Airport Guide to Indira Gandhi International (DEL)

Airport Overview

Terminal Transfer | Getting into Town | Car Parking | Information Desks | Airport Facilities

Indira Gandhi International Airport is just 10 miles (16km) outside of New Delhi. The airport opened the dazzling new Terminal 3, which handles all international flights, in 2010, but there are also a number of other terminals still in use at the airport. Passengers who used the airport prior to the opening of Terminal 3 might remember a dank and dirty affair with little to offer travellers, but all this changed when the airport was privatised and revamped.

New Delhi’s airport is well connected to cities across the world and serviced by a large number of international and national carriers. There are also quite a few low-cost carriers in residence and it’s a hub for ten Indian carriers including Jet Airways, Kingfisher and Air India.

Indira Gandhi International Airport is a natural gateway to northern India. As one of the largest and busiest airports on the Indian subcontinent, it’s a great introduction to a country full of delights, adventures and surprises.

Airport staff are friendly and always willing to assist passengers or dispense the best bargain-hunting advice for the markets of New Delhi. It has loads of facilities and shopping opportunities, and its clean interior offers an ordered, calm introduction or conclusion to a trip to New Delhi. However, if you do have to spend a lot of time at the airport, make sure you spend it in the modern Terminal 3.

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Terminal Transfer

Terminal transfer shuttles connect Terminal 3 and Terminal 1. The shuttles are free and run every 20 minutes. Some domestic airlines (Air India, Indian Airlines, Jet Airways and Kingfisher) operate from the International Terminal so it’s best to check with your airline before transferring terminals.

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Getting into Town

Train: The airport express Delhi Metro line connects the airport to central New Delhi. It operates from Terminal 3 between 5am and 11pm. Trains run at 20-minute intervals. The INR 80 (£1) tickets can be bought from the automatic ticket machines or at a manned counter.

Taxis: New Delhi’s airport is well known for scams related to taxis and taxi fares. Passengers are advised to take a prepaid official airport taxi rather than trying to negotiate a fare with unofficial taxis outside the airport. The official airport taxi companies are Easy Cabs, Mega Cabs and Meru Cabs. Taxis fares into New Delhi vary, depending on which part of the city you’re heading to, but fares are all calculated at a rate of INR 20 per kilometre (just £0.26) during normal hours and INR 25 (£0.33) per kilometre between 11pm and 5am.

Bus: Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses run every 30 minutes between the airport and central Delhi’s Interstate Bus Terminal and Connaught Place. The buses can be found at the “staging area” near Terminal 3 and opposite the Centaur Hotel. The free DIAL shuttle runs between the staging area and the terminal every 15 minutes, 24 hours per day. Bus fares from the airport cost between INR 25 and INR 100 (£0.33-£1.33), depending on your destination. Concessions are available for parents buying tickets for their kids.

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Car Parking

Parking garages are just 100m (300 feet) from Terminal 1, and there is a multi-storey garage attached to the International Terminal. The parking at Indira Gandhi International Airport is divided into general parking and premium parking. Parking rates start at INR 50 (£0.66) for the first 30 minutes and go up to INR 600 (£8) per day for general parking. Premium parking is INR 70 (£0.93) for the first half hour and INR 900 (£12) per day.

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Information Desks

The main information desk is just outside the duty-free shop in Terminal 3’s international departures hall, and there’s another next to Costa Coffee in the main hall. There are information desks both before and after security in Terminal 1.

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Airport Facilities

Money and communications: Several international and domestic banks have ATMs at the airport. Travel insurance services and currency exchange facilities are also available, as are public telephones and a post office.

Luggage: The lost and found office is located in the domestic terminal (Terminal 1) and opens from 9.30am until 6pm from Monday to Friday and until 1.30pm on Saturdays. Baggage wrapping and left luggage facilities are available. Prices for storing luggage depend upon the size of the bag or suitcase and start at INR 60 (£0.80) for a small item (up to 7kg) for two hours and up to INR 120 (£1.60) for larger items (over 20kg). Daily rates range from INR 150 to INR 450 (£2-£6).

Conference and business: Business facilities are best in Terminal 3’s airline lounges. The airport has a number of work booths with power points for laptops and mobile phones. Airline lounges have business facilities including printing, faxing and work stations. For conferences there are a number of hotels located at or in the vicinity of the airport, including Centaur Hotel and the Radisson Hotel.

Other facilities: The airport offers parents complimentary strollers, a kids’ play area and baby changing rooms. There are also foot massages available, a smoking area, shower facilities, prayer room, drinking water fountains, medical facilities and a pharmacy. There are also sleeping pods available at an hourly fee.

Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi is available throughout all areas of the airport. It is provided by Aircel and is free for the first 20 minutes. However, passengers need a mobile phone in order to register for this service.

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