Arriving in New Delhi in Autumn: Airports, Trains and Transfers

Flights into Delhi: Which Airport and Which Terminal

Indira Gandhi International (IGI) handles nearly every visitor arriving by air in autumn. Terminal 3 serves almost all international flights and the full-service domestic carriers; Terminal 1 handles the low-cost domestic operators; Terminal 2 has been used for some low-cost and regional services and is worth double-checking on your ticket, because terminal changes at IGI are common. October and November are the sweet spot for weather — highs around the low 30s Celsius, cool evenings — though late October and November can bring the haze that Delhiites call smog, so travellers with breathing concerns should aim for the first half of October.

Airfares into Delhi climb steeply in the week before Diwali, which in most years falls in late October or early November, and again around Christmas. If your dates are flexible, booking well outside those windows usually saves the most. Domestic connections from Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata are frequent and cheap if booked a few weeks out. I would choose a morning arrival where possible: immigration at T3 moves faster before the mid-morning bank of long-haul landings, and you clear the city before the afternoon build-up on National Highway 48 into central Delhi.

Trains into the Capital: Which Station Serves You

Delhi has several major stations, and the right one depends on where your hotel is. New Delhi station (NDLS) on Ajmeri Gate side is the classic arrival for Paharganj and Connaught Place; it is also the terminus for most Rajdhani services from Kolkata and Mumbai. Hazrat Nizamuddin, south-east of the centre near the Nizamuddin Dargah and Humayun's Tomb, is the better arrival if you are staying in South Delhi, Nizamuddin or near Lodi Road. Old Delhi station on the Chandni Chowk edge drops you right beside the Red Fort and the lanes of the old city.

From Jaipur, the fastest daytime trains take roughly four and a half to five hours; from Agra, the Gatimaan Express covers the run in about 80 minutes from Hazrat Nizamuddin. Book on IRCTC well ahead — sleeper and chair-car seats on popular routes go quickly for October and November dates. I would take a Rajdhani or Vande Bharat service in a reserved chair car rather than an overnight ordinary train, and I would avoid arriving at Old Delhi station after dark with heavy luggage if your hotel is south of the centre.

IGI to the City: Metro, Taxi or Pre-booked Transfer

The Airport Express metro line runs from T3 to New Delhi station via Aerocity, Dhaula Kuan and Shivaji Stadium, taking around 20 minutes and connecting to the wider metro network. It is quick, fixed-price and immune to traffic, but it does not serve T1 directly — you would take a shuttle to T3 first. Prepaid taxi counters inside each terminal issue a slip and a fixed fare; app-based cabs pick up from designated zones, usually on an upper or lower departure level, and cost more at surge times. Formal airport transfers arranged with your hotel sit between the two: pricier than a prepaid cab, calmer after a long flight.

Drive times from IGI tell the story of where to stay. Aerocity hotels are five minutes away. Connaught Place and Paharganj are 30 to 45 minutes in normal traffic, Karol Bagh around 40, Hauz Khas and Saket 30 to 40 minutes via the Outer Ring Road. I would book an Aerocity property only for a single overnight layover, and otherwise choose a hotel near a metro station in central or south Delhi — the Airport Express link to New Delhi station makes the whole city easier to reach than a peripheral address.

Getting Around Once You Are Settled

The Delhi Metro is the backbone for a short autumn stay. The Yellow Line links New Delhi station, Rajiv Chowk and Hauz Khas; the Violet Line reaches Jangpura, Lajpat Nagar and the Qutub Minar area; the Blue Line connects Rajiv Chowk with Karol Bagh and Dwarka. Fares are distance-based and small, and the network runs from early morning until about 11pm. For short hops in the old city or around Mehrauli, app-based cabs and auto-rickshaws are easier than the metro, but expect congestion on the Ring Road between roughly 5pm and 8pm.

Autumn is festival season, so a few practical notes help. Diwali week brings serious evening traffic and some road closures; the Republic Day build-up is a January concern, not an October one. Cycle rickshaws are fine for short distances in Chandni Chowk but agree the fare first. Carry small notes for autos, keep a metro card or app ticket on your phone, and plan sightseeing for mornings — Humayun's Tomb, the Qutub Minar complex and Safdarjung Tomb are all far pleasanter before the afternoon heat and haze. Book your hotel near a metro stop and the city opens up.