India GO
Rashtrapati Bhavan, Delhi: how to visit
Rashtrapati Bhavan, the President of India's residence on Raisina Hill, is open to visitors only on booked circuits: the Main Building, the Museum, the Amrit Udyan gardens in season and the Saturday Change of Guard. Each costs ₹50 (the gardens are free), is booked online up to 7 days ahead, and none runs on Mondays or gazetted holidays.
Edwin Lutyens finished this 340-room residence on Raisina Hill in 1929, and it remains one of the largest homes of any head of state in the world. Today it is the President of India's house, so there is no wandering in: the interiors, the museum and the gardens are seen only on pre-booked circuit tours, ₹50, reserved online with a passport or ID, closed Mondays and gazetted holidays. The Change of Guard runs on Saturdays, also by prior registration. Book well before you arrive in Delhi.
The grandest building of imperial New Delhi, open only to those who book the circuit ahead
Can you visit Rashtrapati Bhavan?
Yes, but only on a booked visit. The President's Secretariat opens four circuits in Delhi: the Main Building, the Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum, Amrit Udyan (the gardens, seasonal) and the Change of Guard ceremony. Each is booked separately on the official portal, visit.rashtrapatibhavan.gov.in, up to 7 days in advance. There is no walk-in option, and the Secretariat can refuse or cancel a visit for security reasons; confirmed visitors are told by SMS and email.
All circuits are closed on Mondays and gazetted holidays, and on any other day the Secretariat notifies.
Timings and slots by circuit
| Circuit | Days | Time | Gate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Building | Tue–Sun | 7 slots, 09:30–16:30; entry closes 16:00 | Gate 38 |
| Museum | Tue–Sun | 5 slots, 09:30–17:00; entry closes 16:00 | Gate 30 |
| Amrit Udyan | Tue–Sun during Udyan Utsav (Feb–Mar, Aug–Sep) | 10:00–18:00; last entry 17:00 | Gate 35 |
| Change of Guard | Saturdays | 07:30–08:30 from 10 October 2026 | Gate 38 |
Main Building slots take 60 people each and Museum slots 250. The Change of Guard time comes from the newest notice on the booking portal; the Secretariat's FAQ page still gives the older 07:00 start. Only Phase I of the museum (the Stables) is open: Phase II (the Garages) has been closed to the public since 6 October 2025 until further notice.
Entry fee
For the Delhi circuits the charge is ₹50 per person, per circuit, the same for Indian and foreign visitors. Amrit Udyan is free, but it still needs an online booking. Children under 8 do not pay. Groups pay ₹1,200 for 30 people plus ₹50 for each extra person.
Payment is online only (UPI, debit or credit card, net banking), and it is non-refundable and non-transferable.
✅ Documents and rules
- Indian citizens: carry a valid photo ID.
- Foreign nationals: book with a photocopy of your passport and bring the original passport on the day.
- Arrive at the gate named for your circuit; parking is inside Gate 38 for the Main Building and the Change of Guard, and near Gate 30 for the Museum.
- Souvenirs are sold at two curio shops: near Reception in the Main Building and in the Museum.
What each circuit shows
Four separate visits, each with its own ticket and gate.
Main Building (Circuit 1)
The Forecourt and the state rooms: the Brahmaputra banquet hall, Ashok Mandap, Ganatantra Mandap, the Saraswati library, the Saryu and Satluj rooms, and two galleries, Janjatiya Darpan (tribal art) and Sutrakala Darpan (textiles).
Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum
Set in the old Clock Tower, Stables and Garages: art, heritage and the history of the presidency. Only the Stables (Phase I) are open at present.
Amrit Udyan
The President's gardens: the Long, Circular, Musical and Spiritual Gardens, a herbal garden and a tactile garden. QR codes on the plants give their names and descriptions. Open only during Udyan Utsav.
Change of Guard
A ceremony of about fifty minutes in the Forecourt: the band, the President's Bodyguard on horseback (the senior-most regiment of the Indian Army, raised in 1773), the handover between the old and new guard, and a closing equestrian display.
History of Rashtrapati Bhavan
The decision came at the Delhi Durbar of 12 December 1911, when the capital of British India was moved from Calcutta to Delhi. Edwin Lutyens planned the new city, and Raisina Hill won over the first choice, Kingsway Camp in the north, which lay too close to the Yamuna's floods. Building took more than seventeen years, slowed by the First World War; at the peak 23,000 labourers worked on the site. Viceroy Irwin moved into the Viceroy's House in April 1929.
The result is a four-storey, H-shaped house of some 340 rooms and about 200,000 square feet, built of pink and cream sandstone. After independence it became the residence and office of the President of India, which is why it is visited only on booked circuits.
When to go
For the gardens, the only option is Udyan Utsav, which the Secretariat runs in February–March and August–September. For the Main Building and Museum, any Tuesday to Sunday works; book as soon as your date opens, seven days ahead. The Change of Guard is a Saturday-morning plan: from 10 October 2026 it starts at 07:30.
❓ FAQ
Can we visit Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi?
Yes, on a pre-booked circuit: the Main Building, the Museum, Amrit Udyan (in season) or the Change of Guard. Book on visit.rashtrapatibhavan.gov.in up to 7 days ahead; there is no walk-in entry.
How much do tickets cost to visit Rashtrapati Bhavan?
₹50 per person for each Delhi circuit, for Indian and foreign visitors alike. Amrit Udyan is free with online booking, and children under 8 do not pay.
What are the Rashtrapati Bhavan timings?
Main Building: slots 09:30–16:30, entry until 16:00. Museum: 09:30–17:00, entry until 16:00. Closed on Mondays and gazetted holidays.
When is the Change of Guard at Rashtrapati Bhavan?
Every Saturday except gazetted holidays. From 10 October 2026 it runs 07:30–08:30; registration costs ₹50 and entry is through Gate 38.
Who lives in the 340 rooms of Rashtrapati Bhavan?
It is the official residence and office of the President of India; it was built as the Viceroy's House and first occupied in 1929.
What ID do foreigners need?
Book with a photocopy of your passport and carry the original passport on the day of the visit.