Everything you need to plan a smooth Taj Mahal visit — opening hours, ticket types, the Friday closure and night viewing — explained plainly by a team that lives in Agra and sends guests through the gates most mornings. (Government rules and prices change; treat the figures below as indicative and confirm current rates, or let us handle your tickets.)
Opening hours
The Taj Mahal is open from about 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes before sunset, every day except Friday. Because it’s tied to sunrise and sunset, the exact hours drift through the year — roughly 6:00am–6:30pm in summer and 6:45am–5:30pm in winter. The last entry is usually about 45 minutes before closing.
The Friday closure — don’t get caught out
The Taj is closed all day every Friday for prayers at the mosque within the complex. This trips up a lot of independent travellers. If your Agra day lands on a Friday, plan Agra Fort, Itmad-ud-Daulah (the ‘Baby Taj’) and a sunset view from Mehtab Bagh across the river instead — a genuinely lovely alternative, not a consolation prize.
Ticket types
Ticket prices depend on nationality, and there’s a separate small charge to step up into the main mausoleum:
- Foreign nationals: the highest tier — at the time of writing around ₹1,100, plus roughly ₹200 to enter the mausoleum.
- SAARC / BIMSTEC nationals: a middle tier, around ₹540.
- Indian nationals: the lowest tier, around ₹50.
- Children under 15: generally free.
Tickets are timed-entry and increasingly digital. Please confirm the current rate before you travel — the government revises it periodically. On our tours, tickets are booked in advance and included, so you skip the ticket-counter queue entirely.
Which gate and how the queues work
Entry is through the West, East or South gates. Security is airport-style and the list of what you can’t bring inside is long (no tripods, no food, no large bags, no drones). A guide who knows the day’s crowd picks the quieter gate and gets you through security fast.
Night viewing
The Taj also opens for night viewing on five nights around the full moon each month (not on Fridays or during Ramadan). It’s a separate, limited ticket bought in advance and you view from a distance rather than up close. It’s special, but if you only have one visit, a sunrise visit gives you far more.
The best time of year
October to March is the comfortable season — clear skies and cool mornings. April to June is very hot; go at opening and be done early. The monsoon (July–September) brings dramatic skies and fewer people. For the full seasonal breakdown, see the best time to see the Taj Mahal.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Taj Mahal really closed on Fridays?
Yes, every Friday, all day. Plan Agra Fort and the river-garden views instead if Friday is your only day.
How much is a Taj Mahal ticket for foreigners?
At the time of writing, around ₹1,100 for the monument plus about ₹200 for the main mausoleum — always confirm the current rate, as it changes. Our tours include tickets.
Do I need to book Taj Mahal tickets in advance?
In peak season it saves a lot of queuing. On a guided tour we handle it for you; independently, the online timed ticket is worth booking ahead.
How long is the queue at the Taj Mahal?
At sunrise it’s short; by mid-morning it can be long, especially at the West Gate. Timing and gate choice make the difference — see our sunrise guide.
Turn this into your actual trip
Tell us your dates and we’ll shape a private, local-run journey around them — no call centre, no aggregator, just our own team on the ground.
