Planning a road trip across India’s vast and diverse landscape is an adventure unlike any other. However, the key to a successful and enjoyable journey lies in meticulous planning. A crucial part of this is having accurate information about the driving distance and estimated travel time between major cities. Whether you’re a tourist planning a golden triangle tour, a family driving home for the holidays, or a business professional travelling for work, this guide for 2026 will provide you with essential data and tips to plan your journey on India’s expanding network of highways.
Quick Answer
To find the driving distance and estimated time between major Indian cities, the most effective method is using reliable online mapping services like Google Maps or Maps.me. These tools provide real-time traffic data, route options, and fairly accurate travel time estimates. For example, the distance between Mumbai and Delhi is approximately 1,400 km, with a driving time of around 24-26 hours.
Why Knowing Driving Distance and Time is Crucial
Having accurate travel estimates is not just about satisfying curiosity; it’s about practical and safe travel planning. Here’s why it is so important:
- Effective Itinerary Planning: It allows you to create a realistic travel schedule, deciding where to take night halts, plan meal breaks, and allocate time for sightseeing along the way.
- Budgeting for the Trip: The total distance is a key factor in calculating your fuel budget. It also helps in estimating costs for tolls, food, and accommodation for overnight stops.
- Choosing the Right Route: Mapping tools often provide multiple routes. By comparing distance and time, you can choose between the shortest route and the fastest route, which may not always be the same.
- Coordination and Communication: It allows you to provide accurate ETAs (Estimated Time of Arrival) to family, friends, or hotels expecting you.
* Safety and Fatigue Management: Knowing the travel time helps you avoid over-exerting yourself. Driving for more than 8-10 hours a day can lead to fatigue, which is a major cause of accidents. Planning overnight stops is essential for long journeys.
Driving Distance & Time Between Major Indian Cities (2026 Estimates)
Below is a quick reference table with approximate distances and driving times for some of the most popular routes in India. Please note that these are estimates. Actual travel time can vary significantly based on traffic, road conditions, weather, and the number of breaks you take.
| Route (From – To) | Approximate Distance (in km) | Estimated Driving Time (in hours) | Commonly Used Highway |
| Delhi to Mumbai | 1,420 km | 24-26 hours | NH 48 |
| Mumbai to Bangalore | 1,000 km | 16-18 hours | NH 48 |
| Bangalore to Chennai | 350 km | 6-7 hours | NH 48 |
| Chennai to Hyderabad | 630 km | 11-13 hours | NH 16 |
| Hyderabad to Kolkata | 1,460 km | 28-30 hours | NH 16 |
| Kolkata to Delhi | 1,530 km | 26-28 hours | NH 19 |
| Delhi to Jaipur | 280 km | 5-6 hours | NH 48 |
| Mumbai to Pune | 150 km | 3-4 hours | Mumbai-Pune Expressway |
| Bangalore to Goa | 560 km | 10-12 hours | NH 48 / State Highways |
| Delhi to Agra | 230 km | 3-4 hours | Yamuna Expressway |
For more specific routes, you can explore our detailed guides, such as the one covering the driving distance and time from Mumbai to Pune.
What factors affect the actual driving time?
The time displayed on a map is just an estimate. The actual time taken can be influenced by many factors:
- Traffic: Entering or exiting a major city during peak hours can add hours to your journey.
- Road Conditions: While national highways are generally good, state highways or rural roads can be unpredictable. Road work or diversions can also cause delays.
- Weather: Heavy rain, fog, or storms can significantly slow you down and make driving hazardous. This is especially true in hilly regions.
- Breaks: The estimated time does not account for your breaks for meals, fuel, or rest. A 10-hour drive can easily become a 12-hour journey with breaks.
- Vehicle Type: The speed at which you can comfortably and safely travel depends on your vehicle.
Tools and Resources for Planning Your Road Trip
In 2026, you have access to excellent digital tools to plan your drive.
- Google Maps: The most popular choice, offering real-time traffic updates, multiple route options, and information on tolls, restaurants, and fuel stations along the way.
- Waze: A community-based navigation app that provides real-time alerts on traffic jams, accidents, and police presence, as reported by other users.
- Maps.me: A great option for offline maps. You can download maps for entire states, which is very useful in areas with poor mobile network connectivity.
- FASTag App: Essential for managing your toll payments seamlessly across India’s national highways.
How to estimate fuel costs for a long drive?
To estimate your fuel budget, you need three pieces of information:
- Total Distance of the Trip (in km): Get this from a mapping tool.
- Your Car’s Mileage (in km per litre): Know your car’s average fuel efficiency on highways.
- Average Fuel Price (in Rs. per litre): Check the current petrol or diesel prices in the states you will be travelling through.
Formula: (Total Distance / Car’s Mileage) * Average Fuel Price = Estimated Fuel Cost.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Planning a Long Drive
A successful road trip requires avoiding these common planning errors:
- Being Over-Ambitious: Do not plan to cover more than 500-600 km or drive for more than 10 hours in a single day. This leads to fatigue and unsafe driving.
- Ignoring Night Driving Risks: Avoid driving at night on unfamiliar highways if possible. Visibility is low, and the risk of encountering unlit vehicles or obstacles is higher.
- Not Preparing Your Vehicle: Before a long trip, get your car serviced. Check the tyres (including the spare), brakes, engine oil, and coolant levels.
- Relying Solely on Online Maps: Digital maps are great, but it’s wise to have a basic understanding of your route. In remote areas, GPS signals can be unreliable.
- Not Packing Essentials: Carry a first-aid kit, a toolkit, a torch, and enough water and snacks.
Conclusion
Planning a road trip between India’s major cities in 2026 is easier than ever with the help of modern tools and an improved highway network. By accurately calculating the driving distance and time, you can create a safe, realistic, and enjoyable itinerary. Use reliable apps like Google Maps for estimates, but always factor in real-world conditions like traffic, weather, and the need for rest. A well-planned journey is a safe journey. For more travel tips, check out our other guides, like how to find the right RTO office for your vehicle needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Golden Quadrilateral?
The Golden Quadrilateral is a national highway network connecting most of the major industrial, agricultural, and cultural centres of India. It connects the four major metro cities of Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, and Mumbai, forming a quadrilateral.
Is it safe to drive on Indian highways at night?
While major highways and expressways are generally safer, it is often recommended to avoid night driving on less familiar or state highways. Poor lighting, stray animals, and wrongly parked heavy vehicles can pose significant risks. It is always safer to plan an overnight halt.
How do I pay tolls on national highways?
Most toll plazas on national highways in India are equipped with FASTag, an electronic toll collection system. A sticker is affixed to your vehicle’s windscreen, and the toll amount is automatically deducted from a linked prepaid account as you drive through the plaza.
Which is the longest national highway in India?
National Highway 44 (NH 44) is the longest national highway in India. It runs from Srinagar in the north to Kanyakumari in the south, covering a distance of over 3,745 kilometres.
Are there good roadside amenities on Indian highways?
Yes, the availability of roadside amenities has improved drastically. On major national highways and expressways, you will find food courts, clean restrooms, fuel stations, and sometimes even motels at regular intervals. However, amenities can be sparse on more remote routes.