It is one of the busiest and most populous cities in the world and it is hard to imagine how many people are in Delhi without seeing it with their own eyes. Despite being home to millions of people, Delhi is a spectacular city worth spending a few days exploring places like the Red Fort and Humayun’s Tomb. When you notice that your senses are saturated with the sensations in the capital, you will certainly want to visit a quieter place with more nature. Therefore, we recommend going to Goa. This southwestern state of India is famous for its fantastic coastline and beautiful beaches. It is a place that resembles a tropical island and is the perfect place to disconnect from exploring the big city. Read on for the best options to get from Delhi to Goa.
IndiGo uses Airbus A320 to travel from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport to Goa © Media_works / Shutterstock.com
Travel options from Delhi to Goa
The route from Delhi to Goa is very popular with both foreign and domestic tourists. This means that there are many options to travel from one city to another, including various flights, trains and even buses. The bad thing is that there is a long distance from Delhi to Goa, so whichever means of transport you choose, the journey will be quite long. Flights are the quickest option and take around 2.5 hours to reach your destination, so you can get an idea of the distance between the two cities. The flight distance is approximately 1,515 kilometers, but the road route is much longer at 1,877 kilometers (1,173 miles). The railway tracks run along a path that winds for 2,094 kilometers. Although you can take a bus from Delhi to Goa, we do not recommend it due to the tiring duration of the journey. Both flights and trains are good options, and we’ll give you details of these two modes of transport below.
Flights from Delhi to Goa
Terminal 3 with nine mudras (hand gestures) at Leeds International Airport Indira Gandhi © Gritsana P / Shutterstock.com
In general, flights are usually much more expensive than other transport options. Prices may put off many travelers who are traveling on a budget as the costs can become prohibitive. However, on the route from Delhi to Goa, this is not the case. Since there are many airlines operating daily routes, there are plenty of options to choose from and prices are kept low. In fact, some airlines offer air tickets that cost less than a train ticket, so don’t rule out flying ahead.
From Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, there are various airlines operating to Goa, including low-cost airlines. As you can imagine, the latter tend to have lower prices but contain fewer options on the tickets. Check carefully what baggage is allowed by each airline as there can be big differences between them. You’ll get better prices if you book a few weeks in advance and try to avoid going on holiday as Goa is a very popular holiday destination and flights can fill up ahead of time and are also more expensive than low season.
Being flexible on your departure date and time can also help you save money. Early morning flights tend to be cheaper than the rest, and weekends are more expensive than mid-week.
Choose from Air India, AirAsia India, GoAir, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Air Vistara, which depart from Indira Gandhi Airport to Goa’s only airport, Dabolim Airport. Goa Airport is located on the coast, close to the main area of hotels and beaches, making it easy to get from the airport to your accommodation. In Delhi, you need to go to the airport with more time as it is further from the city and very crowded. Despite this, there are good connections to the city both by metro and taxi.
Despite having to add a few hours to the 2.5 hour flight, the flight from Delhi to Goa is still much faster than the train. In addition, due to its affordable price, it is a very popular option to get from Delhi to Goa.
Train from Delhi to Goa
You already know that the plane is the fastest means of transport to get from Delhi to Goa, so the train will not save you time and will not necessarily be cheaper than the plane. So why think about traveling by train from Delhi to Goa? We are sure: live the experience!
A train from Delhi to Goa takes over 24 hours to complete the journey. The actual travel time varies from train to train and trains in India can’t be trusted to leave and arrive at scheduled times as they are usually not punctual. Therefore, if you like to organize your trip well and know where and what time you will be, the train from Delhi to Goa may not be the best idea.
On the other hand, if you are going to spend some time in India and want to fully enjoy the landscape and culture, we recommend traveling by train as you will have time for both. Just remember to choose the class you travel in wisely, as comfort levels can vary wildly, and you don’t want to spend so many hours in an uncomfortable bed in a cramped space.
Indian Railways operates all trains that depart from Hazrat Nizamuddin in the heart of New Delhi and arrive at Madgoan Junction in Goa. Depending on the selected train, the scheduled duration can vary from 1 day, 15 minutes to 1 day, 10 hours and 25 minutes. Ticket classes also vary greatly. To go from Delhi to Goa, you will buy a ticket for a bed, which may include various amenities. 2A AC includes berth air conditioning in eight compartments. Option 3A is very similar but offers fewer services. The best option is first class with a bed and air conditioning, but it can cost twice as much as a plane ticket. The most basic and cheapest Delhi to Goa ticket is the SL Sleeper Class which includes basic bunk beds without air conditioning and is very cheap.
Both trains and flights from Delhi to Goa are good options for this trip. Depending on the class you choose to take on a train, flight and train prices can be quite similar. In general, we recommend air travel for most travelers as it saves a lot of time. However, if you are traveling around India at your leisure, why not take the train? On the website it is possible to book air and train tickets 12Go.asiawhere you can compare all available options in the blink of an eye.