Is it an uncommon request to these agencies to leave early AM to arrive in Agra by sunrise? I've asked a couple of companies and they've both said that I need to leave the night before to be there that early. They're proposing to leave at 7am. For that, I might as well take the train. I'm trying to avoid the rush of tourists and the heat.

I'd like to leave 1-2 am, get to Agra, see the Taj (and maybe a couple of other sites) then come back to Delhi. Realistically, I don't see myself being in Agra more than 3 hours or so. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.

hi, we just returned from India this week ...... not sure yet whether I envy all of you going soon or glad not to be doing it again

anyways, we travelled through Rajasthan for over a week with an outstanding driver. His car is in good condition, he's a very safe driver (probably because he owns the car !), and is a very nice man. We really enjoyed his company during the many long drives.

He's very flexible and can probably meet your time schedule. Pls pm me for his contact info (goes for anyone else interested as well).

I am doing a 50 hour trip in March with my sister for the main purpose of seeing the Taj Mahal. My flight will have us arriving in DEL at 3 am and departing 5 am 2 days later. My days are flexible as I have not booked yet. My understanding is that it�s closed on Mondays so we will probably go on Friday. That would mean arriving in DEL Friday 3AM and having a car meet us after customs to take us straight there which I understand other of you have done. We would visit it at different hours and perhaps go see the fort. We would than stay overnight (I'm thinking of the Mughal Agra to take advantage of my Platinum status) and return to New Delhi the next morning. Will stay at a hotel and see the city during the 18 hours we would have left but that�s for another post. Anyways I have the following questions:

1. What kind of cars can I expect? I do not mind paying more for a larger sedan that will allow me to snooze along the way, is this realistic without me sounding like a gas guzzling American?

2. If I do not need the tour guide during my 24 hours in Agra is it worth it to keep the same driver there or arrange for someone else to bring me back?

3. How is the train option back? I have not been able to find many experiences in the forum? Is there a 1st class? And does it allow you to see more of the country side than driving on the highway?

Thanks for any responses

1. Most cars used in India are pretty small, but upmarket rental agencies have decent selections. You can pretty much forget about sleeping though, as Indian highways are chaotic and noisy beyond belief -- you'll be swerving all over the road to avoid cows, getting blasted by trucks with amped-up klaxons, crashing into giant potholes, etc etc. In fact, I wouldn't recommend travel by night at all.

2. Keeping your driver in Agra for 24 hours is almost certainly worth it. You'll need local transportation anyway, and with your own driver you can avoid the usual souvenir shop detours you'd get from hailing random rickshaws.

3. Yes, there is a 1st class, although it's a pretty far cry from first class anywhere else (except maybe Pakistan). See Seat 61 for a primer. It's infinitely safer than driving, but trains are often delayed hours or even days. The scenery is much nicer than from the highway (well, except for the people pooping next to the tracks), but pretty repetitive -- the stretch between Delhi and Agra is flat, flat, flat.

The Mughal Agra is nice: getting a little long in the tooth in the public areas, but the rooms are pretty good.

Thanks for the feedback. It looks like the New Dehli to Agra train leaves at 6:00 am, I guess it is a good option if we can there in time. I arrive at 3 am which leaves 3 hours to get though customs (we will only have carryons so no waiting for luggage, get to the train station, and buy tickets. If I could pull this off I would probably get there in the same time as driving. Will check out the online booking although I have seen some frustrated posters here in getting it to work right with a US credit card.

So noted about the Mughal, for the amount of time we are there will just be used for a bathroom and place to sleep. If they do not have a shuttle I do not mind the 2.5 mile walk, and there is always the auto rickshaw.

Hi ghia - provided you know how it works, booking on-line for indian railways is very very easy! I would highly recommend booking.

The indiamike website has detailed train booking information as a sticky which can be found here:

http://www.indiamike.com/india/india...s-guide-t4305/

(with many thanks to indiamike and its contributors who make an excellent site!)

Regards

lme ff

Yes, that's fairly realistic -- however, you must buy your tickets beforehand! The popular trains are sold out weeks in advance and trying to buy tickets at a major station like Delhi is a nightmare anyway. You can do it online, and while it's somewhat bewildering and extremely bureaucratic, it more or less works in the end. (A good primer for India.)

Nobody walks anywhere in India unless they have to. Here's a hint at why, regrettably without Smell-O-Vision though:

http://jpatokal.iki.fi/photo/travel/...JamaMasjid.JPG

(That's Old Delhi, BTW, not Agra. But Agra is worse because the shopkeepers are positively rabid.)

Wow! Looking forward to my upcoming trip...not so much the touts, though