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DEL layover

A layover in Delhi (DEL)

The city is 25–40 min from Indira Gandhi each way, so budget around 1.3 hours of travel for the round trip before immigration and security. Leaving the airport needs an Indian visa or e-visa for most passports; the International Wing of the Terminal 3 transit hotel needs none. The Airport Express metro reaches New Delhi station in about 25 minutes, 04:45–23:30. Delhi traffic is heavy: be back 3 hours before departure.

  1. 0–8hStay airside or in the transit hotel
  2. 8–14hConnaught Place and India Gate
  3. 14–24hOld Delhi

Checked against sources:· How we verify

Can you leave the airport?

That depends on your passport and ticket. Check the official rules before you plan anything outside the terminal:

We link the official sources rather than summarise entry rules, because they change and differ by nationality.

0–8 hours

Stay airside or in the transit hotel

Under eight hours, stay in Terminal 3. The transit hotel's International Wing takes connecting passengers without an Indian visa, so you can sleep and shower without entering the country.

8–14 hours

Connaught Place and India Gate

With an e-visa, take the Airport Express metro to New Delhi station, then the metro to Rajiv Chowk for Connaught Place. India Gate and the Kartavya Path avenue are a short taxi ride south.

14–24 hours

Old Delhi

Add Old Delhi on the Yellow Line: the Red Fort, the Jama Masjid mosque and the lanes of Chandni Chowk for street food. Use metro or app cabs, and leave plenty of time to get back through traffic.

Into Delhi and back

  • Airport Express Line (Delhi Metro)IGI Airport station at Terminal 3 → New Delhi railway station · 20–25 min
  • Prepaid taxi or app cabOutside arrivals at Terminals 1, 2 and 3 → Door to door · 30 min–1h 15m

Sources

Report a change — seen something different at the airport or on the airline's site? We re-check and log corrections publicly.