Gurugram



Gurugram, formerly known as Gurgaon (गुड़गांव), is a suburban city of India's capital Delhi, just outside the National Capital Territory, in the state of Haryana.

Understand
Not long ago a sleepy suburb of Delhi, Gurugram now boasts over a million inhabitants, slick office complexes housing companies ranging from Accenture to Xerox, and more shopping malls per square mile than anywhere else in India. Alas, the infrastructure is still struggling to catch up with the boom and there's plenty of dust and traffic jams, but it's still an exhilarating glimpse into the India of the future.

Climate
Gurugram has the typical north Indian climate, almost the same as that of Delhi: expect cold, foggy winters, drenching monsoons and scorching hot, dusty summers. Winter runs from early November till mid-February; usually January is the coldest month. In winters, temperatures may even drop to 2 °C. Fog on winter nights can last up to 7 hours. In March and April the temperature is pleasant. The summer starts in May and goes till July, with temperatures exceeding 40 °C at times. The heat is broken by the monsoon in mid-July, which pours rain until mid-September.

By plane
Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport is just across the border of Gurugram, making it easily accessible for recreational and business travellers.

By train
The northeastern part of Gurugram is served by the Yellow Line of the Delhi Metro, which runs from NH-8's IFFCO Chowk crossing along MG Road over the border towards Qutub Minar, Saket and straight to Connaught Place. Travel time is about 50 minutes, with tickets ₹25 one way.

Gurugram also has a small rail station on the Delhi-Jaipur railway line, but it only receives about five trains a day. The station is near The colony bhim Garh Kheri Part 2.

By bus
DTC and Haryana Roadways buses runs down National Highway 8 in Delhi. Buses to Gurugram can be best boarded at Dhaula Kuan (on the Inner Ring Road). Alternatively, there is a small dedicated Gurugram-bound bus terminal at Karol Bagh near the unmissable 100-foot Hanuman statue, a five-minute walk west of Jhandewala Metro station or a short cycle rickshaw ride (₹10) from Karol Bagh metro station. Buses cost ₹22 one-way.

Also Haryana Roadways, Mewat and Kamal (Private buses) runs from Sarai Kale Khan to Gurugram Bus Stand whole day. Also there is frequent service of DTC buses between Gurugram Bus Stand to Badarpur Border via Mehrauli and Khanpur.

By road
National Highway 8, now an eight-lane expressway, connects Delhi to Gurugram and Jaipur. Travel time is under 30 minutes in optimal conditions, but is regularly jammed during peak hours. The road is additionally still victim to water logging in heavy monsoon rains.

Get around
The Rapid Metro Gurugram connects Delhi Metro's Sikanderpur station with the "Cyber City" office district to the north, and Golf Course Road to the south. Trains run every 6 minutes or so, the fare is reasonable (usually below ₹35) and you can use Delhi Metro's smart cards.

Starting from the bus stop "IIT Gate" south of the IIT flyover of the Outer Ring Road in Delhi you can get all day and night (because of 24-hr service for call centres) jeeps and cars with yellow plates carrying you for ₹10 (Aug 2007) to places like the Bristol hotel or the IFFCO chowk. Sitting in these cabs at peak times means to use the normal back bench of a car with 3 to 4 other people and without AC, but at off times you travel in the comfort of a taxi for only ₹10!

Other than that, the main option is cycle rickshaws, who are notoriously mercenary. The fare is supposed to be around ₹20 per head for a distance of 1.5-2 km, but it's not unheard of to be asked for 10 times this amount.

There are some intercity mini-buses which go from Gurugram Bus Stand (near Police Lines) to Mall region and ahead on the MG (Mehrauli-Gurugram) road, which costs ₹20 per head. Ladies don't need to worry about traveling in these buses as more often than not, the conductor ensures that the lady gets a seat.

Taxis and rental cars are available online. Popular mobile app based aggregators like Uber and Ola are also plentiful and usually work out cheaper.

Do
See movies



Other activities



Buy
Shopping malls abound in Gurugram, mostly along the central thoroughfare of Mehrauli-Gurugram (MG) Road. The best way to get there is via private mini-buses from Gurugram Bus-stand near Jain Temple and say "Mall". A one-way ticket costs ₹5.



Splurge

 * K2, MGF Plaza 3F, MG Road, . The two K's stand for "Korea" and "Karaoke", the mainstays of this hip red-and-black Korean-run restaurant-lounge. Catering largely to Delhi's small Korean expat community, the food is authentic (they even have beef!). ₹300-500.
 * K2, MGF Plaza 3F, MG Road, . The two K's stand for "Korea" and "Karaoke", the mainstays of this hip red-and-black Korean-run restaurant-lounge. Catering largely to Delhi's small Korean expat community, the food is authentic (they even have beef!). ₹300-500.

Drink
Most of Gurugram's nightlife spots are tucked away &mdash; where else? &mdash; on the top floors of malls.



Sleep
Demand far outstrips supply in Gurugram and prices are terribly inflated; it's hard to find any halfway decent bed for the night for under ₹14,000. If comparing prices in Gurugram and Delhi, remember that Delhi hotels charge tax on the rack rate, while Haryana (Gurugram) hotels don't.

Splurge


Manesar



Go next

 * Delhi - just a short hop away
 * Jaipur - Rajasthan's fabled "pink city", a 5-hour drive down NH-8
 * Noida - Another rapidly developing city in the National Capital Region, around 1½ hour drive from here.