Visitor questions and answers - page 3

Page 3 of 4 in our reader-submitted Q&A series. See page 1, page 2 and page 4 for the rest. Some prices and rules in older answers have moved on; verify current detail before relying on it.

1. Buying a budget cell phone in India

We'll be in India in January and want to buy a cheap phone for the trip. Where do we get one with a camera, and approximately what does it cost?

In India, a phone and a SIM card are bought separately. Pre-paid bundles in the western sense don't really exist.

• The SIM card itself costs around ₹100 (a couple of US dollars) at any phone retailer; you'll need a passport photocopy, an Indian visa photocopy, a passport-size photo and proof of your local address (the hotel you're staying at, in writing). Activation now takes 24 hours in most states.
• A budget Android smartphone with a camera now starts around ₹6,000–₹8,000 (US$ 75–100) — names like Lava, Itel, Realme Narzo, Redmi entry models, Samsung Galaxy A0x series. The very cheap "Nokia 1100"-class handsets that older travel guides mention are largely gone; everything sold today is at least a basic smartphone.
• A mid-range smartphone with reasonable camera and 4G/5G is around ₹15,000–₹25,000.
• Pay-as-you-go top-up (called recharge in India) is added to your number in any amount you choose, usually online via the carrier's app, by UPI, or at any phone shop. Unused balances usually have a validity period after which they expire — check the conditions on your top-up.

For a longer answer covering SIM-card paperwork, what to do if you only have a foreign phone, and dual-SIM tips, see our Cell phones in India guide.

2. How much foreign currency can I carry in and out of India?

What are the legal limits for carrying US dollars into and out of India?

The figures below are the published Reserve Bank of India / Customs limits as of recent years; always verify the current rule on the official customs site at https://www.cbic.gov.in/ before you travel.

Bringing foreign currency into India:

• There is no upper limit on the total foreign exchange you can bring in.
• However, you must declare it on the Currency Declaration Form (CDF) at Indian customs if:
  • The foreign currency notes you carry exceed US$ 5,000 (or equivalent), or
  • The total foreign exchange including notes plus traveller's cheques exceeds US$ 10,000 (or equivalent).
• Below these thresholds, no declaration is required.

Taking foreign currency out of India:

• You can take out up to the amount you declared on arrival, less anything you've spent or exchanged into rupees. The CDF you stamped on the way in is the documentation.
• Indian rupees — Indian residents can take out up to ₹25,000 in cash; non-residents are not permitted to take Indian currency out of India (they're expected to convert any leftover rupees back to foreign currency at the airport before leaving).

Keep your currency exchange receipts while travelling — they're the documentation that the rupees in your wallet came from a legitimate exchange. See Currency exchange in India for current valid notes (Rs 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 — Rs 1000 and Rs 2000 notes are not in circulation).

3. Day trip from Delhi to the Taj Mahal by train

I'm staying near Gurgaon — is a Delhi to Taj Mahal day trip realistic? What are train times and prices?

A Delhi → Agra day trip is one of the most popular tourist excursions in India and very feasible by train. The fastest options in 2026:

• Vande Bharat Express — semi-high-speed; New Delhi to Agra Cantt in around 1 hour 40 minutes.
• Gatimaan Express — India's first semi-high-speed train, similar journey time of around 1 hour 40 minutes.
• Bhopal Shatabdi (departs early morning) — around 2 hours; the classic same-day-return option for years; AC chair car and executive chair car. Includes breakfast.
• Taj Express — slower (~3 hours), cheaper alternative; non-AC chair car classes available.

Same-day return logic: take an early morning train from Delhi, full day at the Taj plus Agra Fort and Itimad-ud-Daulah's Tomb (no need to attempt Fatehpur Sikri on a day trip), evening train back. Out by 6:00–7:00 am, back in Delhi by 9:00–10:00 pm.

Booking: through IRCTC or the IRCTC Rail Connect app. Foreign tourists can use the Foreign Tourist Quota for advance booking up to 365 days ahead. See How to make train reservations online in India.

Fares vary with class and the dynamic-fare system; check the day's actual prices on IRCTC. Vande Bharat fares run higher than the classic Shatabdi; Taj Express is the cheapest. Round-trip for one person is typically a few thousand rupees plus the entry fee at the Taj (approximately ₹1,100 for foreign tourists, see our Taj Mahal entry fee page).

A practical alternative: Yamuna Expressway by car, around 3 hours each way. Comfortable, your own schedule, and you can fit Fatehpur Sikri in if you have stamina.

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