By air
International flights land at Indira Gandhi International Airport (tel 011/569 6021 or 565 2011), also known as Terminal 2, 23km southwest of the centre (formerly Palam airport). The State Bank of India and Thomas Cook in the airport offer 24hr moneychanging facilities; be sure to get some small change for taxis and rickshaws. If you need to book accommodation, 24hr desks, including ITDC in the departure hall and Delhi Tourism (DTTDC), have a list of approved hotels and will secure reservations by phone. Beware of bogus booking counters: there have been several cases of trickery and overcharging. Not all budget hotels accept telephone bookings; for these you'll have to make your own way into town. ITDC and DTTDC also operate desks at the domestic airport (tel 011/566 5181), 8km away to the north on the opposite side of the shared runway to IGI Airport; there are two terminals, 1A & 1B. Retiring rooms at both airports are convenient if you need to make an early connection but are issued on a first-come, first-served basis (Rs660). A free AAI shuttle bus (20min) runs between the two airports every hour and there's a shuttle every twenty minutes between the two domestic terminals.

From the international airport, the least expensive and least convenient way to get into Delhi is by bus . Tickets for the ex-servicemen's shuttle (EATS) are issued in the departure hall, while State Transport buses wait outside; both take roughly thirty minutes to reach their terminal point at F Block in Connaught Place in the city centre. Expect to pay Rs50 from either airport, plus an additional Rs5 for luggage. All buses go via the domestic terminal, from where it's a twenty-minute ride into the city (18 daily), and stop at Janpath in New Delhi. The driver may be able to drop you close to your chosen hotel.

Taxis are faster and more comfortable, and should certainly be taken if you arrive late at night, to save you from having to search for your hotel in the dark. Book at the official prepaid kiosk in the restricted area outside the arrival hall. Fixed rates (Rs300) apply, with a 25 percent surcharge between 11pm and 5am. Beware of touts also offering prepaid taxis and avoid the non-registered taxis near the bus rank; these often ask extortionate prices and may even claim that your hotel is full, closed, or even burnt down. Ignore such assertions and remember it's best to phone ahead to your accommodation. The rickshaws that wait in line at the departure gate are less expensive than taxis (Rs100-150), but constitute the most precarious and least reliable form of transport from the airport, especially at night. Many tourists have complained of being taken to a hotel other than the one requested, and being hassled for more money on arrival. It makes sense to settle in for a while before you try using one.

By train
Delhi has two major railway stations . New Delhi Station is east of Paharganj (Main Bazaar), and within walking distance of many of the area's budget hotels, though tourists burdened with luggage often prefer to hail a cycle rickshaw to reach their hotel, which shouldn't cost more than Rs20 - negotiate the fare in advance. If you're heading for hotels south of the station, however, bear in mind that cycle rickshaws cannot enter Connaught Place. The station has two exits, with the Paharganj exit the more popular, useful for Connaught Place and most points south, and the Ajmeri Gate exit, more convenient for Old Delhi. You can take an auto-rickshaw (insist the meter is turned on or negotiate a price before you jump in). However, the most reliable option is to book a prepaid rickshaw at the booth, close to the main road at the front of the railway station on the Paharganj side. Autos to Connaught Place cost from Rs20, and to Old Delhi from Rs35 though, unfortunately, pressure from touts has meant that the prepaid taxi service rarely operates. Some taxis, especially those parked at the exit opposite Ajmeri Gate, have their meters rigged and you can be assured that the touts who approach you as you exit the station will be bad news. Delhi Station in Old Delhi, west of the Red Fort, is connected to the city hotels by taxis (not prepaid) and auto-rickshaws. Both stations have retiring rooms (Rs100-250), and are notorious for theft: don't take your eyes off your luggage for a moment. Lesser stations in the Delhi area include Hizrat Nizamuddin , south of the centre on the main line into New Delhi and the point of departure for passenger trains to Agra (except the Shatabdi Express).

By bus
State buses pull in at the Inter-state Bus Terminal (ISBT), north of the railway station in Old Delhi. Auto-rickshaws to New Delhi or Paharganj take about fifteen minutes (around Rs50), cycle rickshaws twice that (around Rs30). Private buses from all over India terminate outside New Delhi railway station; some will drop passengers in Connaught Place if they pass that way.

Delhi scams
Delhi can prove a headache for the first-time visitor, with several scams to entrap the unwary. Arrival is always the most difficult, but for those arriving at New Delhi railway station a special word of warning is to avoid all touts and the false tourist offices opposite the Paharganj entrance to the New Delhi railway station, which have brought grief to many an unsuspecting traveller. Similarly, steer clear of those along Janpath that claim to be "government authorized" - there is no such authorization and you're likely to end up paying well over the odds for any services. Shoe-shine boys have been known to dump dung onto shoes when their victim is distracted and then charge the earth to clean the shoes for them. For shopaholics, beware that several shops pretend to be official "government" shops and taxi, auto and rental-car drivers get a commission for just leading you in - this will be added to your bill.