Same Day Agra Tour by Shatabdi Express
The only same-day train tour that adds Fatehpur Sikri — Akbar’s extraordinary abandoned capital. Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, and a UNESCO ghost city, all in one remarkable day from Delhi.
Your Day, Step by Step
Your private air-conditioned car collects you from your hotel, airport, or station in Delhi or NCR. You are transferred to New Delhi Railway Station for the Shatabdi Express. Please carry a valid photo ID — Passport, Driving Licence, or Aadhaar Card is required for all train passengers.
Departure from New Delhi Railway Station on the Shatabdi Express — India’s premier intercity express service, with fully air-conditioned chair car seating. Breakfast is served on board. The journey to Agra Cantt takes approximately two hours, arriving at 8:10 AM.
Your private guide meets you at Agra Cantt station. A private AC car is waiting — no shared transfers, no waiting around.
Skip-the-line entry to the Taj Mahal — the white marble mausoleum built by Shah Jahan between 1632 and 1653. Your guide narrates the full story: the 20,000 artisans, the 28 varieties of inlaid gemstone, the optical corrections in the minarets, the Quranic calligraphy whose lettering scales as it rises. Stand at the reflecting pool, walk the marble terraces, and enter the main chamber.
Emperor Akbar’s great red sandstone citadel — 94 acres built in 1565, expanded across three Mughal reigns. Your guide walks you through the Diwan-i-Am, Diwan-i-Khas, Khas Mahal, and the Musamman Burj — the octagonal tower where Shah Jahan spent his final years imprisoned, gazing at the Taj Mahal across the river.
A proper sit-down lunch at Bon Barbecue — Agra’s most recommended restaurant for tour guests, with a reliable menu of Mughlai cuisine in a clean, air-conditioned dining room. Lunch is fully included in your tour price.
Agra is renowned for marble inlay work, leather goods, and Petha — the city’s signature crystallised sweet made from ash gourd. Your guide can take you through the local markets if you’d like to browse. This is optional and entirely at your own pace.
40 km southwest of Agra, Fatehpur Sikri is one of the most remarkable and undervisited sites in North India. Emperor Akbar built it as his new imperial capital between 1571 and 1585 — a planned city of red sandstone palaces, audience halls, mosques, and residences housing the full Mughal court. It was abandoned within 15 years, possibly due to water scarcity, and has stood almost perfectly preserved ever since. Your guide walks you through the Buland Darwaza — the Gate of Magnificence, 54 metres high and still the world’s largest gateway — and the Tomb of Salim Chishti, the Sufi saint whose prayers Akbar credited for the birth of his son Jahangir.
Your driver takes you back to Agra for the evening Shatabdi Express return to Delhi.
Departure from Agra Cantt on the return Shatabdi Express. Dinner is served on board. Arriving New Delhi at approximately 11:30 PM, your driver collects you and drops you at your hotel or airport. Tour ends.
What’s Included
- ✓ Round-trip Shatabdi Express AC chair car tickets (Delhi–Agra–Delhi)
- ✓ Hotel pick-up and drop-off to/from New Delhi Railway Station
- ✓ Private AC car for all Agra & Fatehpur Sikri sightseeing
- ✓ Government-licensed English-speaking guide
- ✓ All entry fees — Taj Mahal, Agra Fort & Fatehpur Sikri fully covered
- ✓ Lunch at Bon Barbecue Restaurant
- ✓ Bottled mineral water throughout
- ✓ All applicable taxes
- ✗ Tips for guide & driver (appreciated, never required)
Tour Pricing
| Group Size | 1 Person | 2 People | 3 People | 4 People | 5 People | 6+ People |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price per Adult | $160 | $120 | $115 | $110 | $110 | $105 |
| Price per Child (5–14 yrs) | $75 | $50 | $30 | $25 | $20 | $20 |
Good to Know
Your Fleet in Agra
Private AC car throughout — Agra sightseeing, transfer to Fatehpur Sikri and back to the station. All vehicles sanitised before every trip.
What Travellers Say
“We chose the Shatabdi tour specifically because it included Fatehpur Sikri — and it was absolutely the right call. The abandoned city is extraordinary and most people never get there. Our guide was brilliant at both sites. A longer day than the Gatimaan tour but absolutely worth it for the extra monument.”
“The Shatabdi is a comfortable way to travel. Our guide met us at the station, the whole day was perfectly organised, and Fatehpur Sikri was the highlight — so few tourists there and such an incredible place. The Buland Darwaza alone is worth the trip. Perfect Agra Tours handled everything flawlessly.”
“Had a wonderful day. The Taj Mahal exceeded all expectations, Agra Fort was fascinating, and Fatehpur Sikri was a complete surprise — not on most people’s radar but it should be. Guide was knowledgeable without being overwhelming. Would recommend this tour to anyone with a full day to spend.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Two key differences: the Shatabdi departs from New Delhi Station (not Hazrat Nizamuddin) and arrives in Agra in 2 hours rather than 90 minutes. But the decisive difference is Fatehpur Sikri — this tour includes the drive to Akbar’s abandoned capital and back, which the Gatimaan tour does not. The Shatabdi day is longer (back in Delhi at ~11:30 PM vs ~7:30 PM), but you see a fourth major site that most visitors to Agra completely miss.
Emperor Akbar’s planned imperial capital, built from 1571 to 1585 in red sandstone and abandoned within 15 years. A UNESCO World Heritage Site containing palaces, audience halls, a grand mosque, the Buland Darwaza (the world’s largest ceremonial gateway at 54 metres), and the Tomb of Salim Chishti. The site is about 40 km from Agra and takes 60–90 minutes to explore properly.
New Delhi Railway Station (not Hazrat Nizamuddin, which is used by the Gatimaan Express). We include hotel pickup and transfer to New Delhi Station — your 5:00 AM pickup ensures comfortable arrival before departure.
A valid government-issued photo ID — Passport, Driving Licence, or Aadhaar Card. Without valid ID matching your ticket, boarding is not permitted. Please carry your ID on your person on the day.
Round-trip Shatabdi Express AC chair car tickets, hotel pickup and drop to New Delhi Station, private AC car for all Agra and Fatehpur Sikri sightseeing, licensed English-speaking guide, entry tickets to all four sites, lunch at Bon Barbecue, bottled water, and all taxes. No hidden charges.
The Taj Mahal is closed every Friday. We always confirm your chosen date does not fall on a Friday before processing your booking.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the tour. Cancellations within 24 hours are non-refundable. Train tickets are reserved in advance — please cancel early if plans change.
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Taj Mahal, Agra Fort & Fatehpur Sikri — All in One Day
Book with 10% deposit today. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.