Getting Around Delhi: By metro

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Delhi Metro and rail network

Three lines of the new Delhi Metro www.delhimetrorail.com are now open and provide a cheap, quick, hassle-free and air-conditioned way of zipping around the city. As of 2009, the following lines are open:

• Line 1 (Red Line): Dilshad Garden-Kashmere Gate-Rithala
• Line 2 (Yellow Line): Jahangirpuri-Kashmere Gate-Connaught Place-Central Secretariat
• Line 3 (Blue Line): Noida-Connaught Place-Dwarka Sector 9

Fares range from Rs. 8 to 30, just buy a token, change lines as necessary, and deposit the token in the slot as you exit. Tokens can be used only from the station they are bought, so you can't buy two and use the second to return home. If you're planning on sticking around for a while, you can buy a "Smart Card" for Rs. 100, which is worth Rs. 50 and includes a Rs. 50 deposit; using this saves 10% and, more importantly, lets you avoid the queues. There is also a "Tourist Card" allowing unlimited use for Rs.100 (1 day) or Rs.250 (3 days), but it's highly unlikely that you'll travel enough to make this pay off.

Line 2, in particular, is useful for getting to the Old Delhi (Chandni Chowk, Jama Masjid) and New Delhi railway stations, the ISBT bus terminal and the backpacker ghetto of Paharganj. Line 3 is also handy for visiting Akshardham and accessing the western parts of Paharganj through RK Ashram Marg station. The network is still growing at warp speed, and in 2010, a new dedicated Airport Link and an extension to Gurgaon are scheduled to open.

Beware: Metro stations all use the new, official, Indianized names, so Connaught Place is "Rajiv Chowk", Old Delhi Railway Station is "Chandni Chowk" and ISBT is "Kashmere Gate".

• www.delhimetrorail.com