try Mughlai food, or have lunch at Sheroes Hangout, a cafe run by acid-attack survivors.

Tolls and fuel costs

Tolls on the Yamuna Expressway come to about ₹450–500 each way for a car, so about ₹900–1,000 for the round trip. FASTag is required, and without one the plazas charge double. Every Aadhya car has a FASTag.

For fuel, a petrol car doing 15 km a litre uses about 15 litres each way: roughly ₹1,500 at ₹96 a litre, or about ₹3,000 for the round trip.

Visiting the Taj Mahal

• It is closed on Fridays and open from about sunrise to sunset on other days.
• Buy tickets online in advance to skip the ticket queue.
• Cars can't go up to the monument: park at Shilpgram (East Gate) or the West Gate and take the electric shuttle.
• Only small bags are allowed inside, so leave luggage locked in the car.
• Night viewing is offered on a few nights around the full moon, with separate tickets.

Renting a self-drive car for Agra

The minimum booking is 24 hours, so a day trip to Agra fits in a single day's rental, and an overnight trip needs two.

• Unlimited kilometres and an All-India permit on every car; you pay any state entry taxes.
• For two, a Swift or Baleno is easy on fuel; for a family, an Ertiga or Scorpio N has room for everyone.
• Collect the car at our Mahipalpur office near IGI Airport, or have it delivered in Noida, Gurugram or anywhere in Delhi NCR.
• You need a driving licence held for at least a year, a government ID and a ₹5,000 refundable deposit.

See all our cars or read more about outstation trips from Delhi.