Short answer
The Taj Mahal opens about 40 minutes before sunrise and closes at sunset, and is closed every Friday. Tickets are ₹50 for Indian nationals, ₹540 for SAARC and BIMSTEC nationals and ₹1,100 for other foreign nationals, plus ₹200 for the separate ticket that allows you onto the main mausoleum plinth. The East Gate has the shortest sunrise queue; the South Gate does not open until 8 a.m.
Ticket prices, and the one most people miss
There are two tickets, not one. The entry ticket admits you to the complex and the gardens. A second ₹200 ticket admits you onto the raised marble plinth and into the mausoleum itself — and that is where most of the photographs you have seen were taken.
| Visitor | Entry ticket |
|---|---|
| Indian nationals | ₹50 |
| SAARC and BIMSTEC nationals | ₹540 |
| Other foreign nationals | ₹1,100 |
| Children under 15 | Free (ID may be asked for) |
| Mausoleum plinth, any nationality | ₹200 extra |
What time it really opens
Published hours are "sunrise to sunset", which in practice means the gates open roughly 40 minutes before sunrise — between 5:15 and 6:15 depending on the month — and close at sunset. There is no fixed clock time, and it moves through the year.
The gate opening is not the moment to arrive. Security, the bag check and the walk through the forecourt take time, and the light that is worth being there for lasts about forty minutes. Arriving as the gate opens means you are inside for it; arriving at the published sunrise time means you are queuing through it.
Friday, and the other closures
The complex is closed all day every Friday for prayers at the mosque inside, with no exceptions for ticket holders. Night viewing is a separate arrangement available on five nights around each full moon, with tickets sold in advance from the ASI office and no tripods permitted.
If your trip includes only one morning in Agra and it falls on a Friday, the practical options are Mehtab Bagh across the river, which looks directly at the monument, or Agra Fort, which has the view from Khas Mahal.
Which gate to use
Three gates serve the complex, and they are not interchangeable.
- East Gate — the shortest sunrise queue and the one to use if you are staying in Taj Ganj. Buy the ticket at the counter near Shilpgram, not at the gate itself
- West Gate — the busiest, with the longest queue by 7 a.m.; fine later in the day
- South Gate — the closest to the Taj Ganj hotels but it does not open until 8 a.m., which rules it out for sunrise
What security will not let through
There is a cloakroom at each gate, and it is free, but the queue for it at 6 a.m. is longer than the queue for security. Carry as little as you can.
- Tripods, drones and external flash — refused for visitors; only a permit holder may bring professional equipment
- Food, large bags, and anything sharp, including the tiny scissors on a penknife
- Books, notebooks and playing cards, oddly enough — leave them in the car
- A phone and one camera are fine, and a bottle of water is allowed
Questions we get asked
Can I buy Taj Mahal tickets online?
Yes, from the ASI’s own portal, and it saves the counter queue. Keep the QR code offline — the signal at the East Gate at 5:30 a.m. is unreliable.
How long is the ticket valid?
Three hours from entry. It is enough for an unhurried visit, and it is the reason a sunrise session is scheduled to finish before the main crowd arrives.
Is there a separate queue for foreign nationals?
Yes, at each gate, and it is usually faster. Ticket holders with the ₹1,100 ticket also get a bottle of water and shoe covers.
Do I need the ₹200 mausoleum ticket for photographs?
For photographs on the plinth, yes. Photography is not allowed inside the burial chamber itself under any ticket, but the plinth is where the architecture is at its best anyway.
