Full Day Jaipur (Pink City) Tour from Delhi by Express Train

It was very difficult to organise train tickets yourself online so I went with Viator. Agra Trip (the tour company) got in touch promptly with travel arrangements. Everything from drivers in Delhi and Jaipur to train ticket booking was well-organised and they were quick in responding to enquiries via WhatsApp. I like the on-time pick-up and you get delivered to your seat, which is essential in India (esp. for solo woman travellers). The rather rudimentary guided tour only consists of three sights: Amber Fort, City Palace and Observatory. The Pink City was a "drive-by" and the Water & Wind Palaces are only 'stop and take picture' jobs. Ask to skip the long shopping breaks (which local guides do for a commission) to concentrate on the sights. The advertised elephant ride didn't happen. I was only told on the day that it finishes at 11am. Why is it even in the itinerary when they know that the train doesn't arrive much before that? Given this is one of the most famous and unique features of Jaipur tours, failure to deliver this essential part should be a cause for partial refund. My return train was delayed by 1hr45m. Agra Trip did not have any contingency plans. Rather than sharing the cost, I was told to pay for a car if I wanted alternative transport (to Delhi and for the guide to return to Jaipur for safety reasons). I took the train in the end but at least the Delhi driver waited so I was driven home safely.

I received the travel information (Car Nr., Driver Name, Driver contact Nr.) before the trip from the tour organizer. Additionally, I have got the train tickets (from Delhi to Jaipur and from Jaipur to Delhi) as PDF Document. It was not necessary to print out the tickets. Only my name was asked. The driver picked me up from Hotel on time. In Jaipur the local driver was waiting for me at outside at the railway station exit. The driver and the guide in Jaipur were very helpful. The tour guide explained everything very well in English. I got a lot of background information and historical facts. The tour guide made very good photos. I was concerned in Delhi at the railway station because we had not been told where the driver would be picking me up. However, the tour organizer and driver called me, and I had the phone number of the driver. At the end, the driver has found me. The exact pick-up point in Delhi should be exactly fixed. It was long, but a very nice day in Jaipur.

The driver picked us up at the hotel promptly. He delivered us to our seats on the train, which helped greatly since the train station was unfamiliar to us. In Jaipur, the local guide was not waiting for us on the platform, and we didn't know what to do, so we waited. Shortly thereafter, he rushed up and said he had been waiting outside. Once connected, he was very knowledgeable and we enjoyed his detailed information, and the various stops he and the driver made. At the end of the day I was concerned because he wasn't sure whën our train was leaving, and my phone battery was running low. He took us to the train, and was willing to escort us to our seats, although he said it was not part of his job. On the way back to Delhi, I was very concerned because we had not been told where the driver would be picking us up. As it turned out, he was waiting on the platform at the exact stop where we disembarked from the train. I think Viator, should have told us exactly where the drivers were going to pick us up. Carrying a sign with our names on it, would have been reassuring.