Travel Guide > Asia > India > Agra > Taj Mahal
India's most famous attraction, the Taj Mahal, is a mausoleum in Agra that was constructed under Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal who died after giving birth to their son. The Taj Mahal (or simply "Taj") is considered to be the world's finest example of Mughal architecture and was recently voted as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Be sure to see this amazing site both in the morning and the evening.
The Taj Mahal grounds are open every day from 6am to 7pm, except on Fridays when it's closed for prayer. It is also open for night viewing when there's a full moon and the two days before and after (unless one of those days falls on a Friday or Ramadan)
There is an entry cost of Rs 750 for foreigners. You can get a much lower Rs 20 entrance fee if you are Indian, have a People of Indian Origin (PIO) card or are a national from the regional South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation. [1]
If you want to get a guide, that will cost extra.
Agra is a major railway station and trains are available from Agra to almost all the major cities of India. Fast trains (including the luxurious Shatabdi Express) are available between Delhi and Agra and the distance can be covered in around 3 hours. Agra has two major stations, namely Agra Cantt and Agra Fort, visitors should check the departure station printed on the ticket to avoid any confusion.
Taxis are easily available from Delhi/Jaipur and the quality of road on Agra-Delhi section is excellent. However, the distances are further than people expect so allow about four hours for the journey by car from Delhi.
State transport buses and also private buses regularly ply between Agra and the nearby cities.
| Property | Address | Type | Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Col. Lamba Indian Home Stay | 58, Gulmohar Enclave Shamashabad Road,Agra - 282 001 | Hostel | 85 |
| Gardenvilla Homestay | 11, Kaveri Vihar Phase-III Near John Milton School, | Guesthouse | 70 |
| Grand Hotel - Agra | 137 Station Rd, Agra Cantt | Hotel | 70 |
| Hotel Ajay International | near agra fort railway station/jama masjid daresi no1 | Hostel | 61 |
| Hotel Bhoomi Residency | 1, amarlok Taj link road, Taj Ganj, Agra (India) next to shilp gram | Hotel | 33 |
| Hotel Kamal | South Gate of Taj Mahal Tajganj | Hotel | 70 |
| Hotel Mandakini Villas | Purani Mandi, Taj Ganj Next to Western Gate of Taj Mahal | Hotel | 57 |
| Hotel Sidhartha | Western Gate Taj-Mahal | Hotel | 84 |
| Hotel Taj Plaza | Taj Mahal East Gate, Near Hotel Oberoi Amar Vilas, Shilpgram 'VIP' Road. | Hotel | 75 |
| Hotel The Oasis | 44 Bansal Nagar Fatehabad Road | Hotel | 52 |
| Rose Home Stay | 21 Old Idgah Colony Near Idgah Bus Stand | Hotel | 83 |
| Taj Home Stay | 26/3 Old Idgha Colony, Near Idgha Bus stand | Hotel | 77 |
This is version 15. Last edited at 20:21 on Nov 1, 09 by Utrecht (0). 6 articles link to this page.

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