[Vipin Kumar]

Originally Posted by sam_sant2005

How is the road from Lucknow till Prayagraj?

Lucknow to Raibareilly (80 kms) is four laned, very good. Less traffic if you start early.

Raibareilly to Allahabad (120 kms) is single carriageway but smooth. Will face more traffic as you approach the Ganges near Allahabad. You have to cross the city via the Swaraj Bhawan Museum and the Allahabad University Senate Campus. But easy to sail through till Naini Bridge. Then onwards it is four lane to the border and Mangawan. It depends, you need not get truck traffic all the time.

Only the Rewa bypass is going through widening work. Yes, it may be a longish section but not 30 kms. I reached Rewa at 12.30 pm and proceeded to Maihar and Lakhnadon. Katni bypass is also undergoing widening. But not a serious issue to bother about.

[NowNew7]

Originally Posted by shantanumishra

Also, Nagpur - Jhansi - Kanpur stretch is longer, see if you can go via Jabalpur - Rewa - Allahabad, its shorter and very much possible to do in 1 day.

Correct, it is shorter by almost 200 Kms.

Originally Posted by shantanumishra

Yes, definitely better than Lucknow-Jhansi-Nagpur stretch, also shorter.

I agree for shorter however have a different opinion on overall quality and...

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

Raibareilly to Allahabad (120 kms) is single carriageway

...this part is what as encouraged me to always use the Nagpur-Jhansi-Kanpur-Lucknow route, the last time being a few months ago.

I am a great believer in driver comfort and getting 4 lane divided highway throughout till Kanpur, and with a slight stretch of imagination, (at least for the divided part if not the 4 lane) till Lucknow, despite some variance in surface quality, has made more sense for me and has proved to be less tiring than driving on single undivided sections.

Originally Posted by sam_sant2005

Upto around 90kms ahead of Jhansi was absolutely bad roads with full of deadly alloy breaker potholes.

This seems like a recent development. I didn't see it last time when I drove in May.

Originally Posted by sam_sant2005

Jhansi to Kanpur was ok'ish but still not as enjoyable as lets say a Hyd Telengana stretch.

Totally agree.

Originally Posted by sam_sant2005

Kanpur to Lucknow was PITA with lot of traffic, patchy roads.

Violently agree, and this being the last stretch before "home run" is doubly frustrating . Not sure if/when the Kanpur-LKO elevated highway would come to fruition.

Originally Posted by sam_sant2005

Those who have done this route multiple times, would return from Lucknow to Nagpur via Pragagraj and Jabalpur be better?

Have now done this route a dozen times now starting post COVID, including 3 non stop dashes, and always with a loaded vehicle (2019 Nexon/Diesel/AT) and a young child accompanying 2 adults.

My vote goes for the longer but more driver friendly Nagpur-Jhansi-Kanpur-Lucknow route.

[Vipin Kumar]

Originally Posted by NowNew7

Correct, it is shorter by almost 200 Kms.

I agree for shorter however have a different opinion on overall quality and...

I am a great believer in driver comfort and getting 4 lane divided highway throughout till Kanpur, and with a slight stretch of imagination, (at least for the divided part if not the 4 lane) till Lucknow, despite some variance in surface quality, has made more sense for me and has proved to be less tiring than driving on single undivided sections.

This seems like a recent development. I didn't see it last time when I drove in May.

Violently agree, and this being the last stretch before "home run" is doubly frustrating . Not sure if/when the Kanpur-LKO elevated highway would come to fruition.


My vote goes for the longer but more driver friendly Nagpur-Jhansi-Kanpur-Lucknow route.

The Jabalpur - Allahabad route to Lucknow is shorter only by 80 kms, not 200 kms.

In the Jhansi route, you have to cross Jhansi city (till at least any feasible bypass becomes possible). In the Allahabad route, you have to cross the city of Allahabad. Both are almost same in terms of the ease of crossing.

Lalitpur - Jhansi (100 kms) used to be always good, and even in April when I had taken this route. I don't know if NHAI did not do enough maintenance after rains.

In the Jhansi route, Jhansi to Pokhrayan is fine, but after you touch Kanpur Dehat/NH-2, traffic becomes maddening and haphazard in spite of six or even eight lines in some points. It is chaotic all the way till Unnao. In the Kanpur - Lucknow section, especially after evenings, you hardly get two full lanes in one direction. One lane is invariably used by trucks for parking. Considering this, the single carriageway from Allahabad to Raibareilly is okay. It does not have those old railway crossings at Kunda, Unchahar, etc anymore. Plus, it has the last 80 kms relatively relaxed in traffic till Lucknow.

[NowNew7]

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

In the Jhansi route, you have to cross Jhansi city (till at least any feasible bypass becomes possible).

Ha! I should have shared this before! I also did the mistake of going via Jhansi in my initial trips and killing an hour or more getting stuck in Cantt, the railway crossing and city traffic... till I was enlightened by a friend who does regular LKO-Bhopal.

Instead of going the way Google Maps shows like this:



Continue toward the Gwalior bound NH44 and re-join NH27 like this:



This bypasses Jhansi City and avoids any railway crossing, while also offering you the great view of the fort and the humongous Dhyanchand Statue!

You easily save more than an hour which you would kill trying to navigate through the city (and add some of the additional kms that I reckoned!).

Coming from LKO don't take the left at the Rani Jhansi Garden fork, but instead take right and then let Google Maps carry you on the reciprocal of what I shared above!

[Nightmare]

I am planning a year-end trip from Bangalore-Lucknow.

From what I could get after reading the posts here is that few members are recommending Jhansi-Kanpur route and others prefer Rewa-Allahabad route.

When I do a basic Google Maps search, The recommended route, however, is shown as Jabalpur-Satna which no one is even talking about

And the Rewa-Allahabad route is not even shown among the 3 routes.

Is there anyone who has done Bangalore-Lucknow recently and can they provide some tips? Thanks.

[Nightmare]

Originally Posted by sam_sant2005

Note : Those who have done this route multiple times, would return from Lucknow to Nagpur via Pragagraj and Jabalpur be better?

I am hoping by now you would have completed your return journey. Which route will you recommend? Jhansi-Kanpur OR Jabalpur-Rewa-Allahabad? Thanks.

[sam_sant2005]

Originally Posted by Nightmare

I am hoping by now you would have completed your return journey. Which route will you recommend? Jhansi-Kanpur OR Jabalpur-Rewa-Allahabad? Thanks.

Hey sorry I cant comment on it since I changed my return plan and did Lucknow Indore Pune Bangalore Road around Sagar had so bad roads for 50+ kms that even truck drivers were doing zig zag. It is not a recent change of the road, it looks like roads ignored for sometime. Huuuge potholes, sedan breakers!

By the way since you are doing Blr Lucknow, this is what I did -

Day 1 - Bangalore 345am, Hyd 12pm, Nagpur 7pm. Roads were awesome dawsome except for some 10-15kms once u enter MH before Nagpur. Best roads were after Hyd up untill Around 75kms from Nagpur. Total 1100kms

Day 2 - Nagpur Sagar Jhansi Kanpur Lucknow. Total 1000 kms. Started by 430am. Rchd by 730pm. Kanpur Lucknow heavy traffic. Jhansi Kanpur was good. Before or after Sagar is when that ridiculous section of the NH is, only unacceptable highway in my entire 5000 km solo ride on my Virtus GT.

[NowNew7]

Originally Posted by Nightmare

When I do a basic Google Maps search, The recommended route, however, is shown as Jabalpur-Satna which no one is even talking about

And the Rewa-Allahabad route is not even shown among the 3 routes.

Seems some road improvement/change as I had to go via Satna-Rewa when I did it in May, and decided never again due to the quality of the roads and environment near Satna Cement Factory and then the undivided 2 lane section.

I would still recommend the Sagar-Jhansi-Kanpur route, with the caveat to follow the Jhansi bypass I have shared above. If you make the mistake of entering Jhansi, add at least 1 hour of painful driving.

This option allows the entire route to be NH44 and then NH27 which is entirely divided 4 lane and therefore I find pretty easy to drive. Just be on the lookout for cattle, both bovine and human!

[Vipin Kumar]

Originally Posted by NowNew7

Ha! I should have shared this before! I also did the mistake of going via Jhansi in my initial trips and killing an hour or more getting stuck in Cantt, the railway crossing and city traffic... till I was enlightened by a friend who does regular LKO-Bhopal.

Instead of going the way Google Maps shows like this:

Attachment 2539877

Continue toward the Gwalior bound NH44 and re-join NH27 like this:

Attachment 2539876

This bypasses Jhansi City and avoids any railway crossing, while also offering you the great view of the fort and the humongous Dhyanchand Statue!

The distance from Bijouli (that is exit from NH 44 towards Jhansi city) to Cantonment is fully four-laned now and is easy to navigate. There are, after Cantonment, two traffic lights, one before the bus stand and one after, that take some time. From bus stand to exit point to highway is again four-laned. Through the city, with all traffic lights, it takes 35 mins max, from exit to exit, even if I drive slowly.

The railway crossing is usually open. It is the Khajuraho line and there are not many trains in that route.

I took the bypass at Jhansi only when I drove to Lucknow from Udaipur and Indore. In that bypass too, there is a single carriageway stretch and it is round about. So, what I meant was a feasible and easy bypass for Jhansi.

But I should take this entire bypass once, as you say the views are beautiful.

Originally Posted by NowNew7

Seems some road improvement/change as I had to go via Satna-Rewa when I did it in May, and decided never again due to the quality of the roads and environment near Satna Cement Factory and then the undivided 2 lane section.

I would still recommend the Sagar-Jhansi-Kanpur route, with the caveat to follow the Jhansi bypass I have shared above. If you make the mistake of entering Jhansi, add at least 1 hour of painful driving.

This option allows the entire route to be NH44 and then NH27 which is entirely divided 4 lane and therefore I find pretty easy to drive. Just be on the lookout for cattle, both bovine and human!

Never take the Rewa - Satna route. Instead drive towards Prayagraj. You can avoid the bad roads at Sagar too. It may be better to take the Rewa town route instead of bypass. Bypass is slow and single undivided road. Also, Katni.

NH 27 has problem of unevenness at places. Also, it is crowded once you cross Kanpur Dehat. Still doable, no problem as such.

[Nightmare]

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

Never take the Rewa - Satna route. Instead drive towards Prayagraj. You can avoid the bad roads at Sagar too. It may be better to take the Rewa town route instead of bypass. Bypass is slow and single undivided road. Also, Katni.
.

If one has to go via Prayagraj then still they will take Katni-Rewa route as per the map.

In fact a youtube couple does Bangalore Raebareily often and they always take Rewa-Prayagraj route.

[Vipin Kumar]

Originally Posted by Nightmare

If one has to go via Prayagraj then still they will take Katni-Rewa route as per the map.

In fact a Youtube couple does Bangalore Raebareily often and they always take Rewa-Prayagraj route.

Katni - Rewa is fine. Going to Satna and further to Raibareilly could be difficult due to interior bad and narrow roads and lack of facilities.

Katni - Maihar - Rewa - Mangwan - Allahabad - Raibareilly is logical though a little longer.

[Nightmare]

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

Katni -
Katni - Maihar - Rewa - Mangwan - Allahabad - Raibareilly is logical though a little longer.

I am planning to take this route while going and will come back via Kanpur-Jhansi-Sagar route.

That will clear things up for future trips.

[Nightmare]

So I finally come back from my Bangalore-Lucknow trip.

While going I took the Nagpur-Jabalpur-Rewa-Allahabad route and while coming back the Kanpur-Jhansi-Sagar-Nagpur route.

Route between Nagput and Banagalore was common on both the sides.

My recommendation is to take the Kanpur Jhansi route for both the ways.

There is too much construction going on on Jabalpur-Rewa-Allahad route.

Also it is 2 lane at multiple places which is a hassle. So until all construction work is complete avoid Jabalpur-Rewa route.

It took me same time for both routes. It was 14 hrs from Lucknow to Nagpur for both.

[Vipin Kumar]

Originally Posted by Nightmare

My recommendation is to take the Kanpur Jhansi route for both the ways.

There is too much construction going on on Jabalpur-Rewa-Allahad route.

Also it is 2 lane at multiple places which is a hassle. So until all construction work is complete avoid Jabalpur-Rewa route.

It took me same time for both routes. It was 14 hrs from Lucknow to Nagpur for both.

I drove Hyderabad - Lucknow on 7/8 January, via Nagpur - Rewa - Allahabad. I drove in this route after a gap of seven months.

The highway is fine throughout till Allahabad, except on Katni and Rewa bypasses (these are the 2 lane undivided roads and under construction areas). I took Katni town route, had breakfast at the Indian Coffee House. The town was easy to cross. I did the same in Rewa too, but Rewa city takes time especially around the Civil Lines (same time as one may take on the under-construction bypass.

The real difficulty in this route is reaching the Naini Bridge and exiting that area towards the University of Allahabad, and, more problematic, the Allahabad - Raibareilly section which is now undergoing expansion work. The work has just begun and will take time to complete. I think Allahabad is getting a new wide bridge across the Ganges too (which may make crossing the city easier). It was already dark when I reached Kunda-Pratapgargh, and there was indiscriminate driving by all kinds of vehicles, tractors and trucks without rear light. Raibareilly - Lucknow is good as usual.

[Nightmare]

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

I drove Hyderabad - Lucknow on 7/8 January, via Nagpur - Rewa - Allahabad. I drove in this route after a gap of seven months.

I took the Rewa bypass and it's not recommended. The road is bouncy and single lane.

Crossing Allahabad took close to 45 mins.

The worst part started after that. In the evening, it became foggy so visibility was low. The roads are curvy and signs were not visible due to fog. State transport bus drivers were driving recklessly so were drivers coming from opposite lane. Don't expect any dipper response from anyone.

At one point I was exhausted and was desperate to reach Lucknow. The roads, however, became very good after raebareily, which was a big relief.

I covered the distance quickly after that and reached Lucknow by 8:30 PM.

But will stick to Jhansi Kanpur route in future.