New Delhi - Post Report Question and Answers
Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
Locally. Lots of taxi, Tuk Tuk. Ride apps are common - Uber, Ola, BlueSmart. Buses are crowded and probably to be avoided. Metro is spectacular, but limited destinations. Intercity trains are fine as long as the higher speed ones with reserved seats, A/C, etc. Decent on-time stats for these. And still affordable, but not like new train in Europe. - Jun 2024
Uber and BluSmart are very affordable. Ubers will often cancel on you at the last minute though. - Apr 2024
Metro is great, but it doesn’t alway go where you want to go. Buses are crowded and not advisable Taxi, Tuk Tuk are both easy and affordable. Uber Ola and Blue Smart apps are great with single ride, hourly options. - Apr 2024
We pretty much exclusively used Uber during our time there. It's incredibly inexpensive, though reliability is a significant issue. - Jan 2022
Metro system is good but crowded. Taxis are safe, if official (for men). Tuk tuks are everywhere and safe for men. Women need to be careful if they are alone no matter what they use. Rape is disturbingly common and happens even to expats. - Sep 2020
Metro is ridiculously cheap and runs regularly - I've never had to wait more than 5 minutes for a train. As a woman, I always choose to ride in the women-only car. The bigger issue with using metro as a regular mode of transportation is that the system definitely has coverage gaps, so you may not be near enough to a metro stop for it to be useful for you. Most expats use Uber a lot. It is also ridiculously cheap (fewer than $3 for most of my rides). But it’s not always convenient or reliable. Sometimes you might wait up to 20 minutes for a car. Often the driver calls you and wants to know your pick-up and drop-off location. Cancelled rides happen quite often. Drivers often can’t read maps, and are completely lost getting around neighborhoods when gates close after 10pm or finding residences since many neighborhoods are maze-like with completely non-logical house numbering systems. Auto rickshaws (tuk-tuks) can be hailed on the streets. Taxi stands exist in near market areas. You’ll need to bargain HARD to avoid getting ripped off. Most taxis/Ubers don't have functioning seatbelts. I never felt in danger in cabs or metro, even as a woman at night. - Jul 2020
Yes. Uber is widely used and inexpensive. - Jul 2019
Local buses - available but not safe for many reason (filthy). The Metro system is great and it's growing. It's clean and on time. There is airport metro line as well. Cost of Metro per ride: $0.35.
Taxis are available everywhere and they are nor pricey. You always have to negotiate the price, including if you will demand AC in a car. In monsoon season they are often infested with mosquitoes, so wear a lot of bug spray. Tuk-Tuks are everywhere as well. - Oct 2017
Avoid buses. Metro is safe and cheap and has a separate female-only car. Metro does not go everywhere, though they are expanding (slowly).
Taxis are cheap, though you will argue about prices as most meters don't work. Few have seat belts. You call the nearest taxi stand to send a taxi rather than hailing one on the street. The airport has a prepaid taxi stand. Train stations have taxis.
Auto rickshaws (aka tuk-tuks) are very very cheap. No seat belts and not very safe, but can hail on the street. Cheap option for hauling home groceries from the local market.
We used our car and driver most of the time. As a female, I avoided public transportation and taxis after dark. - Mar 2017
Taxis (including Uber) are available and cheap - maybe not as safe for a woman alone at night. Tuk Tuks widely available and cheap, definitely used all the time, but like riding down the highway with no rules in a tin can! The lack of general road safety cannot be overstated ;-) - Feb 2017
Safety is a concern, but definitely affordable. Functionality and convenience for public transportation in Delhi is not great. I hear Uber works well. Train travel for around the country is a good option. - Nov 2016
Avoid buses. Trains are fun -- take first-class for overnight trips, or Executive-car class on the shorter Shatabdi "high speed" regional trains. Set up a Cleartrip or Make-my-trip app on your phone, and then you can book train tickets from home. I found this to be very convenient. Bring your own toilet paper on the trains, though --- also your sense of adventure --- and enjoy seeing the beautiful country side roll by. Normal taxis and rickshaws will try to rip you off unless you negotiate the price before you get in. Otherwise, take an App-based cab like OLA Cabs in Delhi and all around India. They are cheaper than a regular taxi, and they run the air conditioning for no extra charge. - Jun 2016
The Indian railway system is generally safe and affordable, but better for women to travel with a male companion. Take first class for a better experience. The current Ambassador travels by train--much to the adoration of the press and public. It's a great way to see the country. Taxis are safe and ubiquitous--bargain on the price beforehand, or use the meter. Again, safety for women is the main concern. - Sep 2014
Taxis and tuk-tuk (rigshaws) are affordable and safe. Haven't taken train or bus, but we have been advised against using public buses due to safety and cleanliness. I hear trains are an adventure and I look forward to using them. - Sep 2014
Not for girls or women. Taxis are pretty safe. There are preffered companies. - Aug 2013
Local trains, yes. You can travel around India fairly cheaply on Indian railways, provided you go first class (still affordable, make reservations early). Buses -- NO! They are not safe for women. Taxis are hit and miss. - May 2013
Yes and yes. - Oct 2012
Buses and trains around the city are not very good. Trains to outside cites are good, but book first class. If your teenager attends AES, they will be going on a minicourse known as WOW (Week withOut Walls) depending on their grade level.They'll be taking trains for this. - Sep 2012
Yes, and yes. - Aug 2011
I took taxis regularly, they are cheap, but drivers often try to overcharge and rarely seem to know where anything is actually located. occasionally i felt threatened by some taxi/rickshaw drivers, particularly if alone late at night (to be avoided whenever possible). never took a bus. wouldn't advise train travel for a female alone - you'll likely have a man sit 3 inches from your face, staring the entire time. - Aug 2011
Yes, but not safe for women. Radio taxis are okay, and first-class travel/women's compartments on the metro are kosher. - Aug 2011
There is rarely a problem getting a taxi, which is affordable. Stay away from the buses. They are crowded and pickpocket-friendly and dangerous. Trains are the best option for long-distance travel -- basic but inexpensive and safe. - Jan 2011
The bus service is Delhi is a death wish. The infamous blue line bus service kills at least one person/day. Trains are usually safe, but read the papers -- when there is an accident there is no rescue service and 100s die. Taxi service varies - like in any big city. Taxis can be relatively cheap, but the drivers will try to con you. Avoid taxis and auto rickshaws (tuk tuks) at night - lots of drunken-driving accidents. - Sep 2010
I don't know about buses. They seem filthy. I have a driver. I would not drive here. Delhi is like hell, there are not common-sense traffic rules. - Aug 2010
Crowded but safe. Delhi has a clean, efficient metro system. Women should travel in higher classes on the trains for safety. - Aug 2010
Trains are dirty, crowded, and full of pick-pockets. They are very dangerous -- even if you don't ride them. They are well known here for killing pedestrians. - Aug 2010
Trains are affordable and an experience everyone should have while living here. Buses, I don't know anyone that has been on one. They are very crowded and dangerous. They are well known here for killing pedestrians. Taxis are cheap and are everywhere. - Mar 2008
Trains are cheap from city to city, the Delhi Metro is apparently very clean and surprisingly uncrowded. Buses are dangerous, if not for what happens on board (theft, harassment) but for how drivers drive. Taxis are the way to go. Cheap and readily available. If you're daring, rickshaws and auto-rickshaws are good too, for short distances at least. - Feb 2008
