Airport Express or taxi from Delhi airport to Connaught Place?

From Terminal 3, take the Airport Express if it is running and you can manage your bags. From Terminal 2, it is also a good option if the connection to the T3 station suits you. Choose a taxi for door-to-door travel, a Terminal 1 arrival, an overnight arrival or difficult luggage.

For Connaught Place, Shivaji Stadium is the simplest Airport Express stop because it avoids a change. It will not leave you at every hotel door, however: check your hotel’s block and entrance before choosing between a walk, a short auto-rickshaw ride and a taxi from the airport.

The choice at a glance

Choose	Best when	Main drawback
Airport Express to Shivaji Stadium	You arrive at T3—or can reach the station from T2—the train is running, and you can manage your bags	You may still need a walk or short surface ride to the hotel
Taxi or app cab	You arrive at T1, land after metro hours, have heavy luggage or want direct hotel delivery	Fare and journey time vary with demand and road traffic

Airport Express from Terminal 3

The Airport Express has an IGI Airport station serving Terminal 3. Board towards New Delhi and leave at Shivaji Stadium, the stop before New Delhi.

DMRC’s fare table, checked on 30 October 2026, lists a QR-ticket fare of ₹54 from IGI Airport to Shivaji Stadium and ₹64 to New Delhi. Check the current Airport Express fare table before travelling because fares can change.

Delhi Airport says the complete Airport Express journey between New Delhi and the airport takes around 25 minutes. That is the train portion, not the whole hotel transfer: allow time to reach the station, buy a ticket, pass security screening and complete the final leg in Connaught Place.

The airport’s metro guide lists first departures at 4:45am from both New Delhi and Dwarka Sector 21, and last departures at 11:30pm from New Delhi and 11:15pm from Dwarka Sector 21. These are the departures from the points named in the airport’s table, not exact train times at the IGI Airport station. Check DMRC’s current journey information if your flight lands close to the start or end of service.

Shivaji Stadium or Rajiv Chowk?

Use Shivaji Stadium for a direct Airport Express ride. It is particularly useful for addresses towards Baba Kharak Singh Marg and the western side of Connaught Place.

For a hotel close to Rajiv Chowk, you can instead stay aboard to New Delhi, change to the Yellow Line and travel one stop to Rajiv Chowk. This keeps more of the journey within the metro system but adds a transfer. With large cases, Shivaji Stadium followed by a short surface connection may be simpler.

Your terminal changes the answer

Terminal 3

This is the straightforward Airport Express journey. Follow signs to the IGI Airport metro station, take a New Delhi-bound train and leave at Shivaji Stadium.

Terminal 2

Delhi Airport describes T2 as a short walk or shuttle ride from T3, from where passengers can use the Airport Express. Whether that is worthwhile depends on mobility, weather and luggage. A taxi becomes more attractive if getting from the terminal to the station is the difficult part of the trip.

Terminal 1

The Airport Express does not directly serve T1. Delhi Airport says the Terminal 1–IGI Airport station on the Magenta Line is a 300–400m walk through a covered subway, but reaching Connaught Place requires further metro connections. For a first-time visitor with luggage, a taxi is usually the simpler T1-to-hotel option. The airport metro guide explains the separate T1 and T2/T3 rail links.

When a taxi is worth paying for

A taxi removes the final walk or interchange and takes you to the named hotel entrance. It is the better fit when:

• the metro has stopped or your arrival is close to last-train time;
• you have several cases, limited mobility or young children;
• several passengers can share the ride cost;
• your accommodation is not convenient for Shivaji Stadium or Rajiv Chowk;
• you want the simplest route from Terminal 1.

Do not plan around a single quoted taxi price. App fares can change, while road time depends on traffic. Compare the live app quote with the prepaid or fixed-rate option available at the terminal.

Delhi Airport says app cabs and prepaid or fixed-rate taxis are available around the clock at all three terminals. Its cab and taxi guide lists these pickup points:

• T1: outside the arrivals zone;
• T2: outside the arrivals zone;
• T3: multi-level car park, Level 0.

At T3, follow signs to the assigned pickup area rather than waiting at the arrivals kerb. For an app booking, match the car registration and driver details in the app before entering. Use the airport-listed service or designated counter rather than accepting an unsolicited ride offer.

Luggage can decide it

Metro passengers pass through security screening. Check DMRC’s travel advisory and confirm the Airport Express rules before bringing oversized luggage. If you cannot comfortably move all your bags through a station, a taxi is the more practical choice.

A simple decision

• T3, during metro hours, manageable luggage: Airport Express to Shivaji Stadium.
• T2, manageable luggage: Airport Express if the connection to T3 suits you; otherwise take a taxi.
• T1: taxi for simplicity; metro if saving money matters more than avoiding connections.
• After metro hours, heavy bags or door-to-door priority: use a prepaid or fixed-rate taxi or an app cab from the designated pickup area.

Before leaving the terminal, save the hotel’s full address and Connaught Place block—not just its name. That matters for both the final leg from Shivaji Stadium and a taxi drop-off.