Distance and the road
Delhi is about 160 km from Mathura by Wikipedia and 180 km in our route table, which counts from the central city and the airport run. The road is the Yamuna Expressway or NH-19 through Faridabad and Palwal. Count three hours, and more for fog from December to January.
Many travellers also ask about the bus, since it is the cheapest choice for a single person. Roadways services leave regularly for Delhi, but they are slower than the train and are crowded at weekends, so we suggest them only when nothing else fits. Always check the final stop, since some stop at Kashmere Gate and others at Sarai Kale Khan.
Trains from Mathura Junction
These timings come from the erail listing we checked on 23 October 2026. There are close to a hundred trains listed between Mathura and Delhi, including slower express and passenger services that take up to four hours.
- Tejas Rajdhani 12953: leaves Mathura at 07:55, reaches Hazrat Nizamuddin at 09:43.
- Jan Shatabdi 12059: leaves at 10:15, reaches Nizamuddin at 12:10.
- Taj Express 12279: leaves at 19:05, arrives at New Delhi at 21:35.
- Shatabdi 12001: leaves at 22:01, arrives in the capital at 23:50.
Which Delhi station
New Delhi (NDLS) is central and close to the metro. Hazrat Nizamuddin (NZM) is nearer the southern side of the city. Pick by where you stay, not by the train name, and keep an hour spare for Delhi traffic after you arrive.
By cab
A cab leaves from your door and avoids the station crowd. It suits groups, elders and anyone with a flight. Delhi Airport is around 165 km from Mathura. Aim to leave five to six hours before an international flight and four before a domestic one.
Choosing between them
Take the train if you travel alone or in a pair, your stay is near Mathura Junction, and the timetable matches. Take the cab if you have luggage, children, a flight, or a need to start from Vrindavan. Our Delhi airport pages cover that run in detail.
Booking and boarding tips
Book trains on IRCTC as early as your date opens, and check whether your train departs from Mathura Junction or another halt. Carry an ID that matches your ticket. At the station, look at the platform board rather than rely on voices around you.
Allow thirty minutes for the station ride from Vrindavan or the city, and a quiet half hour on the platform. The cab, by contrast, can leave at the hour you like, which suits those who finish the morning aarti first.
Departure morning, calmly
Leaving by cab? Finish breakfast, check the room twice, and settle the driver's hour the night before. Fill water bottles and carry something light to eat, because the expressway has stops but they are not always clean.
Should you take the train, reach the station thirty minutes early, find your coach on the board, and keep the ticket and ID in an easy pocket. Either way, take a last look at the Yamuna before you leave. It is the river that belongs to every story you came for.
- Train days, timings and quotas on IRCTC.
- Fog advisories and Delhi traffic on your travel date.
- The exact road distance for your starting point in Delhi.
Dates checked: 2026-10-23