Taj Mahal Official Visiting Hours, Ticket Booking Guide and Tours in Agra (2026)
Por IWIS Global · Publicado el 12 de octubre de 2026
The Taj Mahal is open every day except Friday, from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes before sunset, and a foreign visitor pays ₹1,100 for entry plus an optional ₹200 for the main mausoleum. This guide gives the official visiting hours, the 2026 ticket prices, where and how to book tickets, and how a guided tour from Delhi or Agra fits around them. Everything below comes from the official Taj Mahal website and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), checked on 12 October 2026.
Taj Mahal official visiting hours
- Open: 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes before sunset on normal operating days.
- Closed: every Friday for general viewing. On other days it is open.
- Ticket windows at the gates: from one hour before sunrise to 45 minutes before sunset.
- Gates: tickets are sold at the Western Gate (near Saheli Burj) and the Eastern Gate. The Southern Gate is exit only at present.
- Queues: there are separate queues for foreign and domestic visitors, with signs to direct you.
Sunrise changes through the year, so the actual clock time changes too: in 2026 it runs from about 5:23 AM in June to about 7:09 AM in January. See our month-by-month sunrise table for each month, and use the free Taj Mahal today panel on our homepage for today's opening and closing times.
Taj Mahal ticket prices in 2026
| Visitor | Complex entry | Main mausoleum (optional) |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign tourist | ₹1,100 | + ₹200 |
| Citizen of a SAARC or BIMSTEC country | ₹540 | + ₹200 |
| Indian citizen or OCI cardholder | ₹50 | + ₹200 |
Children under 15 enter free, for every nationality. The ₹200 ticket is for the inner chamber beneath the central dome, where the cenotaphs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal are, and photography is not allowed there. The ASI also says buyers of online tickets get a discount of ₹50 per foreign ticket and ₹5 per Indian ticket. Our full ticket cost breakdown explains what each ticket includes.
A foreign-visitor ticket also comes with shoe covers, a bottle of water, a tourist guide map of Agra, and the battery bus and golf cart services at no extra charge. The shoe racks below the main mausoleum are free for everyone.
How to book Taj Mahal tickets
- Choose a day other than Friday. Pick your date first, because the Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays.
- Book on an official ASI channel. The ASI's ticketing page says tickets are available online through asiagracircle.in, and the official visiting hours page also points to asi.payumoney.com. The ASI portal is asi.paygov.org.in.
- Buy the mausoleum ticket if you want to go inside. It is a separate ₹200 ticket on top of regular entry.
- Carry photo ID. The ASI says visitors must carry identity proof issued by a government authority.
- Arrive early. Queues form quickly after the gates open, and tickets bought on the day come from the gate windows listed above.
Fake booking sites exist, and the ASI has warned visitors about them. Check the spelling of the address carefully, do not book through social media ads or unknown links, and never share bank details or a one-time password on an unofficial site. Our guide to avoiding Taj Mahal scams lists the official channels and the common tricks. The ASI also notes that complaints about tickets go to the ASI itself, not to the Uttar Pradesh tourism department that runs the website.
What to carry, and what not to
A water bottle is allowed. Drones are strictly prohibited, and tripods, food, tobacco, knives, chargers and other electric goods (cameras excepted) are banned. Mobile phones are fine on a day visit, but not for night viewing. Cloak rooms and ticket windows are available at both open gates. The full list is in our guide to what you can't bring.
Taj Mahal tours from Delhi and Agra
You can visit on your own with an ASI ticket, or on a private guided tour that handles the car, the guide and the tickets. A guided tour helps most with the things above: picking a day when the Taj Mahal is open, arriving at the right time, and having entry sorted before you reach the gate.
- Delhi to Agra same-day Taj Mahal tour by car: a private car and English-speaking guide, with Taj Mahal and Agra Fort entry included, back in Delhi the same evening.
- Taj Mahal sunrise tour: timed for the opening hour, when the monument is quietest. Entry tickets are an optional add-on.
- Taj Mahal Gatimaan Express day tour: the 1 hour 40 minute train, with a private guide and car waiting in Agra.
- Agra overnight tour: one night in Agra, with the Taj Mahal at opening time on day two.
- Moonlight night viewing tour: runs only on the ASI's night-viewing nights.
Every IWIS Global tour is private to your group, with a fixed price shown before you pay and no commission from any shop. You can book until 9 PM India time the night before, and cancel free up to 24 hours before. See all tours, or our guide to how long the trip from Delhi really takes.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Taj Mahal's visiting hours? From 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes before sunset, every day except Friday. Ticket windows at the gates run from one hour before sunrise to 45 minutes before sunset.
Is the Taj Mahal open on Friday? No. It is closed every Friday for general viewing.
How much is a Taj Mahal ticket for foreigners in 2026? ₹1,100 for entry, plus ₹200 if you want to enter the main mausoleum. Children under 15 are free.
Where can I book Taj Mahal tickets online? On the ASI's official channels: asiagracircle.in and the ASI portal at asi.paygov.org.in. Avoid any other booking site.
Do I need ID to enter? The ASI says visitors must carry identity proof issued by a government authority.
Which gate should I use? Tickets are sold at the Western and Eastern gates. The Southern Gate is exit only at present.
Last updated: 12 October 2026. Sources: ASI visiting hours and ASI ticketing. Rules and prices can change, so check the official site before you travel.
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Sigue leyendo
- Taj Mahal Opening Hours and Friday Closure The Taj Mahal opens 30 minutes before sunrise and is closed every Friday. Opening times by month, ticket counters and gates, from ASI's own page.
- Delhi to Agra in a Day: Car or Train? Delhi to Agra in one day: by car (about 3 hours each way) or the Gatimaan Express (1 hr 40 min)? Times, costs and trade-offs compared.
- Add a Private Agra Day to Your India Trip Already have flights and hotels for India? How to add a private Agra day: from Delhi, from your Agra hotel, or as a Golden Triangle by car.