Suzanne Wanders Delhi contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of the links below, I may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products and services I use and trust. Read my disclaimer for more information.
What is the distance between Old Delhi and New Delhi? Visitors often wonder about this and how to get from one to the other. New Delhi, Old Delhi, Delhi – they are all part of the same city. Here’s the breakdown.
What is the Distance from New to Delhi to Old Delhi?
The distance between New Delhi and Old Delhi is just over 6 km. They are not far apart at all, but Delhi roads and traffic conditions being what they are, walking takes over an hour and driving takes at least 25 minutes, and much longer at peak times.
Where are New Delhi and Old Delhi?
New Delhi is in central Delhi and Old Delhi is in north Delhi.
New Delhi is located in a less congested part of the city, close to Delhi’s green belt, the Central Ridge Reserve Forest. Central Ridge Reserve Forest is known as the lungs of Delhi. It is 8,000 hectares – a massive green space with forests, parks and historic monuments. The air is quite literally cleaner New Delhi.
Old Delhi is north of New Delhi, on the west side of the Yamuna River. Back when Old Delhi was home to the Mughals, the Yamuna was much closer to Old Delhi, it ran directly behind the Red Fort. Now Old Delhi is surrounded by Paharganj, Delhi’s backpacker area and the Civil Lines area to the north – the old stomping grounds of the British Raj.
What is the Difference Between Old Delhi, New Delhi and Delhi?
This confuses a lot of visitors. There’s Old Delhi, New Delhi and Delhi. It becomes even more confusing because New Delhi and Delhi are often used interchangeably, but in fact they are different. Old Delhi and New Delhi are both parts of Delhi. Thanks to my years of living in Delhi, I can explain it to you!
Old Delhi
Old Delhi is the historic part of Delhi built by Mughal ruler Shah Jahan between 1639 – 1648 (the same ruler who built the Taj Mahal). Back in those days it was the capital of India. Old Delhi has retained a lot of the historic buildings, markets and lanes from the Mughal period. To explore Old Delhi, consider this free DIY heritage walk of Old Delhi.
Even though it is now one of the most densely populated parts of Delhi and generally bonkers, it is a very important part of the city. Affectionately called Delhi-6 (in reference to its postal code) by locals, it is home to Chandni Chowk, Red Fort (UNESCO), Jama Masjid, and Khari Baoli, the famous spice market.
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital of India. It is one of 11 districts in Delhi. It was built by the British in the 1920s and 1930s, and predominantly designed by British architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker. This part of New Delhi is often called Lutyens Delhi. It has wide, leafy boulevards, roundabouts and many white colonnaded buildings. New Delhi is one of the greenest capital cities in the world.
Delhi
Officially, Delhi is a city and a Union Territory of India. It is a mega city (population is 33 million) with 11 districts. One of those districts is New Delhi, the capital. Delhi and its environs are often referred to as Delhi NCR (National Capital Region), or simply the NCR. It’s a bit confusing, but all you really need to remember is that Old Delhi and New Delhi are just parts of Delhi.
How to Get to Old Delhi from New Delhi
Even though the distance between New Delhi and Old Delhi is only 6 km, it can take over 30 minutes to travel from one to the other. The fastest way to cover the distance from New Delhi to Old Delhi is by metro. Both areas are well serviced by the metro with multiple stations.
Other options are Uber or Ola, the two ride share programs most popular in Delhi. Both are reliable and inexpensive.
You can also take an auto rickshaw. They’re easy to use and absolutely everywhere. But for going into Old Delhi an auto rickshaw would not be my first choice. Auto rickshaws are open, and there will be nothing between you and the noise and traffic of Old Delhi, which is usually a lot.
How Long is the Metro from New Delhi to Old Delhi?
Travel time between Old Delhi and New Delhi is 15 – 25 minutes. Old Delhi and New Delhi are both on the Violet and Yellow metro lines. It’s between 5 and 10 stops, depending on where you are and which route you take.
Don’t be afraid to use the Delhi metro. It’s one of the best systems in the world. Everything is in English, and it’s very easy to use. I take it all the time – it’s my preferred way to move across Delhi. Here’s my step by step guide on how to use the Delhi metro.
Most Popular Places to Visit in New Delhi and Old Delhi
There is so much to see and do in New Delhi and Old Delhi, but these are the most popular places to visit.
Popular Places to Visit in New Delhi:
- India Gate
- Rashtrapati Bhavan
- Lodhi Garden
- Khan Market
- Connaught Place
- Agrasen ki Baoli
- National Gallery of Modern Art
Popular Places to Visit in Old Delhi:
Where to Stay in New Delhi and Old Delhi
Although the distance between Old Delhi and New Delhi is not great, they are very different. Old Delhi is not the best area to stay in for a visitor and I don’t recommend it. While it is the most historic part of the city and extremely important culturally, Old Delhi is also polluted, congested, noisy, and not the safest part of Delhi to return to at night.
If you really have your heart set on staying in Old Delhi, then the best place to stay is the beautifully restored haveli, Haveli Dharampura or its newly opened sister property, Golden Haveli. Avoid cheap hostels and hotels in this area. There are better budget hotels and hostels elsewhere in Delhi.
New Delhi has many hotel options, though the vast majority are luxury 5 star properties. The best New Delhi hotels to stay in are:
- Shangri-la Eros (luxury)
- The Imperial (luxury)
- Taj Mahal New Delhi (luxury)
- Ambassador (mid-price)
- Bloomrooms @ Janpath (mid-price)
- New Delhi YMCA Tourist Hostel (budget)
Where to Eat in New Delhi and Old Delhi
There are so many options in both parts of the city. Here are some of the best places:
Best Places to Eat in New Delhi
- Ophelia $$$
- Lazeez Affaire $$$
- Sagar Ratna $$
- Gulati $$
- Andhra Pradesh Bhavan $
- Mysore Cafe $
Best Places to Eat in Old Delhi
The best thing to eat in Old Delhi is street food – it’s basically street food headquarters! Most visitors are nervous about eating street food, but it’s safe if you follow a couple of simple guidelines, like no meat and nothing water based. I live in Delhi and would not dream of visiting Old Delhi without eating street food!
These are the best places to eat in Old Delhi if you don’t want to eat street food, but keep in mind most of them are pretty basic:
- Lakhori $$$
- Kake di Hatti $
- Haldiram’s $
- Karim’s $
- Aslam Chicken $
- Rehmatullah Hotel $
The Best New Delhi and Old Delhi Tours
If exploring the distance between Old Delhi and New Delhi on your own is a bit daunting, why not take a half day tour? I highly recommend these tours by local companies:
- Bicycle Tour of New Delhi
- Bicycle Tour of Old Delhi
- Walking Tour of Old Delhi
- New Delhi Food Tour
- Old Delhi Night Food Tour
- Nature Walk of New Delhi
The Wrap-up on New Delhi to Old Delhi Distance – All You Need to Know
The distance between New Delhi and Old Delhi is only a few kilometres, but figuratively speaking they are worlds apart. Luckily, it’s very easy to travel from one to the other. Have fun exploring these two very different parts of Delhi.
Don’t forget travel insurance! It’s always a good idea to carry travel insurance just in case something goes wrong. I really like and use SafetyWing
