When & How
Delhi
When Delhi is hot, it’s very hot, and when it’s cold it’s cold. With temperatures rising to 45C in May and falling as low as 5C in Jan, coinciding with freezing smog that makes visibility drop close to 0 some days, the city can be a harsh place. It does have two small grace periods though – usually mid-November and early March – where beautiful blue and pleasant sunshine sit above the skyline. However, since it’s a modern city with A/C in hotels, shops and restaurants, you can still happily visit any time of year. Even so, for tourists, especially those from abroad, the best months are October to March.
In Delhi, Diwali is king and Holi comes a close second. Christmas is also celebrated with increasing intensity, albeit as a commercial holiday instead of a Christian one; it’s a city that loves to flaunt its wealth after all.
How to get there
Delhi is a major transport hub. Indira Gandhi International Airport has domestic and international flights landing and taking off around the clock. New Delhi, Old Delhi and Nizamuddin railway stations see thousands of people pass through each day, as does the ISBT in Kashmiri Gate. Delhi also has the first and still the best metro system in India, connecting parts of the city previously only accessible by laborious travel through traffic above ground, changing the lives of millions of commuters.
By air: Indira Gandhi International Airport with metro, taxi or bus to the city
By rail: New Delhi, Old Delhi or Nizamuddin stations.
By bus: ISBT or various points across the city depending on the private company one uses.
Getting around
Above ground, autos usually refuse to use the meter and if they think you don’t know the city will massively overcharge you. Regular taxis are less of a problem, but bargaining has to be done in advance in both cases. The newer radio taxis with fixed rates and meters are the best bet by far. Meru Cab and Easy Cab are the ones to call, and with air-conditioning they provide a welcome respite from the heat and smog.
Below ground, the metro has changed everything. A large number of stations connect all parts of the city, with travel more efficient at peak hours than anything above ground, and prices very affordable.