How to reach Udaipur: We tell you!

Udaipur is one of India’s grandest, most feted cities. It offers a heady mix of history and contemporary trends, and few cities can live up to this twin billing the way Udaipur does. So if you are planning a vacation to this historic place soon, this article is just for you.

Here’s a handy roundup of how to reach Udaipur using the most popular transport choices:

* By Air:

In our opinion, the best and fastest way to travel to Udaipur is by flying to the city. The city’s Maharana Pratap Airport receives several domestic flights every day from all the major cities of India.

However, Udaipur does not have an international airport or a separate terminal to receive international flights. So if you are flying in from a foreign country, your flight will land at Jaipur’s Terminal 1. From there, you can drive to Udaipur (about 393 km) or take a flight between the two cities.

You can find many domestic flights to Udaipur from cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and even other Rajasthani cities like Jodhpur and Jaipur.

Be sure to book your tickets keeping in mind that high rush in the tourist season from October to March will result in more expensive flight tickets. Book as soon as you can to avail of lower flight rates.

* By Road:

A lot of people prefer to drive to Udaipur, though this is best advised if you are coming in from neighbouring cities like Delhi, Ahmedabad and Agra. It can get a little tricky to work out how to reach Udaipur if you are travelling from far flung cities like Mumbai or Chennai.

We advise flying to Delhi, Agra or Jaipur from your hometown before driving to Udaipur. This will break your journey and help you save on time as well. You can also drive down from other Rajasthani cities like Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Bikaner and Jaipur. If you are driving to Udaipur or taking a bus, then you should note these distances and how to reach Udaipur as well:

From Agra: 637 km

From Delhi: 663 km

From Ahmedabad: 252 km

From Jodhpur: 266 km

From Bikaner: 507 km

From Jaipur: 405 km

There are several private and State Transport buses plying to and from the Udaipur bus stand daily, so figuring out how to reach Udaipur by bus is fairly simple. The bus stand is located in Udaipur city, and has buses plying to and from other parts of Rajasthan as well.

* By Rail:

Apart from flying, we recommend taking the train if you’re still figuring out how to reach Udaipur in less time.

Depending on which train you take – Express trains are the fastest – you will definitely make the journey faster as compared to the same distance being covered by bus or car.

Udaipur Railway station is also located in the heart of Udaipur city. It connects Udaipur with all the major train stations in the country, and has regular train services from around India.

You can also take a luxury train to Udaipur (the Palace On Wheels stops at Udaipur from Delhi) if you want a more memorable journey to your destination.

Things to do in Udaipur

Expect to see a lot of forts, gardens, museums, public squares, even a hill top observatory and a bunch of old stepwells in Jaipur. The city is steeped in history and the Government has taken pains to maintain most of its historical landmarks to this day. You should make a detailed itinerary of places to visit in Udaipur based on the season, number of days that you staying in the city, distances between your resort and the points you wish to see (and distances between different points, too), weather conditions, and so on.

Some important points to note before you set off for Udaipur

Now that you are planning an Udaipur vacation, we’ve listed a few helpful points that you should remember before you book your travel tickets and Udaipur resort: - The best time to visit Udaipur is after the monsoon season ends and before the winter sets in earnest. The weather patterns for Udaipur are similar to those for other Rajasthani cities like Jodhpur and Jaipur. So you might want to club these cities together during this time, instead of doing just a solo Udaipur leg.

- The ideal months to visit Udaipur are the end of October and up to early December. The weather is just gorgeous – expect the highest day time temperatures to reach about 27⁰C – and you can spend your entire day sightseeing without fearing a heat wave. However, this being a desert destination, you can expect the evening and night temperatures to go as low as 12⁰C in December. Do pack warm clothing like a jacket, or thermal innerwear, in case there is an unseasonal cold wave.

- If you are unsure about the climate at the time of your visit, you can check weather monitoring apps like Accuweather that gives future climatic trends like sunlight, visibility, precipation, sand storms, temperature variations, etc. on a day-wise basis. You can thus, plan your sightseeing and other activities much better.

- However, the tourist season in Udaipur is often its busiest. Expect the prominent landmarks like palaces and forts to be overrun by tourists. There are also long queues at places like ropeways and the popular temples are always quite crowded as well. So though it is the right time to be in the city and you also figure out how to reach Udaipur at the right time, you will have to navigate the rush and plan your itinerary accordingly. Here’s a tip: hire an Udaipur travel guide and leave for sightseeing at about 6 am, so that you can get a lot of spots covered in peace by lunch time.

- We’ve already mentioned that there is a high influx of domestic and international travellers during the tourist season. Just like how you’ve figured out why and how to reach Udaipur during this time, other visitors will also do the same as you to make the most of the season. So, book your travel tickets and accommodation as early as you can, to avoid last minute hassles and high rates. The closer you book flight tickets to your departure date, the more expensive they will be. Even private bus and some train tickets will either not be available, or be quite expensive.

- Here’s a good tip to get lower ticket prices: plan your Udaipur holiday during the off-season of monsoon or summer. Ticket prices are normally the lowest during the monsoon season spanning June to end of August. The rain falls in short but intense bursts. You might not like to walk on the streets which become quite muddy during this time. It is not possible to go boating or visit certain spots that might be closed during this time.

- There are less tourists footfalls in the summer season as well. However, dealing with the harsh weather conditions in this season is another ball game altogether. It is common to get intensely dehydrated and be felled by heat strokes during this time. Day time temperatures are normally about 42⁰C or higher. You might get sunburns and rashes, and gastric upsets are common especially if you drink unfiltered water to quench your constant thirst. Use a lot of sunscreen lotion all day, and avoid stepping out between the hours of 9 am to 5 pm.

- If you are driving down to Udaipur, do last-minute checks on your car. Get your car serviced and tyres replaced if they are old or bald. Meanwhile, check if your car insurance is valid and map your driving route using Google Maps or a physical map and marker. Be careful about having the air pressure in your tyres maintained at a steady 25 to 30 points especially when driving in the monsoon over uneven terrain.

- The best places to visit in Udaipur are those that match your interests. Be prepared to learn all about the origins of Udaipur and how it was an important political capital in the pre-Independence era. Apart from sightseeing, there are plenty of other things to do in Udaipur, like eat authentic local preparations, tank up on thick and sweet lassi, shop in the old markets and also enjoy Rajasthani folk performances in public squares (mostly during festive and tourist seasons).

- Book yourself into a reputed resort like Club Mahindra’s Kumbhalgarh resort, for the ultimate dose of luxury and every comfort you can imagine. It is important to have the assured comforts of a long shower, 24/7 service and cosy bed after a long day of sightseeing. The property also has an on-site restaurant that serves up many cuisines to your liking.

About Mahindra Holidays

Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Limited (MHRIL), India’s leading player in the leisure hospitality industry, offers quality family holidays as also stated by Club Mahindra Resort Reviews, primarily through vacation ownership memberships. While Club Mahindra is the flagship brand offering Club Mahindra Membership, the other brands offered by the company are – Club Mahindra Resorts Fundays and Svaastha Spa. As on Mar 31, 2019, MHRIL has 61+ resorts across India and abroad and its subsidiary, Holiday Club Resorts Oy, Finland, a leading vacation ownership company in Europe has 33 resorts across Finland, Sweden and Spain. Visit us at www.clubmahindra.com