Old Delhi Market Hours & Open Days (2026)
Old Delhi markets are legendary, and planning a visit around their hours can make or break your day. Chandni Chowk, Khari Baoli and Chawri Bazaar are the most famous, but they don’t keep regular hours. Vendors set their own schedules, and there’s one day you absolutely shouldn’t plan your market trip around: Sunday.
I’ve explored these markets repeatedly over my years in Delhi, and here’s everything you need to know about when they’re open, when to go, and what to do if you show up on the wrong day.
Quick Answer: Are Old Delhi Markets Open Today?
- Open: Monday to Saturday. All three markets – Chandni Chowk, Khari Baoli and Chawri Bazaar. Closed on Sundays.
- Hours: Most shops open by 11 am and wind down around 7 pm, but every vendor sets their own hours, so times vary stall by stall.
- Best time: Mornings. Every day is crowded, but mornings are noticeably better. It’s cooler, calmer and easier to walk through.
- Sunday: The markets are closed (a few stalls may open, but don’t count on it). Nearby alternatives exist though, see below.
Old Delhi Markets Close on Sundays
Chandni Chowk, Khari Baoli and Chawri Bazaar are all closed on Sundays. While a few stalls may be open, most won’t be, and the lanes that are normally packed will be relatively quiet.
But a Sunday in Old Delhi isn’t a write-off. A few things carry on:
- The Sunday Book Market: Large book market that sets up every Sunday at Mahila Haat in Daryaganj, a short walk from Old Delhi.
- Chor Bazaar flea market: The famous “thieves’ market”, running every Sunday, where you can hunt for bargains. Near Jama Masjid.
- Monuments and religious buildings stay open: Red Fort, Jama Masjid and Gurudwara Bangla Sahib are open every day, so you can still fill a day with sightseeing and food (more on that below).
- Omaxe Mall: Most vendors in this new mall stay open even on Sundays, though a few legacy Old Delhi shops may close.
Khari Baoli (Spice Market) Hours
Open Monday to Saturday, closed Sundays. Mornings are the best time to go. Since hours vary by vendor, see my complete guide to Khari Baoli for the full details, including the nearest metro station and what to buy.
Chandni Chowk Hours
Most shops open by 11 am and wind down by early evening, though hours differ from vendor to vendor. Food is the exception. Food stalls and famous food shops keep longer hours, so you can eat well beyond shopping hours.
Two things worth knowing before you go: no motorized traffic is allowed on Chandni Chowk between 9:00 am and 9:00 pm, and Omaxe Mall (a stunning new mall on Chandni Chowk) is open even when parts of the market aren’t, and it has AC.
See my complete Chandni Chowk guide for the full details, including the history and street food.
Chawri Bazaar Hours
Chawri Bazaar, the paper and wedding card market, is open Monday to Saturday, closed Sundays. Shops are generally open from about 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, though food stands in the area keep going longer. The street food in this market is legendary.
It’s also home to one of my favourite details in Old Delhi: the metro station here is one of the deepest in Delhi. For much more, see my guide to Chawri Bazar.
Holidays and Ramadan: What Changes
Old Delhi’s markets follow Indian public holidays loosely rather than strictly. Many vendors choose their own days off around the big festivals, so around Diwali or Holi expect closures and weird hours even on regular weekdays.
Ramadan is the big exception worth planning around: the markets stay open, but evenings go crazy. The moment the day’s fast ends, a siren sounds across Old Delhi and the eating begins.
If you’re in Delhi during Ramadan, brave the evening crowds at least once, it’s one of the most unique things you can experience in Delhi. I’ve been there during Ramadan a couple of times, and the Matia Mahal market by Jama Masjid is full of outdoor grills with hundreds of kebabs. It’s really something. Many carts sell dates by the dozen and several varieties – I’ve never seen anything like it.
Diwali and Holi are the other big ones – both are crazy busy in Old Delhi, so go early in the day. And a safety note from experience: avoid the area on Holi itself, which is not so safe. The rest of the festival season, though? Worth seeing.
Which Day Is Least Crowded?
Honest answer: none of them, entirely. Old Delhi is always crowded, that’s part of what it is. But mornings are better: cooler air, thinner crowds and more patient vendors (unless it’s Ramadan – they’re grumpy then).
How to Know If a Specific Shop Is Open Today
Because every vendor sets their own hours, the honest answer to ‘is open today?’ is probably, unless it’s Sunday or a holiday. A few practical ways to check:
- Ask your hotel or guesthouse to call ahead – many vendors don’t speak English so a Hindi speaker is ideal.
- If you’re visiting a famous shop (like the generations-old food vendors of Chandni Chowk), their hours rarely change but may not be those noted on Google maps.
- If you’re already in Delhi and flexible, just go in the morning and take the day as it comes. Old Delhi rewards improvisers.
What to Do in Old Delhi on a Sunday
If Sunday is your only day, don’t despair, Old Delhi still works:
- See the monuments: Jama Masjid (climb the minaret for the view over the rooftops), the Red Fort, and Old Delhi’s famous sites.
- Hunt the Sunday markets: the Sunday Book Market and Chor Bazaar flea market.
- Eat – with a caveat: some of Old Delhi’s famous food places are open on Sundays, but not all. If food is your main reason for coming to Old Delhi, pick another day. A Sunday visit works best when the sights and the flea markets are the goal, and food is a bonus.
Where to Eat in Old Delhi While You’re Market-Hopping
Old Delhi has fantastic food. My Old Delhi eating guides cover the classics:
- The best food in Old Delhi
- Old Delhi street food tour
- A couple of my favourites are Karim’s and Kanwarji Raj Kumar Bhatura Junction (the chole bhature is amazing)
Last Words on Old Delhi Market Hours
Plan for a weekday, arrive by 11 am, and expect every day to be busy, Old Delhi doesn’t do quiet. Pack a bottle of water, and don’t count on many toilets: your best bets are the ones at Haldiram’s and Omaxe Mall.
Avoid Sundays for shopping, but if Sunday is all you have, the monuments, the food and the Sunday flea markets will still fill your day.
