Taj Mahal Ticket Price and Timings: A Complete Guide

The Taj Mahal, the magnificent white-marble monument of love in Agra, built by the emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal, is one of the great wonders of the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Planning a visit is easy once you know the ticket prices, the timings and how to book your tickets in advance. This guide from Delhi Agra Tour Packages sets out the full Taj Mahal ticket price and timings, the entry fees by nationality, the optional mausoleum ticket, the night viewing and the step-by-step online booking process, ideal for planning a visit on our Sunrise Taj Mahal tour.

I was born in Delhi and in more than 11 years guiding the Golden Triangle for Experience My India I have taken countless travellers to the Taj Mahal. Here is the clear, practical guide. Please note that entry fees and timings are set by the authorities and can change, so always reconfirm the current rates on the official Archaeological Survey of India ticketing portal before you travel.

Taj Mahal tickets and timings at a glance

Taj Mahal timings

The Taj Mahal is open every day except Friday, during daylight hours, with special night viewing on a few nights each month.

• Daytime hours: the Taj Mahal is open daily from roughly 6 AM to 6:30 PM, opening about 30 minutes before sunrise and closing about 30 minutes before sunset. Because it follows the sun, the exact opening and closing times therefore vary a little through the year, being a little earlier in the short days of winter and a little later in the long days of summer, so it is worth checking the current day's times.

• Closed on Fridays: the Taj Mahal is closed to all general visitors on Fridays, when it opens only for the afternoon prayers at the mosque within the complex for worshippers. So be sure to plan your visit for any day of the week except Friday, as even travellers who arrive on a Friday will not be allowed in.

• Night viewing: special night viewing of the Taj Mahal is available on full-moon nights and on the two nights before and the two nights after the full moon, five nights in all each month. Night viewing is in timed slots, from 8:30 PM to 12:30 AM, when the white marble takes on a soft, silvery glow in the moonlight.

Because the monument opens at sunrise, the early morning is both the first and the most beautiful time to arrive, when the marble glows softly in the changing light and the crowds are at their smallest, as our best time to visit the Taj Mahal guide explains in more detail.

Taj Mahal entry fees

The Taj Mahal ticket has two parts: a standard entry fee, which varies by nationality and an optional extra ticket to enter the main central tomb chamber, the mausoleum itself.

The standard entry ticket gives you access to the main gates, the red-sandstone pathways, the beautiful Mughal gardens and the whole outer perimeter and the raised marble terrace, from which you can admire and photograph the Taj Mahal from every famous angle. To step inside the main central tomb chamber, the marble mausoleum where the ornate cenotaphs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal lie, you need an additional ticket, which at the time of writing costs ₹200 for all visitors, the same for Indians and foreigners alike. For most visitors, the base ticket alone is enough to enjoy the monument fully, but the mausoleum ticket is worth adding at least once to see the inlaid marble and the chamber within.

Official tickets are issued by the Archaeological Survey of India, through the ASI Agra Circle. Booking online gives a small discount on the base entry fee, of ₹5 for Indian visitors and ₹50 for foreign visitors. Children under 15 enter free, but a zero-value ticket is still required for them, so remember to add children to your booking.

Taj Mahal ticket price breakdown

Here is the full ticket cost, including the optional main mausoleum ticket, for each type of visitor, at the time of writing:

• Indian citizens: ₹50 base entry plus ₹200 for the mausoleum, a total of ₹250.

• SAARC and BIMSTEC citizens: ₹540 base entry plus ₹200 for the mausoleum, a total of ₹740.

• Foreign tourists: ₹1,100 base entry plus ₹200 for the mausoleum, a total of ₹1,300.

• Children under 15: free entry, though a zero-value ticket is still required.

If you only wish to see and photograph the Taj Mahal from the grounds, the gardens and the marble terrace, you can simply skip the mausoleum ticket and pay only the base entry fee for your nationality. Many visitors, though, like to step inside the main tomb chamber at least once to see the exquisite inlaid marble work, for which the small extra ₹200 ticket is well worth it.

Taj Mahal night viewing

For something truly special, the Taj Mahal offers night viewing on full-moon nights. It is available on the night of the full moon itself and on the two nights before and the two nights after, five nights each month in all, in timed slots from 8:30 PM to 12:30 AM, when the white marble shimmers softly in the moonlight.

Night viewing has its own, separate tickets, which at the time of writing cost ₹510 for Indian visitors, ₹750 for foreign visitors and ₹500 for children aged 3 to 15. As the nights available are so limited, just five a month and the viewing is in timed slots with limited numbers, night viewing needs to be planned and booked well in advance, around the full-moon dates and the tickets are issued separately from the regular daytime tickets. Note that night viewing is not available during the month of Ramzan. It is a special and memorable experience, though the view is from a set distance rather than up close at the monument.

How to book Taj Mahal tickets online

Booking your Taj Mahal tickets online in advance saves time at the gate, gives a small discount and lets you choose your time slot. Here is the step-by-step process, through the official Archaeological Survey of India online ticketing portal:

1. Open the official ASI portal: go to the official ASI online ticketing portal for monuments.
   Official Website for Taj Mahal Ticket Booking.

2. Select the monument and city: choose Agra as the city and select the Taj Mahal.

3. Choose your date and time slot: pick your intended date of visit, remembering that the Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays and select your time slot, forenoon or afternoon.

4. Select nationality and category: choose between Indian citizen, SAARC or BIMSTEC national or foreign tourist, which sets your base fee.

5. Add mausoleum access (optional): choose whether to include the optional ₹200 main mausoleum ticket, to go inside the marble tomb.

6. Enter visitor details: fill in the full name, age, gender and valid government ID for each visitor, using Aadhaar, passport or voter ID for Indians and a passport for foreign tourists.

7. Complete payment: pay securely by UPI, net banking or debit or credit card.

8. Download your e-ticket: save the PDF or take a screenshot of the QR-code e-ticket, as the mobile network near the gates can be slow.

You can also buy tickets in person at the ticket counters near the gates, though the queues can be long, so online booking is recommended, especially in the busy season.

What the ticket includes and what is extra

It helps to know exactly what your Taj Mahal ticket covers:

• Included in the base ticket: entry through the gates, the forecourt, the great gateway, the red-sandstone pathways, the beautiful Mughal gardens, the raised marble terrace and the outer complex, including the mosque and its matching counterpart building and all the famous viewpoints for your photographs.

• The optional extra: entry into the main central tomb chamber, the marble mausoleum itself, which needs the additional ₹200 ticket on top of the base fee.

• Shoe covers: cloth shoe covers, to wear on the marble platform, are usually provided with the ticket or you can simply remove your shoes before stepping up onto the platform.

• Not included: a guide, your transport to and from Agra and the separate night viewing, which are all arranged and ticketed separately from the standard daytime entry.

Knowing this helps you decide which tickets to buy and plan your visit and budget accordingly.

Tips for visiting the Taj Mahal

• Arrive at opening: reach the gate for the sunrise opening to enjoy the Taj in beautiful light and before the biggest crowds.

• Avoid Fridays: remember the Taj Mahal is closed to general visitors on Fridays.

• Carry valid ID: bring the original government ID used in your booking, as it may be checked at the gate.

• Travel light: large bags, tripods, food, tobacco, drones and many other items are not allowed inside and the security checks are strict, so carry as little as possible; a cloakroom near the gates is available to store some items.

• Book online: booking in advance saves time at the queues, gives you a small discount on the fee and lets you secure your preferred forenoon or afternoon slot.

• Keep the e-ticket handy: save the QR-code e-ticket as a screenshot or PDF, as the mobile network near the gates can be slow and unreliable.

• Consider a guide: a good, knowledgeable guide brings the Taj Mahal's history, love story and intricate details vividly to life and is well worth having for your visit.

Our things to do in Agra guide covers the rest of the city, from the Agra Fort to the Baby Taj, to round out your visit.

Planning your Taj Mahal visit

A Taj Mahal visit is easiest and most rewarding when the tickets, the timing and the transport are all handled for you, especially as part of a wider trip. That is what we do, your Taj tickets and the best timing sorted, a knowledgeable guide to bring it to life and the Agra Fort and the rest of the city included if you wish, so you simply enjoy this wonder of the world.

Tell us your dates and group size and we will price it honestly around your standard rather than a fixed figure. For an overnight in the city, see our Agra overnight tour from Delhi or include the Taj in the classic circuit on our Golden Triangle tour. We can build it all within our wider Delhi Agra Tour Packages.

To see where the Taj fits a longer trip, our one week North India itinerary guide covers the whole week.

Plan your trip with us

Want the Taj Mahal, with its tickets, timings and a guide all sorted, as part of a wider Golden Triangle trip? Message us on WhatsApp and Experience My India will build it for you, honestly priced and expertly timed, so you see the Taj at its very best.

Start with the classic circuit on our Golden Triangle tours, which includes the Taj Mahal and much more.

Related guides

• New Delhi tour: the capital's imperial landmarks.

• Old Delhi tour: the Red Fort, Jama Masjid and Chandni Chowk.

• Delhi day tour: the best of the capital in a day.

Experience My India has personally hosted 50,000+ travelers and the service he leads is rated 4.9 from 2,600+ reviews, operating since 2015. Delhi Agra Tour Packages is a unit of Experience My India.