Know Before You Go: Visiting the Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal’s location in the Uttar Pradesh city of Agra makes it easy to get to from both New Delhi and Jaipur. You can visit the Taj Mahal on a day trip by train or bus from either city, but the easiest way to see it is to take a tour that includes pickup from your hotel.

If you opt to take the train, you’ll need to either book a Taj Mahal tour that includes both train tickets and transfers from the railway station or book your own train tickets to Agra and then take an auto rickshaw or a taxi to the Taj itself.

The Taj Mahal is open every day of the week except Friday, from sunrise to sunset, and is best experienced between October and March when the region’s weather is at its coolest. Most people feel that the best time to visit the Taj Mahal is right when it opens because the early morning light casts a beautiful glow on the marble monument and its surrounding gardens. For visitors coming from Delhi, this means departing in the middle of the night; many day tours are timed to make sure that participants are among the first through the gates.

Insider tip: The Taj Mahal viewing platform is open at night on the night of the full moon and on the two nights before and after. (The mausoleum itself doesn’t open at night.) Tickets are limited to eight batches of 50 people per night and are available online and at the Shilpgram ticket office. You can also book a tour that allows you to see the Taj by day and then, again, by moonlight a few hours later.

While you can see the Taj Mahal’s grounds and mausoleum in about an hour (depending on how much time you want to spend taking pictures), it’s a good idea to give yourself significantly more time at the monument. Entry lines both to get into the monument and to enter the mausoleum can be long. And if you plan on taking a guided tour or listening to an audio tour, you’ll need time to take in all the information.

The cost of a visit to the Taj Mahal varies. There are three tiers of tickets: Indian nationals pay the lowest entry fees, citizens of SAARC and BIMSTEC member countries pay a discounted rate, and other foreign visitors pay the highest admission. You’ll also need to pay additional fees if you want to visit the interior of the mausoleum; these fees are the same for all visitors, irrespective of nationality. Children under 15 can enter the main complex for free but must buy a ticket to enter the mausoleum.

Regular Taj Mahal tickets include access to the symmetrical gardens that surround the monument, but if you want to go inside the structure, you’ll need to buy a second ticket specifically for the mausoleum. You can purchase tickets at the eastern and western gates of the monument or pre-purchase them online; ticket offices open an hour before sunrise.

However, some tours of Agra, as well as some day tours from Delhi and multi-day Golden Triangle Tours, include tickets to the Taj Mahal and to other area attractions, such as Agra Fort, in their total cost. Therefore, it can be a better option to buy package tours and tickets if you want to see all the Taj Mahal has to offer.

Insider tip: While the Taj Mahal’s grounds are wheelchair-accessible, the interior of the mausoleum is not currently accessible.

While there’s no real dress code for visiting the Taj Mahal, you should wear comfortable shoes for standing in line and walking around the complex. It’s also a good idea to choose clothes that cover your upper legs and your shoulders as a way to show respect for local customs (and to protect yourself from the sun). If you visit in the winter, you might want a sweater—particularly if you arrive in time to see the sunrise, when the site can be chilly. You won’t need to take off your shoes to visit the mausoleum; monument staff provide disposable shoe covers.

You can enter the grounds of the Taj Mahal in a wheelchair, though you may need a little extra time to go through security screening and metal detectors. Ramps are available throughout much of the complex, and you can easily get all the way to the base of the marble monument in a wheelchair. However, there's no wheelchair-friendly access to the interior of the mausoleum. Visitors wishing to enter the interior will need to climb a small flight of stairs.

• What is the Taj Mahal? The Taj Mahal is a white marble mausoleum built in the 17th century. It’s among India’s best-known attractions and is an exceptional example of Mughal architecture.

• Who built the Taj Mahal and why? Mughal emperor Shah Jahan had the Taj Mahal built as a final resting place for his deceased wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The emperor’s remains were later also interred in the structure.

• When was the Taj Mahal built? The Taj Mahal was built between 1631 and 1648.

• What is the Taj Mahal made of? The Taj Mahal is primarily made of white marble, much of which is inlaid with semiprecious stones, while the other buildings in the complex and the surrounding walkways are built primarily of red sandstone.

• What is inside the Taj Mahal? The Taj Mahal’s mausoleum houses both Mumtaz Mahal’s tomb and the tomb of Shah Jahan; they are situated side-by-side at the center of the structure. A latticed screen separates the twin tombs from a public walkway, so while you can't walk right up to the tombs, you'll still be able to see the intricate pietra dura (stone inlay) designs that decorate them.