Got courage to do this travel from an earlier post. Had planned to start early but the damned alarm didn’t go off as planned so slept till 7:00, left home around 7:45. We were 4 persons with 2 kids in the WagonR (Me, my wife and 2 kids aged 5 & 3, my younger brother and the driver).
Crossed Badarpur border in no time and was zooming thru as there was not much traffic on the road.
Decided to take some refreshment after Mathura. Be warned all dhaba walas on this stretch of road (Delhi-Agra) are looters. 5 rs per poori!!! 7 rs per tea!!!. We had a heavy breakfast here.
Anyway, crossed Agra around 12:30 and sped thru. Since it was festival time so policewalas on Agra Byepass were trying to earn that extra buck by stopping almost all cars with family having non-up registration number. To their disappointment they found all my papers in order.
The road is really very good, it was my first trip through this route, and I am happy and thankful to Ghumakkars who had posted their experience of this route earlier.
Since we had a heavy breakfast around 11:00 none of us were feeling hungry, and kids were fast asleep in the boot, so we pressed on. As we reached the outskirts of a small town called “Barrah”, 2 policemen stopped the traffic on both sides of the highway as it was the Barawafat procession which needed to cross the road. 40 minutes wasted. Once that hurdle crossed, we started again only to find one flat tyre, which replaced with the spare and in Barrah town we found a roadside Puncturewala who checked the flat tyre and said the tube is not usable and he sold us a brand new tube for 300 bucks. 30 minutes wasted here too.
A friend, who had taken this route earlier, had advised not to enter Kanpur city and take the Byepass (which is a 24 KM long flyover). We took that flyover, it was the longest flyover on which I have travelled so far.Entire Kanpur city is byepassed. One has to take a u turn at the end of flyover (you will find many signs warning and informing you about this U turn). Keep looking for the Chakeri U Turn signs, there are plenty you can’t miss them, if you missed that then you will be enroute to Allahabad.
After taking the U Turn, u will drive back below this flyover and reach a large crossing called “Rama Devi Crossing”, take a right turn from here and you are now enroute to Lucknow. It was on this road that we got stuck again in a traffic jam (again Barawafat procession crossing the road) for close to 2 hours. We were stuck in this traffic jam near Jajmau.
Once that traffic jam opened, we sped towards Lucknow. Roads till lucknow were really superb. The only problem was (as mentioned by other Ghumakkars) of people driving on the wrong side of the road. You will have to be very careful about that.
We reached Lucknow around 8 pm. Close to 12 hours.
Lucknow to Gorakhpur was highly troublesome as the roads are still under developments and there are lots of diversions, almost every 5 minutes you have to take a diversion.
The only good finding on this stretch was Hindustan Petroleum’s Filling Stations cum restaurents. Superb quality food, highly courteous staff, play area for smaller kids and reasonable prices.
Glad that Ghumakkar was of help.
When did you finally reach Gorakhpur ?
Reached Gorakhpur around 1:30 am.
I got the same plans….starting on 14th March 2011 …New Delhi to Gorakhpur via Agra/ Kanpur/ Lko / Gonda/ Balrampur (through Nepal side)….Will share experience shortly.
Please don’t go through Gonda take the faizabad -Ayodhya -basti- gorakhpur road instead, road is superb .
we did Gorakhpur-Delhi is just 12 hours recently .
On 1 Nov2012, I went till Kushinagar , and by road, due to plan finalise by Night , and only option remains to travel by own Car,It was first time ever Iam going on this route, so I decided to take small car, instide of SUV.
I Prefer maruti Alto.
I took very safe and clear route as resident of Noida, started at 10:40am from Noida to Greater noida express way, than to Yamunna express way towards Agra, road is fantastic, you can simply drive without changing gayer at 100kms to 120kms per hr, need to pay 300 rs as toll for yamuna express way.
This Yamuna express way meets NH-2 near to Tundla, and travel straight upto Kanpur, by evening 5:30 pm I crossed Kanpur,at Kanpur you have to leave NH-2 and divert to Lucknow,
Road is good and driving conditions are also good ,with some townarea local traffic.
From Kanpur to Lucknow its some what around 90km, road is four lane, however volume of traffic is also more.
In Lucknow we had dinner, it took easily 40 minutes to just cross lucknow at 8pm,
from lucknow take barabanki road which state goes to Gorakhpur via Fazabad- Ayodya,basti, Rood is very good and traffic is very less.
I reached Gorakhpur at around 12:30 mid night, and stayed at SBI guest house.
The trip meter of car is showing 850 kms, which I cover in approx-12:30 hrs with 4 or 5 breaks.
From Gorakhpur to Kushinagar it will take only 1:30 hr and road is good.
While returning , I want to explore NH-24 from Lucknow to Delhi, which was my mistake, Highway is very poor from Lucknow to Moradabad. Jams and railway crossing, It seems it will take another 4-5 Years to make your journey comfortable.
from Lucknow to Noida it took me 11 hours.
Thanks
Priyank
Hi Priyank
Thanks for posting your experience of both roads. You saved my time and efforts by posting this comment just in time as I was about to take NH-24 for my return journey.
One additional piece of Information. You can avoid Lucknow city traffic if you take the Faizabad Bypass Road (which is a new road) immediately after Lucknow Airport. Look for Faizabad Signboard on the right hand side (after Lucknow Road). It is a 24-25 Km stretch which connects you on Faizabad Road directly after Gomati Nagar.
Dear SHISHIR,
Thankyou for your Information & update.
Regards.
dosto agar Delhi se gonad jana he to bhul kar bhee Delhi to Aligarh Via Etah Nahi Jana yaha Par U.P Govt. ke Vikas Tasvir saaf Dikhage Road Me Ghade Nahi Ghado Me Road He Gadi Kharab Hone Ka Chanse Pura He Gaadi Ke Speed 20 Km Per Hour He Chal Shakti He
Hello everyone,
I found the blog very informative as I am planning a journey on the same destination in next month. The comments made by you all are also very good and will help fellow riders.
I need help from someone who had travelled recently (as in 2015). Kindly, share your experience, ride details, problem faced, stop points and places where you had food. It will be really useful for me.
Thanks in advance
Hi Ankit,
Now I take this route twice every year. The road condition is pretty good so riding experience overall remains good. The toll is excessive, it comes to somewhere around Rs.1.2/KM. I have not faced any problems on this road except that one time traffic jam around Kanpur.
The Yamuna Expressway Stop Points are good. Look for a larger Filling Station which may have toilets (hygiene and cleanliness not upto the mark). Plus there are numerous dhabas if you want to sample a cup of highway chai.
Either way, for lunch I prefer a restaurant on the highway called “Senger’s”. It is on your left hand side, 30 kms before Kanpur (if you are driving from Delhi Side). For Dinner, I make it to my destination well before Dinner Time, either way. Then there is a Dhaba near Ayodhya Chhawani which is always over crowded. Bharat Petroleum Dhabas are also neat and clean, one such is at a place called Mawai (It is on your left hand side, after Ram Sanehi Ghat, if you are going towards Faizabad).
Hope this helps you with your planning and all the best for your trip.
Thanks Shishir :) Your insights are very useful for me. Can you please quote the approximate travel / drive time.
I have planned out the journey stop points and want to share and discuss the same. Your help is highly appreciated.
Thanks
Hi Ankit,
Generally it takes me approx. 13 hours. I take 4 planned stops of 30 minutes at least.
1st stop on Yamuna Expressway (After 2nd toll plaza)
2nd stop After crossing Agra, on a highway Dhaba.
3rd stop at Senger’s Restaurant before Kanpur. This one takes more time, close to an hour or so.
4th Stop at BPCL, Mawai.
Overall 13 hours is inclusive of these stoppages. Unplanned stoppages may take more time.
Hope this helps.
Thanks, Shishir sir for your help. I there some way I can connect with you, just in case I face any problem.
Your help will be highly appreciated.
Thanks
Shishir sir, any last moment tips from your side?
Kindly, let me know about how can one drive on a prolonged basis ? Your way of doing it ? Or how one should plan for it ? How should one prepare himself for such a drive ?
Hi Ankit.
Drive comfortably. Do not overdo and do not overspeed. My experience of taking a break to stretch yourself after every 3 hours has been good. Take care of the Idiots who drive in the wrong carriageway. Also take care of people who popup suddenly on the divider to cross the road. Be alert. Good luck. Best wishes for your journey.