Public Transport in Delhi

Delhi is undergoing a major transport overhaul in order to drop the tag of the most polluted city in India. Trees are being planted, dust is being vacuumed right of the streets and most importantly, traffic is being de-congested.

They’ve introduced the odd-even scheme. This means that only cars with license plates ending in odd and even numbers respectively are allowed on the street on alternate days. Taking half the private vehicles off the street means a heavy load on public transport and the government has responded by deploying 3,000 extra buses to handle the rush.

This leaves you with a great chance of finding a seat near the window where you can breathe the sweet, sweet, recently de-polluted air.

Delhi has many options for internal transport – Credit: mungosciko

Metro

The Delhi Metro is hailed as one of the best rapid transport systems in all of Asia. it can take you to almost everywhere, but not quite and is fast, clean, cheap and environmentally friendly. Construction of an Inner Circle is still on, but for now, it’s still a great way to cut down on auto fare and avoid Delhi’s terrible traffic.

The Metro is clean and fast and a great way to avoid the traffic – Credit: Yusuke Kawasaki

Buses

It’s still one of the widest transport networks in the city. But, its not quite the favourite of the locals and is known to be unsafe for women. Red buses are air-conditioned, green buses sadly not. Definitely the cheapest option available.

Green buses are non-air-conditioned but the cheapest mode of travel – Credit: Ramesh NG

Taxis

The most expensive but also the most comfortable. If you notice a driver failing to put on his meter, negotiate a price immediately, because if you wait for the end of the trip you’re going to have to pay any amount demanded. At this point, I’d like to add that radio taxis, particularly Ola Cabs, are easily available and are quite safe.

Taxis are the most comfortable option – Credit: Andrew Newdigate

Autos

The most proliferate of them all, auto-rickshaws (otherwise known as tuk tuks) line up at virtually every street corner and then zig-zag you through the traffic at hair-raising speeds. Once again, if a driver refuses to go by the meter make sure you negotiate the price beforehand. All autos are run on CNG so it’s a blessing for your carbon footprint as well.

Auto-rickshaws can be found everywhere in the city – Credit: Pabak Sarkar

Bonus Tips

• Don’t take an auto in the winter, you WILL freeze
• The metro only runs from 5 in the morning to 11 at night, beyond that you’re on your own
• There’s an Airport Express metro line that goes from New Delhi Train Station to the Domestic Airport and then the International Airport
• If you’re in town for just a few days, opt for the Hop on-hop off bus

Delhi is taking measures to reduce its carbon footprint and lower emission levels- Credit:Rohit Gangwar