Red Fort Tour
About Red Fort
Red Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Delhi, which was built in the 16th century. It has served as the main residence of many Mughal emperors. The Red Fort is one of the most visited places in India, and more than 3 million people visit it in a year. Buses in Delhi ply everyday to Red Fort as thousands of tourists flock here to learn the great history of India.
The construction of Red Fort started back in May 1638 and completed in April 1648. It was constructed under the supervision of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan who had then shifted his base from Agra to Delhi. This heritage site was designed by Ustad Ahmad Lahori, who is known for designing the famous Taj Mahal in Agra as well.
On the 15th of August, 1947, Jawaharlal Nehru (first Prime Minister of India) hoisted the tricolour flag at Red Fort for the first time. Since then it has become a tradition for the Prime Minister of India to hoist the national flag on Independence Day at the Red Fort.
Things to See in Red Fort
Some of the prominent attractions of the Red Fort Complex are as follows:
• Lahori Gate – This main gate of Red Fort is named after its architect. The Prime Minister of India hoists the flag on every Independence Day from this gate.
• Delhi Gate – The southern gate of the Red Fort is known as the Delhi gate. Two giant elephants carved out of stone on both sides of Delhi Gate add to its beauty.
• Mumtaz Mahal – This was the residence of Mumtaz Mahal, wife of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. It also consists of the Red Fort Archaeological Museum.
• Moti Mahal – This mosque served as a private mosque of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. This beautiful pearl mosque is three-domed and made from white marble.
Best Time to visit Red Fort
The best time to visit Red Fort is from October to February when the weather of Delhi is pleasant. Autumn and Spring seasons are the best for touring around Delhi and Red Fort. One can also visit Red Fort after 6 PM to enjoy the light show. Visiting Red Fort in the Spring/Autumn season will help you in beating the tough heat of Delhi experienced in summers. It will take you around 2 to 3 hours if you visit all the attractions in the Red Fort Complex.
How to reach Red Fort
The various ways to reach Red Fort are as follows:
• The closest metro station to Red Fort is the Chandni Chowk Metro Station. Red Fort is 2.4 KM away from the metro station, and you will find cabs, autos, etc., to Red Fort from the metro station.
• The Old Delhi Railway Station (DLI) is situated 2.5 KM far from Red Fort and is the nearest railway station.
• The nearest bus station to Red Fort is Kashmiri Gate Bus Station. Delhi has a robust system of bus transportation. Many bus operators provide a bus to Kashmiri Gate in Delhi like Vikas Travels, RSRTC, E Bus India, Dhruv Travels, Royal Travels Hills, etc.
• Passengers coming out of the Indira Gandhi Airport can also find frequent buses to Red Fort.
How to reach Red Fort in Delhi
Red Fort is 20.5 KM far from the Indira Gandhi Airport, and it will take you around an hour to cover this route by bus. You will find frequent buses from various locations of Delhi to Red Fort.
The Kashmiri Gate ISBT is 6 KM far from Red Fort. It will take you around half an hour to cover this route by bus. Local state-owned buses will help you in commuting from various locations of Delhi to Red Fort.
One can easily find bus tickets online via redBus, which is the largest bus ticketing platform in the world. You can also choose Red Fort as your drop-off point via redBus. The buses provided by redBus also take safety measures against the recent COVID pandemic. You will also get ride-rescheduling, cancellation, bus-tracking, etc. facilities via redBus.
Top Bus Routes to Red Fort
There are more than 500 bus operators connected with redBus who provide bus services to/from Delhi. A plethora of bus services is available in the capital city. One can select Red Fort as their drop-off point for more convenience. You can easily search buses of your preferred route on the redBus mobile application/website. Some of the prominent bus routes to Delhi (Red Fort) are as follows:
- Jaipur to Delhi
- Lucknow to Delhi
- Kanpur to Delhi
- Gorakhpur to Delhi
- Manali to Delhi
Bus Stops around Red Fort
Red Fort itself serves as a drop-off & boarding point for many Delhi buses. One can browse buses based on any preferred bus stop in Delhi by applying search filters on redBus mobile application or website. You can also see the number of stop points of any particular bus on redBus. Some of the prominent stop points of Delhi buses around Red Fort are as follows:
- Vijay Ghat
- Subhash Park
- Vijay Ghat By-Pass
- Jama Masjid
- Lal Quila
Average bus ticket price to Red Fort
The bus ticket price to Red Fort depends on the route selected, bus type, seat type, amenities offered, etc. One can compare the prices of various buses and can choose accordingly on redBus. The fare of buses to Red Fort will go up if you opt for luxury bus services. One can also lower their total ticket price with the help of exclusive deals and coupon codes provided by redBus.
Visiting Hours and Entry Details for Red Fort Tour
The visiting hours of Red Fort are 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM on all days except Mondays. You can enter the Red Fort from the two major gates which are Lahori Gate and Delhi Gate. The timing of the light show is after 6 PM. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes while travelling to Red Fort as you would have to walk a lot inside the premises.
Things to do Near Red Fort
There are many places to explore in Delhi. You can visit popular places near the fort, such as Akshardham Temple, National Gandhi Museum & Library, Bangla Sahib Gurudwara and Chhatta Chowk, among others.