Ghaziabad
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Ghaziabad

Ghaziabad

Industrial satellite city east of Delhi, linked by Metro and shaped by NCR commuter life

Ghaziabad is one of the fastest-growing cities in the Delhi National Capital Region, sprawling east of the Yamuna River in Uttar Pradesh. It is primarily an industrial and residential satellite city, and most of its nearly two million residents commute to Delhi or work in local manufacturing. The city is connected to Delhi by the Metro, which has made it an increasingly popular place to live for people priced out of the capital.

There is not much here in the way of traditional tourist attractions. The Swarna Jayanti Park, also known as Indirapuram Park, is the largest green space and offers some relief from the concrete. The ISKCON temple in Indirapuram draws devotees and curious visitors, and the Mohan Nagar Jain Temple on the northern side has a tall white-marble shikhara worth a look. The City Forest along the Hindon River is one of the larger urban parks in the NCR. The Shipra Mall and Opulent Mall in Indirapuram serve as the main commercial and entertainment hubs. Ghaziabad's street food, particularly around Turab Nagar and Navyug Market, is solid and cheap, with the usual North Indian roster of chaat, paranthas, and kebabs done well.

For travellers, Ghaziabad is a place you may pass through or stay in for budget reasons, but Delhi's attractions are a Metro ride away. The city is honest about what it is: a working Indian city, not a tourist destination, but one that functions as a practical base if you need affordable access to the NCR.

Guide

Day Trips

Ghaziabad's best day trips are essentially trips elsewhere in the NCR. Delhi's centre — Old Delhi, the museums, the central markets — is 90 minutes away by metro. Noida, similar to Ghaziabad in character, has the Botanical Garden and a number of major malls. North on NH-58, Meerut has Mughal-era tombs and the well-tended Suraj Kund park. Further afield, the Yamuna Expressway runs to Agra (a long but feasible day) and the Taj Mahal.

Guide

Eating Out

Ghaziabad's food scene is dominated by Punjabi and Mughlai food cooked for the office crowds. The most reliable hunting grounds are the old commercial areas around Turab Nagar and Navyug Market, and the malls of Indirapuram for sit-down chains.

Tundey Kababi, originally a Lucknow institution, has a branch on Hapur Road serving its signature galouti kebabs — slow-cooked minced mutton seasoned with over a hundred spices, eaten with thin sheermal bread.

Bikanervala at Shipra Mall is a long-established Indian-sweets-and-chaat chain. The Rajasthani thali is a good introduction; the gulab jamun and rasgulla are made in-house.

Pind Balluchi at Crossings Republik serves north-Indian-village food in a heavy, slightly kitsch dining hall. Sarson da saag and makki di roti in winter, butter chicken any time of year.

Street food: Around Turab Nagar in the evenings you will find aloo tikki chaat, dahi bhalle, kebab carts and good kulfi. Around Navyug Market, look out for chole bhature stalls that open early in the morning.

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Getting Around

Delhi Metro reaches the western side of the city — the Blue Line ends at Vaishali and Shaheed Sthal (New Bus Adda), the Red Line at Shaheed Sthal. The Rapid Rail (RRTS) has stations at Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar and Duhai.

Auto-rickshaws are everywhere and the standard mode of transport for short hops. Insist on the meter or agree the fare first — around 100 rupees from the railway station to Indirapuram.

Ola and Uber work in the city and are usually cheaper than the auto-rickshaws if you do not feel like haggling.

City buses run on most main roads but are crowded and the routes are hard to figure out as a visitor.

The roads are heavy with traffic at all hours; allow plenty of time for anything in the late afternoon.

Guide

Getting There

Ghaziabad is firmly inside the Delhi National Capital Region and most travellers arrive via Delhi.

By air: Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport is around 40 km southwest, an hour by car if traffic is moving and considerably longer if it is not. Most international flights arrive there. The new Jewar (Noida International) airport, southeast of the city, is closer and due to open commercial flights soon.

By rail: Ghaziabad Junction is on the Northern Railway's main line linking Delhi to Lucknow, Kanpur and Varanasi. Many trains stop here briefly, and from Delhi the local EMU service is the cheapest way to arrive (around 45 minutes).

By metro: The Delhi Metro Blue Line and Red Line both reach Ghaziabad. The new Rapid Rail (RRTS) between Delhi and Meerut also stops here.

By road: NH-9 (the Delhi-Meerut Expressway) cuts through the city and is the fastest road link to Delhi. NH-58 runs north to Meerut and the hills.

Guide

Things to Do

Ghaziabad is not a sightseeing city — most travellers use it as a base for Delhi rather than a destination. That said, a handful of parks, temples and historic spots make a reasonable half-day if you find yourself here with time to spare.