The Taj Mahal is open from sunrise to sunset every day except Friday, when it is closed to tourists. Foreign nationals pay a higher entry fee than Indian nationals, and entry to the mausoleum chamber itself costs a small supplement paid separately at the gate.
Last verified:
The facts
| Open | Sunrise to sunset, Saturday to Thursday |
|---|---|
| Closed | Every Friday, to tourists |
| Night viewing | Five nights a month around the full moon, booked separately |
| Foreign national ticket | {{TBC: confirm current ASI price and year}} |
| Indian national ticket | {{TBC: confirm current ASI price and year}} |
| Mausoleum supplement | {{TBC: confirm current supplement}} |
| How long to allow | Two to three hours, including security |
| Where to buy | ASI online portal, or included in a guided day trip |
Why the Friday closure catches people out
Agra is usually visited as a single day from Delhi or Jaipur, which means one shot at the monument. A Friday arrival with no plan B is the most common trip-planning mistake we see, and it is entirely avoidable — check the day of the week before you book anything else.
Sunrise, midday or sunset?
Sunrise is the quietest hour and the best light on the marble, which shifts from grey to pink to white in about forty minutes. Midday is hot, crowded and flat. Sunset is beautiful but busy, and the queue to leave is worse than the queue to enter. If your schedule allows only one, choose sunrise and accept the early start.
What we know from standing here
- The queue that matters is security, not the ticket window. At sunrise it moves fastest at the East gate, which most tour buses ignore in favour of the West.
- Your ticket is issued against your passport number and cannot be transferred to anyone else — which is why our Agra day trips use a 48-hour cancellation window rather than 24.
- December and January mornings in Agra are often thick with fog until around 09:00. The monument can be genuinely invisible at opening time, and no refund exists for weather.
Questions people ask
Is the Taj Mahal closed on Friday?
Yes. It is closed to tourists every Friday for prayers at the mosque within the complex. Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri and the other Agra monuments stay open, so a Friday in Agra is not wasted — it is simply not a Taj Mahal day.
What time does the Taj Mahal open?
Thirty minutes before sunrise, which moves through the year — roughly 06:00 in summer and 06:45 in midwinter. The first forty minutes after opening are quieter than the rest of the day combined.
Do I need my passport?
Yes. Tickets are issued against passport numbers for foreign nationals, and the passport is checked at the gate. Carry the physical passport, not a photocopy.
Can I buy tickets at the gate?
Counters exist, but queues at sunrise are long and cash handling is slow. Buying online in advance, or booking a tour that includes the ticket, saves the first hour of your day.
What is not allowed inside?
Tripods, drones, food, large bags and smoking materials are all refused at security. A phone, a small camera and a wallet pass without trouble. Drone photography over the Taj Mahal is illegal.
Is the mausoleum supplement worth paying?
Once, yes. It is a short walk through a dark, crowded interior to see the cenotaphs. The building's exterior and the gardens are why people come; the chamber is a footnote you may as well tick off.
