Delhi Jn nearest metro station is Chandni Chowk on the Yellow Line. Its Gate 3 is signposted “Delhi Railway Station” and brings you out within a few hundred metres of the 1903 red sandstone building at the front of Delhi Junction. Plenty of passengers never make it that far, though, because they’re at the wrong station. “Delhi Jn” printed on a ticket means Old Delhi railway station (code DLI). It is not New Delhi, Sarai Rohilla or Delhi Cantt, and those stations are 4 to 15 km apart. Many missed trains in Delhi start with that one mix-up, so check the code before you check the metro route.
Delhi Junction opened in 1864, making it the oldest railway station in the city. Around 250 trains start, end or stop here every day, and they run to Punjab, Jammu, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and further east. The station has two entrances: the grand front facing Chandni Chowk, and a plainer rear entrance facing Kashmere Gate. The metro station you should use depends on which one you head for.

| Detail | Information |
| “Delhi Jn” means | Delhi Junction, commonly called Old Delhi railway station |
| Station code | DLI |
| Nearest metro station | Chandni Chowk (Yellow Line) |
| Exit to use | Gate 3 (“Delhi Railway Station”) |
| Distance to the front entrance | About 200–400 m |
| Walking time | About 3–10 minutes, depending on crowds |
| Rear (Kashmere Gate side) entrance | Best reached from Kashmere Gate metro/ISBT by auto, about 1–1.5 km |
| Chandni Chowk metro platforms | Platform 1 towards Millennium City Centre Gurugram; Platform 2 towards Samaypur Badli |
| Other Chandni Chowk exits | Gate 1 (Town Hall), Gate 2 (Delhi Public Library, SP Mukherjee Marg), Gate 5 (Sis Ganj Sahib, Paranthe Wali Gali, Khari Baoli) |
| Railway platforms | 16 |
| Opened | 1864 (current building 1903) |
| Violet Line option | Lal Quila, about 1 km away |
| Time zone | IST, UTC+5:30 (no daylight saving) |
“Delhi Jn” on Your Ticket: Which Station Is It?
Delhi has several major railway stations, and their names and codes are easy to confuse:
| On your ticket | Station | Code | Nearest metro |
| Delhi Jn / Delhi | Delhi Junction (Old Delhi) | DLI | Chandni Chowk (Yellow) |
| New Delhi | New Delhi | NDLS | New Delhi (Yellow, Airport Express) |
| Delhi S Rohilla | Delhi Sarai Rohilla | DEE | Shastri Nagar (Red) |
| Delhi Cantt | Delhi Cantonment | DEC | Delhi Cantt (Pink), plus auto |
| H Nizamuddin | Hazrat Nizamuddin | NZM | Sarai Kale Khan–Nizamuddin (Pink) |
| Delhi Kishanganj | Delhi Kishanganj | DKZ | Shastri Nagar / Pratap Nagar area |
If your ticket shows DLI, you want Chandni Chowk metro. The difference matters in practice. Delhi Junction and New Delhi are only three metro stops apart, but in rush-hour traffic the same trip by road can take 30 to 40 minutes. If you realise you’re at the wrong station, the metro is the quickest way to fix it.
Front or Back: Two Entrances to Delhi Junction
The front (Chandni Chowk side). This is the famous red building with turrets and battlements, designed to echo the nearby Red Fort. It faces SP Mukherjee Marg and the edge of the Chandni Chowk market area. Chandni Chowk metro’s Gate 3 serves this side, and the walk is short. Depending on how you come out, part of the route may run through a pedestrian passage under the main road, which saves you crossing it among handcarts and rickshaws. The street-level stretch can be very crowded on weekday mornings, when the nearby wholesale markets open.
The rear (Kashmere Gate side). On the other side of the tracks, facing the Kashmere Gate market area, there’s a second entrance with its own ticket hall. It’s much plainer than the front, and many Delhi residents have never used it. The old Kodiya Pul footbridge also links the two sides. The rear entrance is the better choice if:
- You’re coming by interstate bus into Kashmere Gate ISBT.
- You’re on the Red Line or Violet Line, both of which meet the Yellow Line at Kashmere Gate.
- Your train is on a platform nearer the northern side of the station.
From Kashmere Gate metro, take an auto to the rear entrance. It’s about 1 to 1.5 km. With light bags, you can instead ride one stop south on the Yellow Line to Chandni Chowk and use Gate 3.
Chandni Chowk Metro: Finding Gate 3
Chandni Chowk is an underground Yellow Line station between Kashmere Gate (north) and Chawri Bazar (south). After the fare gates, follow the signs for Gate 3. If you’re heading into the market rather than to the station:
- Gate 1 leads to Town Hall and the Fatehpuri end of Chandni Chowk.
- Gate 2 leads to the Delhi Public Library and SP Mukherjee Marg.
- Gate 5 leads to Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib, Paranthe Wali Gali, Khari Baoli and Sadar Bazar.
Returning after a train journey, go into the metro through Gate 3 and choose Platform 1 for trains to New Delhi, Rajiv Chowk, INA, AIIMS, Hauz Khas and Gurugram, or Platform 2 for Kashmere Gate, Vishwavidyalaya and Samaypur Badli.
Arriving at Delhi Jn: Your First Hour in Old Delhi
For many travellers, Delhi Junction is where their visit to Delhi begins, and some of the city’s best-known sights are within walking distance:
- Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib and Paranthe Wali Gali are close to Chandni Chowk metro’s Gate 5.
- The Red Fort is at the eastern end of Chandni Chowk, about 1 to 1.5 km from the station. Lal Quila metro on the Violet Line is right next to it.
- Jama Masjid is a short cycle-rickshaw ride south of Chandni Chowk.
- Khari Baoli, Asia’s largest wholesale spice market, starts just west of the Fatehpuri end.
Leave heavy luggage at the station’s cloakroom before exploring. The lanes of Old Delhi are narrow and crowded, and dragging a suitcase through them is hard work.
Where the Yellow Line Takes You From Here
| Heading to | From Chandni Chowk | Approx. metro time |
| New Delhi Railway Station | Platform 1, 3 stops | About 5 min |
| Rajiv Chowk / Connaught Place | Platform 1, 3 stops | About 6–8 min |
| Kashmere Gate ISBT | Platform 2, 1 stop | About 3 min |
| Dilli Haat–INA / AIIMS | Platform 1, direct | About 15–20 min |
| Hauz Khas / Qutub Minar | Platform 1, direct | About 25–35 min |
| Gurugram | Platform 1, direct | About 55–60 min |
| IGI Airport (T3) | Platform 1 to New Delhi, then Airport Express | About 35–45 min |
| Noida / Vaishali | Platform 1 to Rajiv Chowk, then Blue Line | About 45–55 min |
| Hazrat Nizamuddin | Platform 1 to Dilli Haat–INA, then Pink Line | About 40 min |
Short trips such as Chandni Chowk to New Delhi or Kashmere Gate cost ₹11. Crossing the whole city costs ₹43 to ₹54 on weekdays, with lower fares on Sundays and national holidays.
Security Days: 15 August and 26 January
Delhi Junction is right next to the Red Fort, where the Independence Day ceremony is held every 15 August. In the days before and on the day itself:
- Roads around the Red Fort are closed to vehicles without passes, often from early morning until midday.
- DMRC restricts some gates at nearby stations. In August 2026, Lal Quila Gate 4 and specific gates at Jama Masjid, Delhi Gate and ITO were closed during rehearsals.
- Lal Quila station has also been closed completely at times for security reasons, so trains pass through without stopping.
On these days, Chandni Chowk metro is the most reliable way to reach Delhi Junction, because road access to the area is very limited. Allow extra time for the thorough security checks at metro entrances, and check DMRC’s updates before you set out. The Republic Day period in late January brings similar, though usually lighter, restrictions in central Delhi.
Quick Tips
- Match the code, not the name. DLI means Delhi Junction. If it says NDLS, go to New Delhi instead.
- Allow 40–45 minutes from reaching Chandni Chowk metro to your departure. The crowds in the forecourt and the security queue take more time than the metro ride.
- Early trains: Yellow Line trains at Chandni Chowk start at roughly 5:10–6:00 AM, depending on direction. For departures before about 6:30 AM, book a cab.
- Late arrivals: The last trains leave between about 11:20 PM and midnight. Trains that arrive late often reach Delhi Junction after the metro has closed.
- Licensed porters wear red shirts and brass badges. Agree on the fee before they lift your bags.
- Ignore anyone who says your train is cancelled and offers to take you somewhere else. Check the station’s display boards or NTES.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the nearest metro station to Delhi Jn?
Chandni Chowk on the Yellow Line, about 200–400 m from the front entrance.
Q. Which gate of Chandni Chowk metro goes to Delhi Junction?
Gate 3, signposted “Delhi Railway Station”.
Q. Is Delhi Jn the same as Old Delhi railway station?
Yes. Delhi Junction (DLI) is commonly called Old Delhi railway station.
Q. Is Delhi Jn the same as New Delhi railway station?
No. New Delhi (NDLS) is a separate station, three metro stops south on the Yellow Line.
Q. How do I reach the Kashmere Gate side of Delhi Junction?
Take the metro to Kashmere Gate and then an auto to the rear entrance, about 1–1.5 km away.
Q. How long does it take from Delhi Jn to New Delhi railway station by metro?
About 5 minutes on the Yellow Line from Chandni Chowk, three stops.
Q. Which metro station is closest to Delhi Jn for the Red Fort?
Lal Quila on the Violet Line is next to the Red Fort. From Delhi Junction, you can walk to it in about 15–20 minutes.
Q. What is the station code for Delhi Junction?
DLI.