Wy/af/Delhi

Delhi is Indië se hoofstad en regeringsetel. Dit vorm die National Capital Territory of Delhi, eerder as om deel van 'n staat te wees. Delhi is een van Indië se grootste stede, en die kern van een van die grootste metropolitaanse gebiede ter wêreld, met meer as 28½ miljoen inwoners (2018). Binne Indië is dit 'n belangrike sentrum van kuns, handel, onderwys, toerisme en transito. As die hoofstad van verskeie ryke oor die afgelope 2000 jaar, bevat Delhi ook 'n treffende verskeidenheid goed bewaarde historiese terreine vir toeriste om te besoek.

Streke

Delhi is amptelik in 11 distrikte verdeel. Vir reisdoeleindes word sommige regeringsdistrikte in hierdie gids in groter distrikte gekombineer. Die kleure van die distrikte verteenwoordig die kleur van die hoofmetrolyn wat deur hulle beweeg:

Verstaan

Reisigers met min ervaring om ontwikkelende megastede te besoek, sal vind dat Delhi chaoties, stampvol is en vir die grootste deel van die jaar besoedel is. Lugbesoedeling is 'n groot probleem in Delhi sedert die 1980's, met 'n groot deel van die dag wat oorheers word met 'n baie ongesonde hoeveelheid deeltjies. Gedurende die laat lente en vroeë somermaande is die stad skroeiend warm. Grawe egter 'n bietjie dieper en jy sal 'n blik kry van orde onder die chaos sowel as Indië se tradisionele en moderne kulturele rykdom wat langs mekaar floreer. Eerstekeerbesoekers wat die kultuurskok voel, word aanbeveel om dit nie te vererger deur tydens ongunstige weerstoestande te besoek nie, en 'n ordentlike hotelkamer te kry sodat jy gemaklik tussen jou besienswaardighede kan bly.

Geskiedenis

Vroeë nedersettings in Delhi

Met bewyse van voortdurende nedersetting wat terugdateer na die 6de eeu vC, Delhi is een van die oudste bewoonde stede in die wêreld. Daar word vermoed dat dit elf keer gebou en vernietig is, bewyse van ten minste agt verskillende nedersettings kan steeds in Delhi gesien word. Die mees goed bewaarde historiese terreine kom uit die tydperke van Moslem- en Britse bewind, tussen 1193 en 1947.

Daar word gesê dat die legendariese stad Indraprastha uit die epiese Mahabharata geleë was waar Delhi nou lê, maar geen oorblyfsels daarvan is gevind nie.

Van die 10de tot 14de eeu was die stad gesentreer in wat nou Suid-Delhi is:

• Surajkund —
• Qila Rai Pithora —
• Mehrauli —
• Siri —
• Tughlaqabad —

Voltooi asseblief die geskiedenis.

Demografie

Nie alle afstammelinge van die bouers van Delhi se baie Moslem-monumente woon in Delhi nie. Baie van hulle het na Pakistan gemigreer

Die bevolking van Delhi is 'n heterogene mengsel van mense wat oorspronklik aan verskillende dele van Noord-Indië en verder behoort. Onder die prominente Noord-Indiese gemeenskappe is die Punjabis. Delhi het ook 'n prominente Suid-Indiese gemeenskap, hoofsaaklik in woonbuurte soos Karol Bagh, RK Puram, Mayur Vihar en Munirka. 'n Bengaalse nedersetting, die Chittaranjan-park in Suid-Delhi, is die Mini Kolkata van Delhi. Gehalte-onderwys trek ook studente uit verskillende state, wat een van die mees diverse studentebevolkings in die land uitmaak.

Klimaat

Die klimaat in Delhi gaan deur vyf verskillende seisoene. Winter, van Desember tot Januarie, is koud (die temperatuur daal snags tot byna vriespunt al is die dae warm) en is berug vir die dik laag rookmis wat oor die stad hang, wat nie net tot gekanselleerde vlugte en vertraagde treine lei nie, maar ook waarskuwings om binnenshuis te bly en hoë kwaliteit maskers te dra as jy dit moet waag. Lente, in die maande Februarie en Maart, is aangenaam met warm dae en koel aande. Die somer, in April en Mei, is ongemaklik warm met temperature wat so hoog as 45 °C styg. Temperature matig gedurende die moessonseisoen (Junie tot September), maar dit is vogtig. Herfs, van Oktober tot November, bring warm dae met relatief koel nagte.

Lees

• Delhi – Indië Charmante Chaos deur Johnny Fincioen. Hierdie boek konsentreer op vandag se kragsentrum van Nieu-Delhi en sy historiese konteks. Die teks en die 117 oorspronklike prente bied die leser 'n holistiese siening van die lewenswyse in die hoofstad van Indië. Template:Wy/af/Boek nie in Afrikaans nie

Praat

Die moedertaal van Delhi-burgers is Hindi, hoewel die meeste opgeleide mense Engels ken.

Gaan in

Per vliegtuig

Indira Gandhi Internasionale Lughawe - Die aankomspunt vir baie besoekers na Delhi. Daar is verskeie veiligheidskontrolepunte op die lughawe en jy sal dalk jou instapkaart en paspoort 'n dosyn keer moet wys voordat jy op die vliegtuig klim. As u Delhi vanaf die internasionale terminaal verlaat, arriveer drie uur voor die tyd van vertrek. Vir binnelandse vlugte behoort twee uur voldoende te wees, afhangend van of jy in die toue moet wag om bagasie na te gaan of nie. Alhoewel dit soms tydrowend is, verloop die proses glad, en die nuwe terminaal se winkels en restaurante is sinvol by die hekarea geleë, nie voor sekuriteit nie. As u egter Indiese roepees in buitelandse valuta wil verander, moet u dit doen voordat u sekuriteit uitvee.

Kom rond

Om in Delhi rond te kom is altyd 'n avontuur. Verkeer is oor die algemeen verskriklik oorvol en baie bestuurders sal niks daaraan dink om tien keer die lopende prys vir 'n toeris te kwoteer nie.

Per metro

The modern Delhi Metro, a sign of India's economic development

Delhi Metro and rail network

The fast-growing Delhi Metro network provides a cheap, quick, hassle-free and air-conditioned way of zipping around the city. As of May 2018, the following lines are open:

• Red Line Template:Wy/af/Rint: Dilshad Garden–Rithala
• Yellow Line Template:Wy/af/Rint: Samaypur Badli–HUDA City Centre
• Blue Line Template:Wy/af/Rint: Dwarka Sector 21–Noida Electronic City
  • Blue Line branch: Yamuna Bank–Vaishali
• Green Line Template:Wy/af/Rint: Mundka–Inderlok
  • Green Line branch: Ashok Park Main–Kirti Nagar
• Violet Line Template:Wy/af/Rint: Kashmere Gate–Ballabhgarh
• Orange Line Template:Wy/af/Rint: New Delhi–IGI Airport–Dwarka Sector 21
• Pink Line Template:Wy/af/Rint: Majilis Park–Shiv Vihar
• Magenta Line Template:Wy/af/Rint: Janakpuri West–Botanical Garden
• Grey Line Template:Wy/af/Rint: Dwarka–Dhansa

Fares range from ₹10-60, just buy a token, change lines as necessary, and deposit the token in the slot as you exit. Tokens can be used only from the station they are bought, so you can't buy two and use the second to return home. If you're planning on sticking around for a while, you can buy a "Smart Card" for ₹200, which is worth ₹150 and includes a ₹50 deposit; using this saves 10% and, more importantly, lets you avoid the queues. There is also a "Tourist Card" allowing unlimited use for ₹150 (1 day) or ₹300 (3 days), but it's highly unlikely that you'll travel enough to make this pay off. Special fares apply for travel on the Airport Express. During rush hour, you might have to queue up for 20min+ due to security checks, especially in the central stations.

The Yellow Line, in particular, is useful for getting to the Delhi Junction (Chandni Chowk, Jama Masjid) and New Delhi railway stations, the ISBT bus terminal, the backpacker ghetto of Paharganj, Hauz Khas and Qutb Minar. The Blue Line is also handy for visiting Akshardham, Botanical Garden and accessing the western parts of Paharganj through RK Ashram Marg station. The Magenta Line is also useful for getting to the Terminal 1 of Delhi Airport and visiting Hauz Khas, Lotus Temple, Okhla Bird Sanctuary and Botanical Garden.

Beware: Metro stations all use the new, official, Indianised names, so Connaught Place is "Rajiv Chowk", Delhi Junction is "Chandni Chowk" and ISBT is "Kashmere Gate".

The first coach in every train is reserved for women only, violating it incurs a penalty. Male passengers accompanying females are forbidden too.

Be aware that if you wish to exit at a main station during rush hour, you will have to tackle your way through in order to get out before the opposite flow of passengers push you back inside. Don't be afraid of using your strength to push yourself out.

By local train

There are limited commuter services on Delhi's railways, but the facilities are a far cry from the user-friendly Metro stations. For the most part, train stations are inconveniently located. There is no passenger service on the Delhi Ring Railway outside rush hour.

By bus

You're never alone on a bus in Delhi

All parts of Delhi are well connected by buses and with tickets ranging from ₹5-25 they are very cheap, but they are also quite crowded most of the time. The red and blue buses are air-conditioned and the green and orange ones are not. As bus stops do not have bus routes written properly, it can be difficult to find your way. Asking other people at the bus stop is often the best way to find out about bus routes to your destination. However, the buses are pretty frequent, running every 15-20 min or so on most routes. There are two kinds of buses in Delhi:

• Government run DTC buses (red and green with big windows)
• Privately run Blue-Line buses (orange)

If you have a choice, opt for a DTC bus. They will stop less frequently and will generally be less crowded too. Note that many buses, DTC ones too, will stop pretty much anywhere if there are enough people getting on or off.

Board buses at the back and pay the ticket seller sitting right next to the door. Be sure to hang onto your tickets, as ticket checks are fairly frequent. Some seats on the left side of the bus may be reserved for women and the handicapped. When it's time to disembark, move to the front of the bus. As you might expect, all these guidelines are regularly ignored when buses are very crowded.

Hop on Hop off

Hop on Hop off Delhi Tourism Bus

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By taxi

Official Taxi

A taxi or hired car (usually with driver) is required to see many of the far-flung sites within and around Delhi. However, the metro is a far cheaper and equally comfortable option.

Most Delhi taxis are old but reliable CNG-run Ambassadors or Omnis in distinctive black-and-yellow livery and a green stripe. The hired family car of choice is usually a Toyota Innova or Chevrolet Tavera. While all are equipped with meters and should cost ₹15 for the first km ₹8.5 per km, the meters are often rigged and it's better to agree on the price in advance. Most trips around the city should be ₹200-500, while a trip to the airport would be higher, depending on starting location. An eight-hour charter should cost around ₹1,500, and a tip is expected if the driver is helpful. The prices would also depend upon the vehicle size too. Black and yellow taxis are not air-conditioned. Even if they do have air conditioning, you will be charged extra (and the rates are up to the driver, so bargain hard).

Modern radio taxi services: at ₹20/km, they're more the list price of the competition, but they use modern vehicles with air-conditioning and GPS and can be dialled 24 hr/day. The flag fare is ₹20, and the fare increases by ₹5 for every 250 m after the first km. If you need an SUV, you need to inform the company in advance, but the fare remains the same. Night charges (25% extra) apply between 11PM to 5AM. Book up to a few hours in advance. Many corporate people rely on these cabs for their daily commute and they may be booked during office hours. Tipping is not expected. After booking, you will receive an SMS with the car licence plate number, and the driver's name and mobile number. Usually the driver will call you and inform you that they have arrived. Many drivers speak English at a very basic level, so use short phrases.

You can use TaxiPixi services and avoid all the hassle. Download the app on your iPhone/Android.

Don't take non-official taxis, they might take you to wrong hotels, or to a "tourist information centre", and try to sell you overpriced things. To be on the safe side, Check that whether the driver has their official documentation or not.

Taxi rides involving tourists in Delhi almost always involve minor scams. Most of the time, the driver will demand more money than originally agreed. During the ride, prepare a sum of money that is at least the agreed fare and put in your shirt pocket or comparable spot. At the destination, get your belongings out of the car first and leave the door open to slow the driver down if he follows you. Hand the money to the driver without stupidly asking for change and then immediately walk away as quickly as you can in the direction that would be most difficult for him to follow.

By car

Delhi, The road conditions are generally better than in the rest of India. Traffic Jam is a major concern in Delhi. For travelling in Delhi, you can hire a car.

Transportation Network Taxis

Delhi is also serviced by various transportation network ("ridesharing") companies including Uber and Ola Cabs. Make sure to check the tariffs in these before you pay. While most of these services accept cash, many can also be linked to online wallet services like Paytm, so overcharging is rarely a risk.

By auto rickshaws

Auto-rickshaws - no doors

Auto rickshaws (also called three-wheeled scooters, tuk-tuks or simply autos) are good for shorter trips. Always in a distinctive yellow-and-green livery, auto rickshaws are three-wheeled partially enclosed contraptions that run on CNG and can seat three people in the back. In general, they are much cheaper than taxis and can be hailed from the street. Although by law the rickshaw drivers should charge according to the meter in their vehicle (₹25 for the first two km, ₹8/km after), this rate is unrealistically low and they will almost always try to haggle for price. Try to negotiate a price before entering the vehicle. As rules of thumb, expect even the shortest journey to cost ₹30-40/person regardless of the meter, but you should never need to pay over ₹150 for any trip within the city. If you're overquoted, don't be afraid to walk away. It's usually easy to find another one soon, usually with a driver who won't rip you off.

If you have any trouble with drivers, go to any of the numerous tourist police stations in the city centre and they will give you a complaint slip which will result in a ₹500 fine for the auto driver. There should also be a telephone number written on the vehicle to call in case of any complaint.

There are a number of "Pre-paid" auto stands run by the Police. Tell them where you want to go and pay them upfront. The charge will include ₹5 for the service. You then take the coupon and stand outside where a policeman will direct you to the next available Auto. When your journey is completed you hand the coupon to the auto driver and that's it. Nothing more to pay (despite what they may say).

By cycle rickshaws

Traffic in Old Delhi's Chawri Bazaar, facing Jama Masjid

Cycle rickshaws are three-wheeled, pedal/electric powered rickshaws with seats in the back to seat passengers and a driver in the front. They are good for short distances, or places which are too far to walk but too short for taking a bus/taxi/auto rickshaw. Cycle rickshaws don't use meters, so establish a price before getting on. ₹20-50 is reasonable for most journeys of a few km.

Cycle rickshaws are best to use in Old Delhi to visit the intricate galis (walkways) and to enjoy the smells and sounds of the city.

By electric rickshaw

Electric rickshaws, popularly known as tuk-tuk or e-rickshaws, are also used to enjoy the streets of Old Delhi. These are battery-operated alternatives to auto rickshaws and cycle rickshaws because of their low fuel cost, and less human effort compared to cycle rickshaws.

By foot

Much of Delhi is quite pedestrian-hostile. Distances are long, road signage is poor, and in the more tourist oriented areas, you'll be constantly accosted by beggars and touts. Crossing roads often involves wading across multiple lanes of heavy traffic. Try your best to move in a predictable straight line, so vehicles can weave around you. Better yet, latch onto a group of locals and cross in their shadow. If you really want to walk around, these places would be good:

• Walk from Rashtrapati Bhavan (President's house) to India Gate on Kartavya Path (a walk of close to 3–4 km).
• Walk from Jama Masjid to Red Fort in the Chandni Chowk area.
• Far South Delhi go walk about in the forest. Try starting from south of Indian Institute of Technology through Sanjay Van to Qutub Minar. Note however that Sanjay Van is not always safe, and it is advisable to go there in a group, preferably during daylight.
• South Delhi-Green Park-Hauz Khas Village, then to the Hauz Khas ruined madrasa, offers a newer shopping area, an up-market arts village, old ruins, and some quality gardens.

See

Template:Wy/af/SeeDistricts Delhi is known for its impressive range of structures — fortifications, mosques, and tombs — built during the centuries when Delhi was the centre of large Muslim empires. There are dozens of notable sites scattered around the city, and several of them are internationally famous as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The most visited sites are the Red Fort (the 17th century palace of the Mughal emperor), Jama Masjid (a vast and beautiful 17th century mosque), the Qutub Minar (a 73-meter high tower, dating to the 13th century but still with well-preserved intricate carvings), Humayun's Tomb (the vast 16th century tomb of a Mughal emperor), and Purana Qila (a 16th-century Mughal citadel).

Newcomers are often confused about the relationship between Delhi and New Delhi. In fact, New Delhi, the capital of India, is actually one of the districts of Delhi. New Delhi was built in 1911–12. Being centrally planned in the modern era, it features wide boulevards, large parks, and roundabouts between its government buildings. Popular sights here are the India Gate, Kartavya Path "national mall" connecting the main government buildings, and Rashtrapati Bhavan (presidential palace). Many of the most important museums in Delhi are located here too.

Another popular attraction is the Bahá'í Lotus Temple in South East Delhi, a modern structure built with a flower-like shape. It is arguably the most visited building in the world.

Detailed listings of all sights in Delhi can be found in the district articles.

Template:Wy/af/Infobox The staff at the Delhi tourist office is very helpful, and the office has a lot of free information:

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Do

• Take a walk at Connaught Place (CP), the heart of New Delhi. The British-designed colonial equivalent of a shopping mall, it's laid out in two concentric rings divided into blocks, all bursting with shops and lots of pampered pigeons waddling about. Long neglected, the area received an upsurge after the opening of the major Metro junction of Rajiv Chowk under it, and it's going more upmarket by the day. At the centre is a small but pleasant park, while on one edge is the notorious Palika Bazaar, an underground den of cheap wares, many pirated or smuggled from overseas. The area is surrounded by tall office buildings on nearly all sides. Train fans will want to check out the Metro Museum inside the (Patel Chowk) station, open Tu-Su 10AM-4PM (free with valid Metro ticket).

Learn

Delhi is a key centre of learning in India. The most famous universities in Delhi are JNU, DU, IGNOU, DTU, JMI and IIT. The official website of the Delhi Government's Directorate of Education is a good starting point for learning more about study opportunities in Delhi.

Apart from undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral courses, there are many training and diploma-level institutes and polytechnics that cater to the growing demand for skill-based and vocational education. Besides conventional educational institutes, more and more foreigners also make the effort to learn Hindustani language (Hindi-Urdu) and Delhi is these languages.

Work

Delhi's economy is expanding rapidly. In analogy many interesting work opportunities emerge. Monster, Jobted and other online job platforms are a good starting point to see what kind of jobs are on offer. Traditionally foreigners often work in the social sector or in teaching. Increasingly, however, expats work for multinational companies and even local Indian companies.

There is a great variety of employment opportunities in Delhi for foreigners, whether they would like to work in business, NGOs, educational institutes, or even government. Still, there is one caveat: the labour market in Delhi is highly competitive and so at many prestigious organisations, the number of applicants far exceeds the number of positions available, which allows employers to receive highly talented applicants for rather meagre salaries (especially when compared to other international destinations).

Buy

Fabindia - a clothing chain store

If you're not afraid to haggle and bump elbows in bazaars, Delhi is a great place to shop. Most of the well-known bazaars are located in the most central parts of Delhi, both Central Delhi and New Delhi. Western-style malls are plentiful and are found further south - in South Delhi and South East Delhi, as well as the suburbs of Gurgaon and Noida. Many shopping districts are overcrowded on Saturdays and closed on Sundays.

Clothing

For clothing, you can go either to the bazaars or to Western-style shopping malls (mostly in the southern areas).

Computers

Nehru Place

For computers and software, the best place to look is Nehru Place IT market complex in South East Delhi, an interesting combination of modern technology products and old world marketplace sales techniques. You can find cheap hardware here as well as both original and pirated software. There are also several similar markets in other parts of Delhi, mostly in the Western districts.

Books

The Indian book industry is huge, producing annually about 15,000 books in English, and obviously far more in Hindi and other native languages. Delhi is a hub of this industry, so there are small, specialist bookstores that abound. Locally produced books can be very inexpensive and many popular Western titles are published and available here for a fraction of their original cost.

In general, good places to buy books are in Central Delhi (Daryaganj neighbourhood and the Nai Sarak Bookshop Area), plus shopping malls in the south of the city.

The Daryaganj Sunday Book Market is a flea market-book market open on Sundays from 10AM to evening, with a vast selection. Bargain for best prices.

Eat

Sweet jalebis are very popular in Delhi

A shop frying Parathas in ghee at the Paranthe Wali Gali in Chandni Chowk, Delhi.

Delhiites complain about many things in their city, but the food will satisfy even the most demanding gourmet. Not only can you find some of the best Indian food on the subcontinent, but there is also an increasing number of excellent (if often pricey) international restaurants offering cuisine from around the world. When ordering, do remember that Delhi is about 1,000 km from the nearest ocean, so vegetarian, chicken and mutton dishes are the way to go.

Do visit Paranthe Wali Gali in Chandni Chowk. This street has shops that make and sell solely parathas (stuffed Indian bread). These are available in all the possible flavours and stuffing you may imagine, with hundreds of varieties from bitter gourd to ice cream.

Delhi has arguably the best street food in India. However, do not eat unhygienic or open food. There are plenty of restaurants offering street food in a potentially more hygienic environment.

You can join local groups of foodies who go out regularly to sample and savour what new and old dishes the city has to offer. If you want a fully customized food tour tailored specifically for you, then Food Tour In Delhi is a good choice. The guests can explore the street food of Delhi in a fun and safe manner. Their tours cover food joints which are in business for 50 to 120 years and serve some of the best street food in the world. The tours cover winding streets of Old Delhi as well as swanky upscale markets located all over the city. The food tours are led by chefs and culinary experts with extensive experience and offer facilities such as pickup and drop, unlimited food which covers all major varieties of food available in the city. Another one of the most active groups is Food Enthusiasts of DelhiTemplate:Wy/af/Dead link. They organize regular food walks, better known as Raids to various parts and joints in the city. It's a non-commercial group, brought together by their passion and love for food.

The best place to go for chaat is the Bengali Market (near Mandi House Metro Stn) near Connaught Place in the centre of town. The restaurants are high quality and the food is great. There are ATMs as well. One of the best known restaurants there is Nathu's. But for the really good chaat, you have to make your way to Old Delhi, and particularly to Ashok's near Chawri Bazaar. While connoisseurs insist that the best chaat is prepared on the street, most travellers try to find a comfortable middle ground between hygiene and authenticity.

Drink

Template:Wy/af/SeeDistricts Delhi's nightlife scene has changed in the last decade. There are plenty of modern, cosmopolitan places to separate you from your rupees. In a desperate attempt to keep the sex ratio vaguely equitable, many lounges and clubs have couples only policies (that is, no single men or men-only groups), enforced with varying degrees of strictness. While everything is supposed to shut down by 1AM, things can keep going much longer.

The coffee culture in Delhi consists mostly of large, heavily standardised chains. The two most common, Barista and Cafe Coffee Day, can be found in multiple locations across the city, most notably around Connaught Place. The UK-based Costa Coffee and the US-based Starbucks have also made a foray into the market. For listings of independent coffee shops, see the district articles.

Sleep

Template:Wy/af/SeeDistricts Prices quoted may not include taxes of up to 22.5%, calculated based on the published rack rates - not necessarily the price that you actually pay, which could be discounted. Smoking is not allowed in Delhi hotels.

Budget

Delhi has plenty of budget accommodation options, priced from ₹400-2,500. Many of them are located in the city centre (Central Delhi and New Delhi), while others are further south, in the affluent southern areas or towards the airport.

Mid-range

Delhi's chronic lack of quality hotels has led to a mushrooming of guest houses of widely varying quality and price. The new official 'Delhi Bed and Breakfast scheme' has also contributed a range of private rooms available for bed & breakfast accommodation. These rooms range from cheap dumps to classy rooms in the best areas of Delhi.

Splurge

Most of Delhi's expensive hotels are in New Delhi, roughly along the axis between Connaught Square and the airport. A few are located in areas further south and west. Prices in this category are generally over ₹8000.

Stay safe

Delhi at night

Many first-time travellers to India find themselves falling victim to scams and touts, and unfortunately Delhi has a lot of both. Be on guard for anybody trying to help you by giving you unsolicited directions or travel advice. Do not blindly rely on the advice of taxi and auto drivers. If this is your first time to India, do not openly admit it, as this will make you more vulnerable to touts.

Delhi is among the three unsafest cities for women in India. It is considered as the 'rape capital of the world'. It is not uncommon in some areas to receive lewd remarks or even physical touching. If you are arriving into Delhi at night, stay in either the airport lounge or well lit areas until daybreak if this is your first trip to Delhi and if you haven't booked a hotel. Try to avoid walking around alone in lanes without many people after sunset and be cautious when hiring cabs at night. Dress conservatively (preferably in Indian clothing so as to blend in). Learn to shout and consider carrying mace/pepper spray.

Carry your cash, passport, and cards in a secure money belt, with only enough cash for a few hours at a time in your wallet or other accessible place. Some recommend carrying an expendable wallet with a few ten rupee notes in it in an obvious place such as your hip pocket as a decoy to Delhi's ubiquitous pickpockets.

Several tourist agencies have been known to swindle tourists, such as by changing their travel plans or charging them extra commissions and fees. The best way to secure train tickets is by navigating through Indian Railways' website. If you have problems booking online - the Indian Railways site is unreliable - you can buy tickets in person. The best place to do so is at the Tourist Information Centre, these are located within transit hubs. Be very careful, there are many scammers surrounding the train station looking for anyone on foot and out-of-place who will "help" you find a "ticket office for foreigners," usually located in a nondescript building some blocks from the train station, where you will be overcharged and cajoled into signing up for cars, tours, etc. When in doubt, look at reviews for the information centre you are at (for example, on Google Maps). Some scammers will stand at the entrance to the train station and physically try to block you from entering, demanding to see your tickets (never mind that you need to enter the station to buy tickets!). Remember - you should be able to enter any train station just by going through a metal detector. Nobody will check your tickets before you get on a train (As a measure to control crowding at stations, many train stations may require you to purchase a platform ticket (usually costs ₹10-20) if you are just visiting and do not have a railway ticket with you.

You should also book your flight tickets online, as all the airlines have online booking systems. Otherwise, prepare to spend a good hour sorting through the charges that the tourist agency will charge.

If arriving late at night at the airport or train station, be very wary of taxi drivers trying to scam tired and unprepared tourists. A common scam is to drive you an area of town where there are roadworks or a roadblock, and tell you that the path to your hotel is blocked off and it's not possible to take you there. They'll then suggest to take you to another hotel, where they receive a commission for bringing customers. They may take you to a number of hotels first which all say they are full up, so as to increase your desperation, and hence openness to paying more. There have been reports also, of bringing tourists to a "travel agent", who will feign ringing your booked hotel to confirm that either the way is blocked, or they are overbooked and there is no room available. If you've let on that you were only staying in Delhi for the night, they may also try to convince you, that there are no hotel rooms available anywhere, and sell you an extremely overpriced private car ride to your next destination. This can be a very confusing and tiring process if you've just come off a long flight, short on sleep.

If you're arriving after midnight, it is therefore highly advisable to have accommodation pre-booked and arrange pick-up from the airport or station with your hotel, or at least have the phone number with you, so that should you get lost or caught in a sticky situation you have someone reliable to call up.

Practically everyone who handles your cash in Delhi will shortchange you, including the clerks at the police taxi kiosk at the airport and ticket sellers at historic sites and museums. It will be your word against theirs, so the only protection is to just not need change. Learn the money ASAP. Count out the smallest sum you can produce that is at least the price you need to pay. If they claim you didn't pay what you actually paid, write the cash off, walk away, and go somewhere else.

Delhi Police

The Delhi Police is a 70,000-strong force serving the capital region. While some of the police officers are honest and helpful, others may be corrupt and unhelpful.

For police assistance during an emergency dial 100.

Police vehicles (called PCR vans) are parked on almost every major intersection.

For non-emergencies, or to report a crime, visit the nearest police station.

Stay healthy

Template:Wy/af/Cautionbox Summer begins in early April and continues till the end of June, with the heat peaking in May. By the latter part of April or during early May. The temperatures regularly exceed 40 °C (104 °F), meaning that proper hydration is of the utmost importance. Keep yourself covered in summers to avoid a heat stroke. Drink a lot of water — around 3 litres a day — particularly in the summer.

Winter arrives in Delhi by late November or early December and continues till mid-February. In winter there can be seasonal fog; on particularly foggy days, it can be difficult to see across the street. If you are flying in or out Delhi during the winters, be aware of fog-related flight delays.

Drink only packaged bottled water to avoid water-related illness. Sticking to freshly- and well-cooked food will lessen your chances on acquiring the "Delhi belly".

Delhi is one of the most polluted cities in the world, with pollution levels often in the "severe" or "hazardous" range. Keep an eye on air quality data and consider wearing a surgical mask or other approved N95/N99 mask, especially if spending an extended time in Delhi or North India.

Connect

Cell phone coverage in the city is excellent. There are three major service providers offering a wide variety of plans. Among them are Airtel, Vodafone and Jio. It might be a good idea to buy a cell phone and use one of those prepaid plans to get yourself connected while you are in the city.

Phone numbers in Delhi begin with 011, typically followed by eight digits. To call Delhi from outside India you will need to dial the international prefix for your country, followed by India's country code 91. If you want to dial a landline no. from a mobile, then you have to add 011 before the number.

Delhi emergency numbers

Here are the Delhi emergency contact numbers

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Cope

Power outages and water shortages are common in Delhi, often occurring multiple times a day with summers being particularly bad. Better accommodation have water tanks and generators to alleviate the inconvenience, but keep a flashlight handy at night and do your part by not wasting too much water.

• Laundry service is offered in most hotels, even in budget accommodation. If you would rather save the money and do it yourself, buckets are found in almost all bathrooms - but perhaps wash it out well first.
• Exercising outdoors is not recommended due to the level of pollution and swimming in rivers is also not recommended. Instead, look for a hotel with a gym or a pool since many offer day passes. You can always try a morning or evening walk in the parks.

Embassies & High Commissions

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Go next

Delhi is a major international transit hub for trains, planes and buses as well as a great connection point for domestic destinations within India. It's also a great base for exploration of the famous Hill Stations.

• Agra and the Taj Mahal are a 3-6 hr drive or 2-5 hr train ride each way. By road, the Taj Mahal can be reached in 3 hrs through Yamuna Expressway from Delhi. Book tickets in the train cars with seats far in advance, and look for the seats put aside especially for tourists. You can also rent a car and driver for the day and shouldn't pay more than ₹5,000 roundtrip (if not less). The Taj Mahal is closed on Friday.
• Bandhavgarh National Park and the Bandhavgarh Fort are the tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh. This is a tiger preservation project and has the highest density of tigers in India.
• Char Dham - Delhi is the starting point of the famous pilgrimage centres Badrinath (the abode of Vishnu), Kedarnath (the abode of Shiva), Gangothri and Yamunothri (the origin of sacred rivers Ganges and Yamuna respectively).
• Corbett National Park, the first national park of the country, is around 5 hours' drive from Delhi
• Dharamsala, the seat of the Dalai Lama's government in exile, is 10-12 hr to the north. Tickets can be purchased from Main Bazaar Tourist offices, Majnu ka Tilla Tibetan Settlement or the I.S.B.T.
• Gurgaon (Gurugram) a southern suburb of Delhi, is a 1 hr drive or a metro ride away.
• Jaipur and Rajasthan are reachable by plane or overnight train.
• The holy cities of Haridwar and Rishikesh, in the foothills of the Himalayas, are a 5-6 hr bus or train ride away.
• Lahore, in neighbouring Pakistan, also houses Mughal-era architecture and is connected through the Delhi–Lahore Bus or the Samjhauta Express.
• Kathmandu, in neighbouring Nepal, is a roughly 36+ hr by coach, or longer (but more comfortably) on a combination of train and coach.
• Ride the Maharajas' Express, a luxury train running between Delhi and Mumbai.
• Mussoorie - one of the original British hill stations in India; also known as The Queen of the Hills.
• Nainital - another beautiful hill station in the Kumaon hills with the magnificent Naini Lake.
• Shimla - the summer capital of British India, now the state capital of Himachal Pradesh. It has many scenic and historic locations and is about an 8 hr drive or 10 hr in a bus. A direct flight from Delhi takes just 1 hr to reach Shimla.