Season 1 · Leg 7
Let's Bike Around Ferrara and Ride a Rickshaw Through Old Delhi
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The route map
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Pins are approximate and show the on-the-ground route in Ferrara, Delhi and Agra. Download the KML for Google My Maps / Google Earth
Why go here?
This leg starts with a moated castle in a quiet Italian bike town and ends a few flights later in the busiest market lane in Old Delhi. That whiplash is exactly why I love it. One morning it's espresso and cobblestones, and the next it's chai, horns and a rickshaw driver who knows every shortcut.
Getting there: LA to Bologna, on to Delhi, home from Delhi
I checked SNA and LGB, but LAX had the fares.
| Flight | Fare | Source |
|---|---|---|
| LAX to Bologna | $284, British Airways | Kayak |
| Bologna to Delhi | about $322, ITA and Etihad | Google Flights |
| Delhi to LAX | $492 | Kayak |
Total cost for flights: about $1,098 per adult (fares seen Oct 2026; they change daily)
Where we're staying
- Hotel Principe, Modena. Rooms from €76, an easy train ride to Ferrara (Hotel Principe).
- Hotel Bright, Delhi. Family suites from ₹3,793 (Hotel Bright).
- Taj Khema, Agra. The teams' Pit Stop hotel, run by the state tourism board near the Taj's East Gate, about ₹1,800 a night (Hotels in Agra).
Total cost for 3 nights: about $73 per adult, two sharing (Principe €76 + Hotel Bright ₹3,793 + Taj Khema ₹1,800, about $144 total)
Stop 1: Castello Estense (the Fast Forward)
The Fast Forward was a row around the castle moat. We can't row it, but we can go inside. It's €12 (Castello Estense), with dungeons, frescoes and views from the towers.
Running cost: about $13 per adult
Stop 2: The Detour, Glide or Ride
Glide put teams in a glider over the countryside. Ride had them bike about 8 km to the station. I'd go Ride, because Ferrara is one of the best bike towns in Italy. Pirani e Bagni rents bikes for €7 a day (Ferrara in Bici). We'll ride the old city walls in a loop. If you want to Glide, call the Aeroclub Volovelistico Ferrarese and ask about intro flights.
Running cost: about $21 per adult
Stop 3: The Red Fort
After the flight, the teams' first Delhi clue was outside the Red Fort. Foreign visitors pay ₹600 in cash or ₹550 online, and it's open every day. Get there early, before the heat and the tour buses.
Running cost: about $27 per adult
Stop 4: Rickshaw through Chandni Chowk (Roadblock)
The Roadblock sent teams by cycle rickshaw into Chandni Chowk to find a shopkeeper. I'd book a food tour that includes the rickshaw ride. Explore Real India runs an Old Delhi food and culture tour for ₹3,999 (Explore Real India). Come hungry, and trust the guide on what's safe to eat.
Running cost: about $69 per adult
The Pit Stop: Taj Khema, Agra
The Gatimaan Express runs Delhi to Agra in about 100 minutes, at about ₹770–860 in chair car. It doesn't run on Fridays (Taj Mahal Day Tours). Taj Khema's lawns look straight at the Taj, so check in, find a spot on the grass, and watch it turn pink at sunset. That's where we'd meet Phil!
Running cost: about $78 per adult
Total cost of this leg for Pit Stop Passport racers: about $1,249 per adult (estimate, two adults sharing rooms: flights $1,098 + hotels $73 + activities and trains $78. It doesn't include the Bologna to Ferrara train, the India e-visa, meals or tips. Prices checked Oct 2026, at €1 ≈ $1.12 and $1 ≈ ₹94.94, and they will change.)
Family Pit Crew
Ferrara is a dream with kids, flat and car-light. Delhi is a lot more intense, so I'd keep the days short and plan around a pool.
Age rules, stop by stop
| Stop | What the rules say |
|---|---|
| Castello Estense | Free under 11 (Castello Estense). |
| Bike rental | €7 a day (Ferrara in Bici). Ask about child seats and kid-size bikes when you book. |
| Red Fort | Free under 15. |
| Old Delhi food tour | Explore Real India welcomes ages 2–80 (Explore Real India). |
What I'd skip with kids. I'd skip the glider, and I'd skip Chandni Chowk at peak evening rush with little ones. A morning food tour is calmer and just as tasty.
Family-friendly places to stay
- Hotel Bright, Delhi. Family suites from ₹3,793 (Hotel Bright).
- The Imperial, Delhi (splurge). A grand old hotel in the center, from about $209.
- Taj Khema, Agra (budget pick). About ₹1,000–1,800 a night, right by the Taj (Hotels in Agra).
Total cost for the Family Pit Crew: about $4,811 (estimate for two adults and two kids under 11: four sets of flights at $1,098 with kids at the adult fare = $4,392; Hotel Principe = about $85; Castello for two adults = about $27, kids free; bikes for four = about $31; Red Fort for two adults = about $13, kids free; food tour for four = about $168; Hotel Bright = about $40; Gatimaan for four = about $36; Taj Khema = about $19. It excludes visas, meals and tips. Prices checked Oct 2026.)