Rajiv Gandhi International Airport

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport is in Shamshabad, about 24 km (15 miles) south of Hyderabad. The PV Narasimha Rao Expressway and the Outer Ring Road link it with the city, and the drive to central areas, Banjara Hills or HITEC City usually takes 45 minutes to over an hour, depending on traffic and the time of day.

Yes. Rajiv Gandhi International Airport stands in Shamshabad, so many people call it Shamshabad Airport, RGIA or simply Hyderabad Airport. Its code is HYD. It has handled all of Hyderabad's scheduled passenger flights since it replaced Begumpet Airport, inside the city, in March 2008.

Hyderabad has one integrated terminal. Domestic flights use its eastern side and international flights its western side, each with its own check-in, security and arrivals. Both sides were expanded in 2023 and 2024, and Air India Express and IndiGo operate from both, depending on whether the flight is domestic or international.

The Outer Ring Road links the airport with HITEC City, Gachibowli and the Financial District, usually a drive of about 45 minutes to an hour. Pushpak Airport Liner buses serve the area, and taxis, app cabs and pre-booked cars go door to door, which is easier with luggage or late at night.

Yes. TGSRTC runs air-conditioned Pushpak Airport Liner buses from the terminal forecourt to areas across Hyderabad and Secunderabad, including HITEC City, Gachibowli and the city center. It is the cheapest way into the city, but buses make several stops, so allow more time than by taxi.

No, not yet. Hyderabad Metro does not reach the airport. An airport metro line is part of the city's planned Phase II expansion, but until it opens, travelers use the Pushpak bus, taxis, app cabs or a pre-booked car to get between the airport and the city.

Prepaid taxis are booked at a kiosk in arrivals and board in parking Zone E. Radio taxis and car rentals board on the arrivals ramp, and the airport's premium taxi service, with sedans and SUVs, picks up from a bay in arrivals around the clock. Passenger Service Associates at the cab zones can help.

App cabs pick up in parking Zone D in front of the terminal. Uber uses Zones D1 and D2, Ola Zones D3 and D4, and Rapido Zones D6 and D7, according to the airport. Follow the signs from the arrivals exit, and check the car and driver details in the app before getting in.

No. Only ticketed passengers may enter terminals in India, so friends, family and drivers wait outside the arrivals exit. After baggage claim, and customs on international flights, walk out of the terminal to meet them on the arrivals ramp or in the parking zones in front of the building.

Most foreign visitors need an Indian visa or e-Visa, and Hyderabad accepts e-Visa arrivals. Foreign nationals, including OCI cardholders, must also complete India's online e-Arrival Card within 72 hours before landing, as paper arrival cards are no longer used. Check the visa rules for your nationality before you fly.

IndiGo flies the most routes from Hyderabad, across India and to the Gulf and Southeast Asia. Air India Express, SpiceJet, Akasa Air, Alliance Air, Star Air and Fly91 add domestic flights, while Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, British Airways, KLM and Cathay Pacific serve international routes.

Yes. Encalm runs lounges on both sides of the terminal: one on the domestic side near gate 21 and one on the international side near gate 23B, after security and duty free. Both are open 24 hours, with entry through eligible cards, lounge programs or a paid pass.

Hyderabad is on Indian Standard Time, UTC+5:30, all year. India does not use daylight saving time, so the gap to Europe and North America changes when those regions change their clocks. India uses the rupee, and ATMs and currency exchange counters are in the terminal.