Jaipur to Udaipur for International Travellers: Train, Car or Flight?

Short answer: Jaipur to Udaipur is about 400 km (250 miles). The two easiest options for international visitors are a direct daytime train (7–7.5 hours, chair car, roughly US$7) or a private car with driver (6.5–7 hours non-stop, or a full day via Chittorgarh Fort). The Jaipur–Udaipur Vande Bharat was withdrawn in February 2026. Flights take about an hour but add airport time; buses are cheap but rarely worth it for first-time visitors.

How far is Udaipur from Jaipur, and how long does it take?

By road the shortest practical route is about 393 km: Jaipur, Kishangarh, Ajmer bypass, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, then NH48 into Udaipur. Google Maps estimates 6 h 30 m to 7 h for that drive without stops; we plan 7.5 hours with a lunch break and tea stop. By rail the line is 430–435 km because it curves through Ajmer and Chittorgarh, which is why the trains take 7–8 hours. In the air it is just 320 km and about 1 h 15 m on an IndiGo ATR.

If you are coming into Jaipur from Delhi, our Delhi to Jaipur guide covers that first hop; this page picks up from Jaipur.

Jaipur to Udaipur at a glance: which option suits you?

Train times and fares: IRCTC timetable via ConfirmTkt, checked 23 October 2026. Flights: FlightsFrom, sample week 2–8 November 2026. US$ at ₹94.70 per US$ (USD/INR close 22 October 2026).

Is the train the best way from Jaipur to Udaipur?

For solo travellers and couples on a budget, yes. Three daily trains matter. The morning 20993 Jaipur–Udaipur Superfast leaves Jaipur Junction (JP) at 06:10 and reaches Udaipur City (UDZ) at 13:30, with a 10-minute halt at Ajmer at 08:10. It has chair car (CC), 3-tier AC (3A) and sleeper (SL). Book CC: it is an airline-style seat in an air-conditioned coach, and at about ₹635 (US$7) it is the best-value daylight ride in Rajasthan.

The afternoon 12992 Jaipur–Udaipur Superfast leaves at 14:10 and arrives at 21:48, with CC, 3A, 3E and 2S; useful for a last morning at Amber Fort, but you arrive late. The overnight 19665 Khajuraho–Udaipur Express leaves Jaipur at 22:50 and arrives at 06:55; it carries 1A, 2A, 3A, 3E and SL. It saves a hotel night but was already waitlisted in several classes when we checked, so book early.

One important change: the Jaipur–Udaipur Vande Bharat (20979/20980) that many older guides recommend no longer runs. North Western Railway withdrew it from 15 February 2026 because of low occupancy (Nativeplanet, 13 February 2026, confirming the railway announcement). Booking sites still show its timetable, so do not plan around it.

Foreign visitors need an IRCTC account verified with an international mobile number (one-off fee ₹100 plus GST), or we can book for you. The Foreign Tourist Quota covers only 1A, 2A and Executive Class, so it helps on the overnight train, not the chair-car day trains; for those, book early in the general quota. Our first-time India guide explains the process.

What is driving from Jaipur to Udaipur like?

The direct road is good: four-lane divided highway from Jaipur past Ajmer, then mostly four-lane via Bhilwara and Chittorgarh with short two-lane stretches through towns. Expect trucks, the occasional cow and tractors joining from side roads, which is why we recommend a car with a local driver rather than self-drive. A sedan is fine for two people with suitcases; for three or more, or if you plan the Kumbhalgarh detour on hill roads, ask for an SUV such as an Innova.

Non-stop, a sedan does it in 6.5–7 hours. The real reason to drive is what lies on or near the road: three detours, each making a different kind of day.

Route A: via Chittorgarh Fort (our usual recommendation)

Chittorgarh sits almost exactly on the direct route, about 115 km before Udaipur. Its hilltop fort is the largest in India, around 700 acres inside a 13 km wall, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Hill Forts of Rajasthan. Highlights are the Vijay Stambh (Tower of Victory), Rana Kumbha Palace, Padmini Palace and the Kirti Stambh. Allow 2–3 hours with a guide. The fort opens around sunrise and the ASI ticket counter runs roughly 09:00–17:00 (opening hours quoted by Outlook Traveller, April 2024; confirm locally). The foreign-visitor ticket is about ₹300 (US$3) under ASI’s Category B rate; a draft ASI notification of 8 September 2026 proposes moving Chittorgarh and Kumbhalgarh into Category A, which would raise it, so check the gate price.

A typical day: leave Jaipur at 07:30, reach Chittorgarh about 11:30, fort until 14:30 with a late lunch in town, arrive Udaipur around 17:00 in time for sunset over Lake Pichola.

Route B: via Pushkar and Ajmer

Pushkar is only 150 km from Jaipur, so it works as a stop on the way out. Spend 1.5 hours around the lake ghats and the Brahma temple, then continue 280 km south via Beawar and Bhilwara. If you are travelling between 10 and 26 November 2026 the Pushkar Mela fills the town; the main tourist programme runs 17–24 November and the holy dip is on Kartik Purnima, 24 November 2026 (Ajmer district schedule released 7 October 2026). Hotels in Pushkar sell out for those dates; plan an overnight there and drive to Udaipur the next day.

Route C: via Kumbhalgarh and Ranakpur (two days)

This is the prettiest way in. Head south-west through Ajmer and Beawar into the Aravalli hills to Kumbhalgarh (about 345 km from Jaipur, 7 hours), whose 36 km wall is one of the longest continuous walls in the world. Sleep near the fort. Next morning, drive 50 km on a winding hill road to Ranakpur, where the 15th-century marble Jain temple with 1,444 carved pillars is open to tourists from 12:00 to 17:00 (cover shoulders and knees, leave leather outside). From Ranakpur it is about 95 km and 2 hours to Udaipur. This is the version we build into our Rajasthan itineraries when guests have ten days or more.

Is flying from Jaipur to Udaipur worth it?

Only when time is the constraint. IndiGo is the only airline on the route, with two daily ATR 72 turboprops; in the sample week we checked, departures were 11:00 and 16:55 (FlightsFrom, week of 2–8 November 2026). Block time is 1 h 15 m. Add 90 minutes at Jaipur airport, 25 minutes from the old city to the airport, and 22 km (40 minutes) from Udaipur’s Maharana Pratap Airport at Dabok into town, and you are at 3.5–4 hours door to door, with no fort and no scenery. Fares are usually in the US$50–90 range one way when booked a few weeks out, more at Christmas and New Year.

Flying makes sense if you are leaving Udaipur by air anyway, or if someone in your group cannot sit for seven hours. Otherwise take the train or the Chittorgarh drive.

Should you take the bus from Jaipur to Udaipur?

Buses leave from Sindhi Camp in Jaipur through the day and overnight; Rajasthan Roadways (RSRTC) runs AC and non-AC services and private operators run Volvo and sleeper coaches, arriving at Udaipur’s Udiapole bus stand near the old city. Journey time is 7–8 hours and fares are roughly US$6–15. The downsides: roadside drop-offs at odd hours, luggage in a hold you cannot see, and booking sites that reject foreign cards or need an Indian mobile number for the OTP. If trains are full and you do not want a car, an RSRTC AC seat booked through your hotel is the fallback.

A suggested two-day plan from Jaipur to Udaipur

1. Day 1 – Jaipur to Chittorgarh to Udaipur by car. 07:30 depart; 11:30 Chittorgarh Fort with a guide; 14:00 lunch in Chittorgarh town; 17:00 check in at Udaipur; 18:00 sunset boat on Lake Pichola from Rameshwar Ghat (boat timings change seasonally; confirm on arrival).
2. Day 2 – Udaipur. City Palace at opening time (09:30) before coach groups, Jagdish Temple, lunch by the lake, afternoon at Saheliyon ki Bari and the Monsoon Palace (Sajjangarh) for sunset.
3. Optional Day 3 – Kumbhalgarh and Ranakpur as a day trip from Udaipur. About 250 km round trip and 10 hours; better as the two-day arrival route above if you can spare the night.

Travellers who want the classic shorter circuit can see our Golden Triangle tour and then add Udaipur as an extension, and our two-week India itinerary shows where it fits in a longer trip.

When is the best time to travel from Jaipur to Udaipur?

October to March. Udaipur’s average daytime highs are about 32 °C in October, 29 °C in November, 25 °C in December and January, and 26 °C in February, with cool nights of 9–14 °C in December and January (climate normals via Weather2Travel, checked 23 October 2026). Rain is negligible from October to May. April and May bring 36–38 °C afternoons; fort visits are hard work after 11:00. The monsoon from late June to September turns the Aravallis green and fills the lakes; trains and roads run normally.

Book early for Diwali week, the Pushkar Mela (10–26 November 2026) and 20 December to 5 January, when overnight 2A berths and lake-facing hotels go first. Our best time to visit India guide covers the wider calendar, and the e-visa guide explains entry requirements before you book anything.

Frequently asked questions

How far is Udaipur from Jaipur?

About 393 km by the direct road through Ajmer, Bhilwara and Chittorgarh, which takes 6.5–7 hours without stops. The rail distance is 430–435 km, so trains take 7–8 hours. The flight covers about 320 km in 1 h 15 m. Longer scenic routes via Pushkar or via Kumbhalgarh and Ranakpur add 50–100 km and are best spread over two days.

Is there still a Vande Bharat from Jaipur to Udaipur?

No. Trains 20979/20980, the Udaipur–Jaipur Vande Bharat, were withdrawn from 15 February 2026 because of low occupancy, according to North Western Railway announcements reported on 13 February 2026. Booking apps may still display the old timetable. Use the 06:10 train 20993 or the 14:10 train 12992 for a daytime journey instead, both of which have air-conditioned chair car.

Which train class should foreigners book from Jaipur to Udaipur?

For the day trains, book CC (air-conditioned chair car) at about ₹635 (US$7). For the overnight 19665, book 2A (two-tier AC, about ₹1,040 / US$11) or 1A if available; 2A has curtained bays and bedding and is the class most international visitors are comfortable in. Sleeper (SL) is non-AC and open; we do not suggest it for a first trip.

Is the Jaipur to Udaipur road safe to drive?

The road itself is good, mostly four-lane divided highway, and the journey is routine for local drivers. We advise against self-drive because of unpredictable traffic behaviour, animals and trucks, and because a driver lets you stop at Chittorgarh or Kumbhalgarh without worrying about parking or navigation. Travel in daylight; plan to be in Udaipur before dark, especially in winter when the sun sets before 18:00.

Can I visit Chittorgarh Fort on the way from Jaipur to Udaipur?

Yes, and it is the best reason to drive. The fort is 115 km before Udaipur, directly on the route. Allow 2–3 hours plus the climb by car to the gates. Leave Jaipur by 08:00 to reach it before noon and still arrive in Udaipur by 17:00. Foreign-visitor tickets are around ₹300 (US$3); fees may change under ASI’s proposed 2026 revision, so confirm at the gate.

Is it better to fly or take the train from Jaipur to Udaipur?

Take the train unless you are short on time. The flight is 1 h 15 m but 3.5–4 hours door to door once airport time and the 22 km transfer from Udaipur airport are included, and it costs US$50–90 against about US$7 for a chair-car seat. Fly if you need the morning in Jaipur and the evening in Udaipur, or if you are continuing on by air from Udaipur anyway.