Short answer: Jodhpur to Jaisalmer is about 285 km across the Thar Desert. A private car with a driver takes 4.5–5.5 hours on a flat, straight highway through Pokaran; reserved express trains take 5–6 hours, with five departures a day (the 04:00 and 06:10 trains arrive by midday). Buses take about as long. There is no direct flight.
Quick answer
- Best for most visitors: private car and driver, 4.5–5.5 hours door to door, or a full day with a stop at Osian’s temples or the Khichan cranes.
- Best train: 20492 at 06:10, arriving 11:50, in 2A or 3A air-conditioned class; or the 04:00 Swarn Nagari Express if you don’t mind an early start.
- Cheapest: sleeper-class train or a state or private bus, about 5–6 hours.
- Flight: none between the two cities.
- Stay: at least two nights in Jaisalmer, one in the fort area and one in a desert camp.
Plan this trip with a local operator. We build Rajasthan routes for international travellers with a private car and an English-speaking driver, so Jodhpur to Jaisalmer becomes a day with stops rather than a transfer: see our 12-day Rajasthan tour · WhatsApp +91 70874 88961 (WhatsApp works internationally) · info@suzutravels.com
How far is Jodhpur from Jaisalmer, and how long does it take?
The main road is about 285 km, running west from Jodhpur through Balesar and Shergarh to Pokaran, then on to Jaisalmer. Unlike the mountain roads in the north, this is desert driving: flat, long straight stretches and light traffic once you clear Jodhpur. A car averages 55–65 km an hour with a tea stop, so 4.5–5.5 hours is a fair plan.
The railway takes a more northerly line through Phalodi and is about 300 km. The reserved express trains do it in 5 to 6 hours, so train and car are close on time. The real difference is what you can do on the way, and how you get from the station to your hotel.
Jodhpur to Jaisalmer: which option should you choose?
| Option | Time | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private car + driver | 4.5–5.5 h direct; 7–9 h with Osian or Khichan | Couples, families, anyone with luggage or limited days; stops on the way | Costs more than the train; leave by 8 am in winter so you arrive in daylight |
| Train (2A/3A) | 5–6 h | Solo travellers and budget trips; arrive close to the fort | Popular trains sell out in December; early-morning departures; station-to-hotel transfer needed |
| Bus | About 5–6 h | The cheapest seat if trains are full | Fewer toilet stops, luggage in the hold, harder to choose seats |
| Flight | No direct flight | — | Jaisalmer’s seasonal flights come from Delhi, Mumbai and other metros, not Jodhpur |
Our view as a registered operator: if this is your first trip to Rajasthan and you are already using a car for Jaipur and Jodhpur, keep the same driver for Jaisalmer. You keep your luggage in one place, you can stop where you like, and the driver is waiting when you want to leave for Udaipur or Bikaner. If you are travelling light and independently, the morning train is comfortable and good value.
Which trains run from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer?
Seven trains run every day (counting the Corbett Park Link coaches that travel with the Ranikhet Express and the unreserved DEMU), plus an extra one on Saturdays. Most begin in Delhi, Ahmedabad (Sabarmati) or further away and call at Jodhpur Junction on the way west. Times below are from the etrain.info timetable (checked 26 October 2026), with the Swarn Nagari Express cross-checked on ConfirmTkt.
| Train | Dep. Jodhpur | Arr. Jaisalmer | Time | Runs | Classes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12249 Swarn Nagari SF Express (from Delhi) | 04:00 | 09:00 | 5 h 00 | Daily | 1A, 2A, 3A, SL |
| 20492 Sabarmati–Jaisalmer SF Express | 06:10 | 11:50 | 5 h 40 | Daily | 2A, 3A, SL |
| 20486 Sabarmati–Jaisalmer Express | 14:50 | 20:30 | 5 h 40 | Daily | 2A, 3A, SL |
| 15014 Ranikhet Express (from Kathgodam) | 17:00 | 23:00 | 6 h 00 | Daily | 1A, 2A, 3A, SL |
| 14087 Runicha Express (from Delhi) | 19:40 | 01:30 | 5 h 50 | Daily | 1A, 2A, 3A, SL |
| 22931 Bandra–Jaisalmer Express | 03:50 | 09:40 | 5 h 50 | Saturday | 1A, 2A, 3A, SL |
| 74844 Bhagat Ki Kothi–Jaisalmer DEMU | 14:00 | 20:45 | 6 h 45 | Daily | Unreserved only |
Which one to book:
- 20492 at 06:10 is the most useful for visitors: a reasonable start, a midday arrival and the afternoon to explore the fort.
- 12249 Swarn Nagari at 04:00 is the fastest at five hours and has first-class AC (1A), but means leaving your Jodhpur hotel at about 3:15 am.
- 20486 at 14:50 works if you want a morning at Mehrangarh Fort first; you arrive in Jaisalmer at 20:30, after dark.
- Avoid the 17:00 and 19:40 trains unless your hotel will hold a late check-in; they arrive at 23:00 and 01:30.
Book on the IRCTC website or app, which accepts international cards and foreign mobile numbers after registration, or ask your operator to book for you. If AC classes are new to you, our guide to Indian train classes explains 1A, 2A, 3A and sleeper. Timetables change from time to time, so check the train number on IRCTC before you travel.
What is the drive from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer like?
It is one of India’s easier long drives. After the Jodhpur suburbs, the road crosses open scrub and sand with villages every 20–30 km, roadside dhabas (simple highway restaurants) for chai, and herds of goats and the occasional camel cart. There are no mountain passes and no monsoon landslides to worry about, and the light in the late afternoon is spectacular.
Practical points for international travellers:
- Leave by 8 am in winter. Sunset in Jaisalmer is around 6 pm in December, and you don’t want the last hour in the dark on a two-lane desert road with trucks.
- Toilets: plan the stop. Pokaran and the larger dhabas have the cleanest facilities.
- Heat: from April to June the desert passes 40°C by midday; travel early and carry water.
- Tipping: a small daily tip for a good driver is customary; see our tipping guide for amounts.
What can you see on the way?
Three stops turn a transfer into a good day. They are on two different roads, so pick one route.
Osian: temples on the northern route
About 65 km north-west of Jodhpur, Osian has a cluster of Hindu and Jain temples built between the 8th and 11th centuries, including the hilltop Sachiya Mata temple and the Mahavira Jain temple. Allow 1–1.5 hours. Taking this route via Osian and Phalodi adds roughly an hour of driving compared with the direct road.
Khichan: the demoiselle cranes (about September to March)
Near Phalodi, the village of Khichan feeds thousands of demoiselle cranes that fly in from Central Asia for the winter. The villagers scatter grain at a feeding ground called the chugga ghar each morning, which is when the birds come in. The wetland was designated a Ramsar site on 19 February 2025, and the Ramsar listing records more than 22,000 cranes a year. Go early in the morning; it is one of the most memorable wildlife sights in Rajasthan.
Pokaran and Ramdevra
Pokaran, roughly two-thirds of the way to Jaisalmer, has a red sandstone fort with a small museum and is the natural lunch stop. India’s 1974 and 1998 nuclear tests took place in the desert nearby, which is why the name is familiar. A short detour leads to Ramdevra, the temple of the folk saint Baba Ramdev; avoid it during the late-summer Ramdevra fair, when the roads fill with pilgrims.
How many days do you need in Jaisalmer?
Two nights is the minimum we suggest, three if you want a slow pace. Spend the first night in or near the fort for Jaisalmer Fort, the Patwon ki Haveli and sunrise at Gadisar Lake, and the second in a desert camp at Sam or Khuri. Note the rule that changed this season: since 13 October 2026 the Sam and Kanoi dunes are closed to tourists after sunset, so camel and jeep rides end at dusk and the evening programme happens inside the camp. Our guide to the new dune rules and our Sam vs Khuri camp comparison explain how to choose.
December and January are peak months, with comfortable days in the mid-20s °C and cold nights; see Jaisalmer in December for weather and Christmas-week booking advice. If you are building a longer loop, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Udaipur is the classic route, and our Jaipur to Udaipur guide covers the next leg south.
What this means for your trip
- Jodhpur to Jaisalmer is a half-day leg, not an overnight journey: plan to arrive in the afternoon.
- Choose the car if you want Osian or the cranes; choose the 06:10 train if you are travelling light.
- In December, book trains and desert camps several weeks ahead.
- Coming from Delhi? The overnight Swarn Nagari and Runicha Express trains run all the way, or start with our Delhi to Jaipur guide and work west.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the train from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer?
Five to six hours on the reserved express trains. The fastest, the overnight Swarn Nagari Express (12249), leaves Jodhpur at 04:00 and reaches Jaisalmer at 09:00. The 06:10 Sabarmati–Jaisalmer Superfast arrives at 11:50. The unreserved DEMU takes almost seven hours.
Is it better to go from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer by train or car?
By car if you want stops and door-to-door comfort: about 285 km and 4.5–5.5 hours, with the option of Osian, Khichan or Pokaran on the way. By train if you are travelling light and want the cheapest comfortable option; book 2A or 3A air-conditioned berths.
How far is Jodhpur from Jaisalmer?
About 285 km by the main road through Balesar and Pokaran, and roughly 300 km by rail through Phalodi. The road is flat, mostly straight two- and four-lane highway across the Thar Desert.
Can I fly from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer?
No. There is no scheduled flight between the two cities. Jaisalmer airport has seasonal winter flights from cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, and its 2025–26 winter schedule ended in late March 2026; check current flights before you plan around them.
Is there anything worth seeing between Jodhpur and Jaisalmer?
Yes. Osian has 8th–11th century Hindu and Jain temples about 65 km from Jodhpur; Khichan, near Phalodi, hosts tens of thousands of wintering demoiselle cranes from about August/September to March; and Pokaran has a sandstone fort and the Ramdevra temple nearby.
How many days should I spend in Jaisalmer?
Two nights is the usual minimum: one in a fort-view hotel for the fort, havelis and Gadisar Lake, and one in a desert camp at Sam or Khuri. Since 13 October 2026 the Sam and Kanoi dunes close to tourists after sunset, so dune rides end at dusk.
Plan this trip with a local operator. Tell us your dates and we will plan Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Udaipur with one car and driver, desert-camp nights that follow the 2026 rules, and train tickets where they make sense: Rajasthan tour for international travellers · private car and driver · all India tours · WhatsApp +91 70874 88961 (WhatsApp works internationally) · info@suzutravels.com. Suzu Travels is an HP Tourism registered travel agent (Reg. No. DTO-MND-11-243/2022), operating since 2019.
Sources and dates: Jodhpur–Jaisalmer train times from the etrain.info timetable (checked 26 October 2026) and ConfirmTkt (12249, checked 26 October 2026); rail distance about 300 km per RailMitra; road distance 285 km and Pokaran route from Triveni Cabs and Suzu Travels’ own Rajasthan operations; Jaisalmer airport winter-season suspension from ETV Bharat (29 March 2026); Khichan Ramsar designation (19 February 2025) and crane numbers from the Ramsar Sites Information Service; Sam and Kanoi after-sunset closure from our 13 October 2026 coverage. Timetables and rules change; check before you travel.
