How to Travel to Agra by Train

When it comes to train travel in Agra, the first question that springs to mind is: is it safe and comfortable? Air travel is always the most comfortable option for tourists, but traveling by train has unique advantages. Trains in India are economical, fast, and direct. India has the world’s fourth-largest train network with the capacity to run more than 20,000 passenger trains running daily. Check out this guide to plan your journey to Agra by train.

Things you should know

When in India, especially when traveling to Agra by train, any time of the year is good. Remember that the same can’t be said if you’re traveling from Mumbai or any nearby city because, during the rainy season (July to October), trains often get delayed. The only problem you may face in winter is the fog. So, make sure to plan your journey accordingly.

Agra has three railway stations - Agra City (AGA), Agra Cantt (AGC), and Agra Fort (AF). These stations fall in Indian Railways’ North Central division. The distance of these railway stations from the Taj Mahal is 6 kilometers, 5 kilometers, and 4 kilometers respectively. And what you see in those brackets above are the station codes. Note them down as you will need station codes while booking your train tickets. It will also help you to make sure that you are booking a ticket for the right destination as India is a huge country with many station names that sound similar.

Train Reservation Chart

Train Routes

A large number of tourists, especially foreigners, who reach Agra by train, come via Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai or South India (Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad). With a bit of route-planning, you can easily finalize your travel itinerary.

1. Delhi to Agra Trains

There are more than 70 Delhi to Agra trains running between Agra Cantt and Delhi. Don’t get confused just because Delhi has around 24 railway stations, you can easily get a train for Agra Cantt from these railways stations - New Delhi (NDLS), Delhi (DLI), and Hazrat Nizamuddin (NZM).

Timings: From 2 AM to 11:55 PM, more than 70 trains depart from Delhi for Agra Cantt. The fastest train between these stations is the Gatimaan Express (India’s first semi high-speed train) that takes 1 hour and 40 minutes to reach Agra. This is perfect if you want to start your journey in the morning as it departs at 8:10 AM from Delhi.

There are many other that take more than 2 hours and even four hours to reach Agra Cantt Railway Station. Remember that Delhi to Agra train schedules can change. The good thing is there’s no shortage of trains between Delhi and Agra.

Read more about How to Get from Delhi to Agra

2. Jaipur to Agra Trains

There are more than 10 trains that run between Jaipur and Agra. However, some go only to Agra Cantt while some go to Agra Fort station. As mentioned earlier, both the stations are well connected to the center of the city so arriving at any of them would not be a problem. But if you have already booked your hotel room, make sure to check which station is near to your hotel.

Timings: An average train journey from Jaipur (JP) to Agra takes about 4 hours. There’s only one main railway station in Jaipur which is also known as Jaipur Junction. Others are substations and you may not find direct trains from there. It should be noted that trains for Agra are available from 2 AM to 9:30 PM, but not all the trains are available daily. Some run only on particular days of the week.

Delhi to Agra Train

Jaipur to Agra Train

3. Lucknow to Agra Trains

There are around 10 trains that run between Lucknow and Agra. You can plan your journey from Lucknow Charbagh Railway Station (LKO) to Agra Cantt (AGC) or Agra Fort (AF) station. The average travel time for Lucknow to Agra is 7 hours. However, some trains take longer than usual, so make sure that you book your tickets for the right train. And if you don’t know which is right for you, don’t worry, we have discussed that point later in this post.

Timings: From 12 AM to 11:50 PM, you will find many trains from Lucknow. Most trains depart from Lucknow in the evening and there are fewer available during the day. As mentioned above, some trains are not available daily, so make your booking accordingly.

4. Other direct trains to Agra

Despite being situated at the heart of the city, the Agra City Railway Station is the least crowded place as most trains don’t stop here. Agra Cantt and Agra Fort Stations are the two major stations which are well connected with other major cities of North, Central, and South India. You can find direct trains to Agra from almost all the major cities in India. However, due to distance, you may have to rely on connecting trains. In India, break journeys by trains should be avoided, especially if you are a first-time traveler.

Fare and Booking Information

If you already have a route plan in mind and your journey dates are fixed, you can book your train tickets in advance. Here’s how to do it:

Indian Railways fare classes: Train journeys in India are full of new experiences. You can meet people, try new food, and so much more you can do. The best thing is, trains are economical. There are a total of 12 fare classes in Indian Railways, however, the major classes you will find on these routes are (from high fare to low fare) AC first class, AC two-tier, AC three-tier, chair car, sleeper class, unreserved/general class.

Classification of berths/seats: You may find shortcodes like (LB, UB, SB or MB) printed on your train ticket. These two letters show which berth is allocated to you. The berths are classified as lower, upper, middle, side lower and side upper. Trains/coaches with seats do not have berths.

Train types: You may often see trains listed as Superfast Express (SF), Express, Mail, and Passenger. These are the major types of trains in India arranged in speed order, fast to slow. Remember that the Superfast Express trains are not the fastest.

Delhi to Agra Train Fare: As you now know that the fare depends on fare classes and the type of train you are taking, the lowest average train ticket price from Delhi to Agra will be around INR 300 to INR 1000.

Jaipur to Agra Train Fare: If you’re on a very tight budget or want to know the lowest price for a train ticket to Agra from Jaipur, it will be INR 200 (approx. US$3).

Lucknow to Agra Train Fare: If you want to travel from Lucknow to Agra by train, you can book a berth in sleeper class (without air-conditioning) for just INR 200 which is close to US$3.

How to book train tickets in India

There are two ways you can book a train ticket in India: online and at any railway station in India. Bookings can be made 90 days before your journey, which means you can pre-book train tickets even if you’re not in India. The best thing about pre-booking is that you won’t have to pay any extra charges and you will easily get a confirmed ticket.

There’s a ‘Tatkal’ scheme for short notice journeys

In case if you are not able to book your train tickets in advance, there is one more way you can get them even if there’s a long waitlist. Indian Railways offers a service called “Tatkal Scheme.” You can book tickets at very short notice by using this scheme either at a railway station or online.

Booking for tickets under the Tatkal scheme for AC classes starts at 10 AM. For non-AC classes, the booking starts at 11 AM. The most important thing to remember is that Tatkal booking starts a day in advance of the date of your journey. Tickets booked under Tatkal scheme cost more than the regular tickets, but it is a good way to get tickets quickly.

How to stay safe when traveling by train in India

• Beware of agents who promise the “best" or "cheapest" fare.
• Always carry your original ID cards while traveling.
• Try to avoid general, non-air-conditioned coaches as much as you can as these coaches are mostly crowded.
• Carry a padlock and a chain to keep your luggage secure.
• Check if there are any holidays or festivals in India because trains are very crowded during such events.
• Don’t step out of the train at unknown stations, especially at night.
• Never accept anything from strangers, not even water or any eatables.
• Don’t let your kids go anywhere alone, not even to the restroom. Stay with them.
• Strictly avoid buying food from unauthorized vendors in trains and on platforms.
• Never keep your mobile phone or wallet at the window. Also, avoid using the phone while standing near the doors.
• Take your doctor’s advice and carry a basic medical kit.