Tips for Agra mini-bus and coach tourism

Useful tips for Agra bus groups with ‘what to see’ and ‘what to do’ items and  ‘bus- friendly’ or must see tourist sites in Agra. Check our list of attractions before planning your bus tour with a stop or departure in Agra. Let us know if your favourite attraction or ‘bus-stop’ is not there and you think we should add it to our list of Agra highlights.

Taxis and Cabs in Agra: comparison and prices

Chaotic and unexplainable, Agra"s streets have a traffic system that sometimes defies logic. As an old capital the roads are often narrow, but that doesn"t stop multilane traffic clambering to accelerate towards their destination. Horns are pressed when passing any other vehicle, and the mix of cows, pilgrims, and monkeys, adds to the confusion. Fortunately you don"t have to drive. There are plenty of taxis and tuctuc around.

Image of Madan Mohan Dev at Swaminarayan Temple Dholera.

Image of Madan Mohan Dev at Swaminarayan Temple Dholera. credit: Wheredevelsdare CC BY-SA 3.0

Private taxis / minicabs:

Private taxis in Agra range massively in quality. Some are ancient cars that look unlikely to make it to the end of the day. Others are modern and air-conditioned, an essential extra throughout the summer. Prices are usually negotiated and the constant bargaining can become tiresome after a while. In general people hire taxis for half or full days in Agra. Agra is relatively small so for short single journeys most people will use a tuctuc as they"re quicker at negotiating the streets, there are three different ways of getting a taxi in Agra and you should expect prices of €20 and up to €50 for full day hire. For easy comparisons and no hassle bargaining use our form with the ‘tours/transfers here’ option to mark a time frame for your taxi rental.

Pre-booking a taxi:

Tour operators and taxi companies in Agra specialise in taxis for tourists. On our website you can compare prices and service from local companies like Taxi Hire Agra at Sanjay Palace, Auto Travels in Namner, and Agra Mandal Jeep Taxi Association on Mahatma Gandhi Road. Pre booking allows you to specify the quality of vehicle and avoid the local scams like taxi drivers taking you a gem or carpet shop.

This is also the only option if you"re looking for a luxury taxi, like a Mercedes. Agra is one of the few places in India that caters for high end tourism so you can find the comforts you would expect in Western Europe. Start comparing private taxi options and reserving you private taxi via our quote form.

Horses outside Taj Mahal

Horses outside Taj Mahal credit: flowcomm CC BY 2.0

Using a prepaid taxi stand:

When booking a taxi for a full day you can use the government authorised pre paid taxi stand. This removes the need for negotiating a price. You pay and you take the receipt to the driver, the downside being that you can"t check the quality of the car or driver before paying. Some people pay their money and discover that their taxi looks like it"s just been rescued from the scrap heap.

These taxi drivers must pay a large percentage to the taxi stand so earn the lowest of all drivers. For this reason they"ll try and take you to souvenir shops, particularly those selling high value goods like gems. If you buy they earn a hefty commission, and they also get money if you stay in the shop for 10 minutes. While it"s easy not to get tempted by the fake goods, these annoying breaks can be very frustrating when you"re on a tight schedule.

Luxury car Sri Panchvati Travels & Tours

Luxury car from Sri Panchvati Travels & Tours

Flagging a taxi:

Like any country you can also flag a taxi. Sharpen your bargaining skills as the negotiations will be fierce, but at least you can check out the comfort you"ll be travelling in. Some taxis will offer lower rates if you agree to visit the souvenir shops, while others will offer to double as a guide. The most important thing is to ensure they have a taxi license, a badge that should be showing in the front of the car.

Tuctucs / Auto Rickshaws:

Where are we going

Where are we going? credit: Curtis Palmer CC BY 2.0
Auto Rickshaws in Agra

No trip to India is complete without travelling in a tuctuc, what other way is there to arrive at the gates of the Taj Mahal, than in a spluttering three wheeled vehicle whose roof is hanging off. By squeezing down pedestrianised alleys and finding the gaps between traffic the tuctuc is usually the quickest and cheapest way to make a short journey. For longer journeys they"re painfully slow, and you"ll be wondering if the timid motor was stolen from a lawnmower.

Go local and fit 10 people inside the back, plus a cow on the roof. And then go local by negotiating the price. Tuctucs are cheap but tourists will generally pay double, - still less than €2 for 5km journey.

Bats at Agra Fort

Bats at Agra Fort credit: rachaelvoorhees CC BY-SA 2.0

Where not to find taxis and cabs in Agra:

In Agra you"ll find taxis and tuctucs everywhere. They"re the most common vehicle and it"s impossible to go more than a few seconds without finding one. Except...the only place you won"t find a taxi is outside the Taj Mahal. Motorised vehicles are banned from going near the entrance so you"ll have to walk the final half kilometre.

Ajay Travels Pvt Ltd 9-seater

Luxury mini bus 9-seater with driver from Ajay Travels Pvt Ltd

Enjoy taxi tours and other private chauffeured rides in Agra

Cab services are one way to get around Agra. If you are looking for other ways to travel around Agra, take a look at car rentals with driver in Agra or mini bus hire in Agra options. For more information and tips about India, visit the travel services page. Get ideas for trips in and around Agra on the transport in Uttar Pradesh page.

Requesting quotes is free! Start comparing cab services in Agra today by using our form.

More about Agra

Would you like to organize a bus tour to see all these beautiful highlights? Request quotes and compare the different bus and coach hire companies:

Bus tours in Agra