India GODelhi or Hyderabad: Mughal capitals or the Nizams' city
Delhi or Hyderabad is a closer match than the distance suggests: both are old royal capitals with a modern city wrapped around them. Delhi stacks eight capitals on one plain and has three UNESCO sites in the guide. Hyderabad has the Nizams' old city, the Charminar and Golconda Fort on one side and the glass of HITEC City on the other. November to February suits both; in summer Hyderabad heats up a month earlier.
Delhi
Eight capitals stacked on one plain, and you can walk between them: a 12th-century victory tower, the Mughal tomb that taught the Taj its shape, colonial New Delhi's avenues, and the spice lanes of Chandni Chowk. Most trips to North India start here. Give it two days and it stops being just an airport.
📅 Best time: Oct & Feb–Mar
Hyderabad
The City of Pearls blends Nizami grandeur with a booming tech scene: the Charminar and old-city bazaars on one side, glassy HITEC City on the other, and the mighty Golconda Fort above. Pearls, palaces, and one of India's great old-and-new capitals.
📅 Best time: Nov–Feb
When to go
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Delhi | 🟢 20° | 🟩 24° | 🟩 30° | 🟢 36° | 🟧 40° | 🟧 39° | 🟢 36° | 🟢 34° | 🟢 34° | 🟩 33° | 🟢 28° | 🟢 23° |
| Hyderabad | 🟩 30° | 🟩 32° | 🟢 36° | 🟧 38° | 🟧 40° | 🟧 35° | 🟢 32° | 🟢 30° | 🟢 31° | 🟢 31° | 🟩 30° | 🟩 29° |
🟩 Best time · 🟢 Good time · 🟧 Better avoid. Figures are IMD daytime highs.
What the guide covers
| Delhi | Hyderabad | |
| Palaces & museums | 25 | 19 |
| Temples & shrines | 12 | 11 |
| Nature | 10 | 12 |
| Markets & shopping | 16 | 12 |
| Areas & streets | 5 | 3 |
| Other | 109 | 47 |
| Hotels | 14 | 13 |
Full guides, the map and festivals in India GO.
Open in India GOMughal north or the Nizams' Deccan: who each city suits
Delhi suits a trip through several dynasties in one city: a 12th-century victory tower, the Mughal Red Fort with the bazaars of Chandni Chowk below it, then the avenues of colonial New Delhi. The guide counts eight historical capitals and three UNESCO sites. See the Delhi page.
Hyderabad suits a trip about the old city and its food: the Charminar (built in 1591) and the bazaars around it, Golconda Fort above the city, and a table that runs from Irani chai with Osmania biscuits, salty-sweet shortbread named after the last Nizam, to qubani ka meetha, stewed apricots served with cream. Neither Charminar nor Golconda has a metro station of its own; the Green Line ends at MGBS, the closest the network gets to the old city, and a rickshaw does the rest.
Seasons
Delhi's hot season starts a month later than Hyderabad's: May and June are its months to avoid, with heatwaves above 45°C. Its best months are October, February and March. From November to January it is cool and dry, but smog can push the AQI past 450 and fog delays trains and flights.
Hyderabad, on the Deccan at 530 m, is best from November to February. Its avoid months start earlier, April to June, with heat of 44–45°C; July to October brings cloudbursts, short and very heavy downpours.
Both in one trip: February is among the best months in both cities. November to January works too, with Delhi's smog caveat.
Getting between Delhi and Hyderabad
Approximate fares, checked in August 2026.
Rajdhani
To Secunderabad in about 22 hours. Hyderabad's three stations are far apart: Secunderabad is the main one, Hyderabad Deccan (Nampally) is closest to the old city.
Flight
Hyderabad's airport (HYD) is 30 km south of the city, open round the clock and off the metro: Pushpak coaches ~₹100–300 or app cabs ~₹600–900, 45–75 minutes. At Delhi's DEL, 16 km from the centre, Uber and Ola pick up in the T3 car park by gates 5–6, ~₹400–700 outside surge hours.
Getting around and what it costs
Fares are approximate, checked in August 2026.
Delhi
The metro costs ~₹11–64 a ride, but the last trains go around 23:30 and the Airport Express starts at 04:45, so a very early flight means a cab. App cabs run all night, with a surcharge after midnight. Autos through an app start at ~₹30 plus ~₹11 a km.
Hyderabad
Three metro lines at ~₹10–60, 6:00–23:00; a ₹100 smart card takes 10% off every ride. Apps are strong and Rapido is usually the cheapest; a ~₹20 pickup surcharge is standard, not a scam. MMTS suburban trains cost ~₹5–11.
Languages
Delhi: Hindi, English, Punjabi and Urdu. Hyderabad: Telugu, Urdu, Hindi and English, so Urdu and Hindi appear on both lists.
❓ FAQ
Which city is bigger, Hyderabad or Delhi?
Delhi: about 33.8 million in the metro area, against 9.2 million for Hyderabad.
Which city is better to visit, Delhi or Hyderabad?
It depends on the criterion. Delhi has three UNESCO sites in the guide and eight historical capitals; Hyderabad's old city has the Charminar (1591) and Golconda Fort. By season, Hyderabad is best avoided from April to June and Delhi in May and June; both are good from November to February.
How long is the train from Delhi to Hyderabad?
About 22 hours on the Rajdhani to Secunderabad.
What languages are spoken in Delhi and Hyderabad?
Delhi: Hindi, English, Punjabi, Urdu. Hyderabad: Telugu, Urdu, Hindi, English.