Amritsar

Departing from Birmingham Airport

You’ll find top notch facilities and excellent customer service when you fly from Birmingham Airport. With shops and restaurants, as well as a range of other amenities such as lounges and a prayer room, our international airport has everything you need before you fly.

If you fancy doing a bit of shopping before your flight, we’ve got lots of shops for you to browse. Head to World Duty Free for tax free prices. Boots has all your last-minute health and beauty essentials, and you’ll find everything electronic at InMotion. 

All that shopping might leave you feeling peckish, so we’ve got a selection of great cafés, bars and restaurants for you to enjoy. You’ll find all your favourite coffee shops like Costa and Caffé Nero, as well as sit-down meal options like Wetherspoon and Giraffe. Running a bit late? Grab something on the go for the plane: Pret a Manger has everything from sandwiches to soups and Wrapchic serve authentic Indian Grab & Go options

We’ve got four fantastic airport lounges, where, for a small fee, you can enjoy complimentary food and drinks, unlimited Wi-Fi and great runway views. Those travelling on business may wish to book into the Regus Express Lounge, which includes workstations (ThinkPods), comfy seating, laptop stands, secure Wi-Fi and printers and scanners.

The airport’s convenient location makes it easy to reach by every mode of transport. If you’re travelling to the airport by bus, you can be dropped off right at the terminal. Those travelling by train will disembark at Birmingham International train station. From there, there is free and frequent transport which takes you to the terminal in just two minutes.

Those driving will find a choice of car parks, which are all easily accessible from the terminal by foot or via a courtesy shuttle bus. Book a parking space online in advance and save up to 70%.

To find out about our other services, head to our terminal facilities page. Whether you like to get through the airport as quickly as possible or you enjoy browsing in the shops and having something to eat, check out our ‘Plan your Journey’ articles for the speedy and leisurely traveller.

Where currency is closed, visit one of our Travelex stores to learn more about the rules and regulations or ask for advice. You'll find one conveniently located in the Arrivals area of the terminal building.

Arriving at Amritsar Airport

Amritsar Raja Sansi International Airport is located approximately 11 km northwest of the city of Amritsar. To travel to the city centre from the airport, you can get a taxi or an auto rickshaw.

Taxis can be found outside the Arrivals Hall of the terminal building and they take about 30 minutes to reach the city centre. For a slightly quicker and more exciting ride (and if you don’t have too much luggage!), you can take a rickshaw to the city centre in around 20 minutes. 

Pre-book your transfer with HolidayTaxis and avoid the queues when you arrive.

What to expect in Amritsar

Amritsar is a beautiful blend of tradition, culture, history and food. Founded in 1577 by the fourth Sikh guru, Ram Das, the city is divided into two parts by the railway lines. It is now one of the Punjab’s largest cities and its Golden Temple attracts thousands of pilgrims each year.

The main language of Amritsar is Punjabi however, Hindi, Urdu and English are also spoken by some locals. Most hotels will have staff that speak English.

Amritsar experiences extreme temperatures in both winters and summers. The temperatures drop down in January and hover around 5°C while in the peak summer months of May and June, the temperature can be as high as 40°C.

Culture in Amritsar

The biggest attraction in Amritsar is the Golden Temple, one of India’s most spectacular and serene sights. Sitting on a rectangular platform, surrounded by a pool of water, the Golden Temple is the holiest shrine of the Sikh religion and rivals the Taj Mahal for its awe-inspiring appearance.

Whether it be socialising, prayer or festivals, everything in Amritsar revolves around food, and the rich cuisine is one of the biggest draws of the city. The rich and spicy non-vegetarian plates of Amritsar are teeming with healthy and tasty veg dishes. You will find kulcha sold all over the city; a type of mildly leavened flatbread similar to naan, which can be stuffed with fillings. Once you’ve demolished your kulcha, you should wash it down with a lassi, a traditional drink made from yogurt and water.

Due to soaring temperatures, Amritsar is usually avoided by tourists during the summer months. However, those interested in Amritsar’s culture may be intrigued by Baisakhi, the Sikh New Year Festival. One of the most important dates in the Sikh calendar, Baisakhi will keep you entertained with parades, traditional folk music, singing and dancing.