4-Day Delhi & Agra Itinerary for Couples – Perfect Budget Luxury Combo!

This itinerary is contributed by Santhiya Kandaraja

I travelled to Delhi and Agra for 4 days, and I’ve documented details about my trip along with my itinerary and costs to help travellers follow a similar experience of culture, heritage, street foods, and the best of what these 2 cities of Delhi and Agra have to offer.

taj mahal of agra with reflection in the fountain in front of it

This 4-day Delhi– Agra itinerary is suitable for families, couples, and groups alike. It tries to fit in as many beautiful things from both cities, with good comforts, but also keeping the budget tight.

The budget of my trip for 2 persons, including flights from Mysore, was INR 50,000.

Best Way to Reach Delhi & Agra

I took the Indigo flight from Mysore to Delhi and the Taj Express Train from Delhi to Agra.

Overall, Delhi has to be one of the most connected cities to reach in India. So you can take a choice of your mode of transport.

Bus Connectivity: There are frequent buses available from all major cities in the vicinity of Delhi. Both private and state buses are available.

Nearest Airports: The Indira Gandhi Airport of New Delhi has connectivity from all cities of India.

Railway: Frequent trains are available from all major cities of India to reach the railway stations of New Delhi.

Recommended Stays in Delhi & Agra

We stayed at the NS Hotel, Mahipalpur, New Delhi. It was just 15 minutes from the airport, and cost us INR 1500 per night without breakfast, but it is newly opened, so it was clean but the room was a little tiny and compact.

Here are a few more recommendations in Delhi for different budgets :

Budget Stays
(under ~2K)

Comfort Stays
(INR ~2K-6K)

Luxury Stays
(above ~7K)

Food I tried in Delhi & Agra

paratha street food delhi - by Santhiya Kandaraja

1. Haldirams, Connaught Place (rabdi, kachori, chole kulcha)

2. Tried lots of street food like lassi, aloo paratha, masala chai, shakarkandi ki chaat, delhi papad, dhai batata, star fruit chaat, chaas

4-Day Itinerary for Delhi & Agra

Day 1

Landed in Delhi via Indigo from Mysore.
Opposite the airport, we enjoyed an authentic street food breakfast at Village Mehram Nagar, Delhi Cantt Gate 1. We had Aloo Paratha, Bread Bajji, and Masala Chai.
We checked into the NS Hotel (15 minutes from the airport)
Started with Qutub Minar: Explored the breathtaking architecture | Ticket cost: ₹80 for 2 tickets. Paid a ₹2 cloakroom fee for the backpack, as food and phone tripods are not allowed inside.
We headed to Birla Mandir: Had a serene temple visit. Phones have to be deposited outside.
India Gate: Enjoyed a spectacular view of the monument lit up at night.
Lastly, went to Sarojini Nagar: Engaged in street shopping. We tried Shakarkandi Chaat (sweet potato), Delhi Papad and chaat items. Got some tops, a handbag, and accessories (priced ₹100-250 each). You could bargain here.
Shopping Tip: Beware of purchasing books, as I found that many pages in them were unprinted.
Travel throughout the day was easy using the Delhi Metro and Rapido autos.

Day 2

Headed to Humayun’s Tomb at 6:30 AM. Had the place fully to yourselves; it was beautiful. Spotted a peacock in the morning. | Purchased entry tickets online for ₹70 for 2 people.

Outside the Tomb, we enjoyed Kulhad Chai (clay pot) for ₹25 per chai. Ate Chole Kulche adjacent to the chai stall for ₹40 (all street food that we tried was amazing).
Visited India Gate again to see it in the morning. It was somewhat misty. Took photographs with the local photographers (got 7 photos for ₹100; you can bargain).
Hired an auto driver near India Gate for a tour of 5 places for ₹800. (Photo can be taken from the Road Only): Old Parliament House, New Parliament House, Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Then he took us to Jantar Mantar: Visited the historic observatory. | Purchased tickets online for ₹40 for 2 people. Tried Kachori and Lassi near this area.

Finally, to Ugrasen ki Baoli: Explored the ancient stepwell. | No entry fee.

📱 Travel Tip Delhi Metro Travel: No need to purchase a Metro Card; you can buy tickets conveniently through the Delhi Metro app.

Day 3

Headed to Agra via the Taj Express train. 6:55 AM from New Delhi Station. Approximately 2.5 hours to Agra Cantt Station. | ₹110 per person (booked via IRCTC app).
Had parathas at the railway station as they said there were no restaurants near the Taj Mahal, but there were restaurants.
Taj Mahal | entry ticket: ₹490 for 2 people, which included the entry to the main mausoleum.
- Hired a local photographer: 10 photos for ₹200, but suggest skipping this as the output was only “okies.” Hired another person for a silhouette video: ₹300 for 2 videos and 5 photos taken on our own phone from the side of the Taj (mehman khana red sandstone right of Taj Mahal).
Then, headed to Agra Fort.| Entry Ticket: ₹70 for 2 people (purchased online). Hired a guide for ₹500 (can be bargained). The guide took us around the fort, took photos, and provided a good explanation in about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Fully commuted within Agra by Rapido auto (found to be the cheapest option).
Returned to Delhi via Jhelum Express. 5:25 PM from Agra Cantt to New Delhi. A 4-hour journey. | ₹532 per person (higher cost due to other trains being fully booked).
Took the Metro back to the room from New Delhi railway station (which is within walking distance from NS Hotel).
Online Booking Tip: Use the official ASI site (https://asi.payumoney.com/select/1) to buy tickets online for monuments in Delhi and Agra to get a discount and avoid long lines.

Day 4

Had breakfast at Gokul Sweets and Restaurant near the NS Hotel. The Chole Bhature was amazing.
Visited the Lotus temple. Entry: Free of cost. We were only able to view it from outside due to ongoing renovation.
Then headed to Akshardham Temple: the grand temple complex. | Entry: Free of cost.
Note: Phones are not allowed inside; you can deposit them with baggage at the counter.
- Purchased a photograph with a print inside for ₹130.
Lunch: Ate at Haldiram’s next to Akshardham. Enjoyed Rabdi, Kachori, Pav Bhaji, and Chole Kulche.
Headed to the airport by cab. Note: Used a cab because autos are not allowed near the airport for drop-off/pick-up.

In Agra carry a water bottle, there are free water filling stations, and it was really humid. Book autos vis rapido or uber for fare pricing. Book tickets to monuments online for a discounted price.

Commute and Transfers for Delhi – Agra trip

We found the cheapest and most hassle-free transport method to use on this trip was a combination of Rapido Auto, Uber Autos, and the metro.

You also have other options like hiring a full-day taxi or renting self-drive 2-wheelers or 4-wheelers. However, considering the parking and traffic situations, I would advise against it unless you really don’t mind.