Khajuraho to Varanasi - train or plane?

Sherek

Hello Imikers,

We need to get from Khajuraho to Varanasi. We can either:

1. fly - more expensive, but faster
2. take a 2nd AC sleeper (from Satna) - cheaper (also save hotel fare)

I'm leaning towards taking the sleeper train, but I'm concerned about how comfortable and safe the trip would be. Thoughts? What would you do (fly or train)?

Thanks!

incitatus

If you can afford it-fly.

Reasons - Satna is at least 5 hours by bus from Khajuraho.

Five hours on a local Indian bus is something you'll enjoy telling the grandchildren about but the actual experience can be amazingly tiresome.

There's supposed to be a direct bus to Varanasi taking 15hrs - you'd nearly be as well off doing the whole hog!

steven_ber

Mahoba is about 3 hours north of Khajuraho, there is a daily overnight train to Varanasi, but it departs Mahoba at about 00:10 and gets to Varanasi at about 10:00, I think the train is called the Bundekhand Express.

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Train information.

vsp27759

Jet Airways operates direct flight between Khajuraho and Varanasi:-
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Rs. 5,514(Rs. 4,015 + Rs. 1,500 taxes & fees)Updating Results... Khajuraho to Varanasi
Sort: Departs Arrives Price
13:30 14:10 Rs. 5,514 Jet Airways 9W-724

Ambasagou

Sherek,

How long is your entire journey in India? I am planning a 3-week trip for November and we'll be doing the exact same segment: Khajuraho to Varanasi. I did all the research and it boiled down to a very long and by most accounts harrowing overland experience by bus/train versus a 40 minute flight. We decided that the time and hassle it will save us is definitely worth the flight. Both Jet Airways and Indian Airlines offer flights on this route. But you need to book ahead ASAP. 3 months in advance almost wasn't enough for us to get the flight on the day we wanted. Granted, we were booking for the week of Diwali in November. If you book early enough you can get flights for as cheap as $USD 80 one-way.

Sherek

Thanks for the helpful replies! Flying definitely sounds like it's worth the cost.

Sherek

Ambasagou, we are traveling for about 2.5 weeks in late May. Thanks for mentioning the airlines that service this route. I will be looking into them!

mikeinSomerset

I guess there are buses from Khajuraho to Mahoba - anyone know times?


Cheers

Rama

The journey is 61km, which should take 2 hours. No idea on the departure times, however.

York_Katni

trains 2178 and 2176 chambal express to calcutta reach mahoba at 11.18hrs head to mughalsarai which is not far away from varanasi by 20.00hrs in the night.


4 JHS JHANSI JN 1 08:27 08:37 97 1
5 NEW NIVARI 1 09:07 09:09 128 1
6 MRPR MAU RANIPUR 1 09:57 09:59 161 1
7 HPP HARPALPUR 1 10:23 10:25 182 1
8 KLAR KULPAHAR 1 10:53 10:55 214 1
9 MBA MAHOBA 1 11:18 11:20 235 1
10 KID KHAIRAR JN 1 12:03 12:05 278 1
11 BNDA BANDA JN 1 12:20 12:28 288 1
12 ATE ATARRA 1 12:54 12:56 320 1
13 CKTD CHITRAKOT 1 13:29 13:31 349 1
14 MKP MANIKPUR JN 1 14:30 14:40 389 1
15 ALD ALLAHABAD JN 1 16:55 17:25 492 1
16 MZP MIRZAPUR 1 18:28 18:30 582 1
17 CAR CHUNAR 1 18:58 19:00 614 1
18 MGS MUGHAL SARAI JN 1 20:00 20:15 646 1

NeeliAankhen

This information is all useful to me, too.

A question - how long would it take to drive in a car (versus bus which makes stops) from Khajuraho to Varanasi?

mikeinSomerset

Many thanks all.

steven_ber

Maybe 12 hours, but you'd probibly want the driver to stop every few hours as the roads are said to be awful.

You also can't do the journey overnight and as you'd have to pay for the return journey it may be better value to fly (and not lose a whole day).

York_Katni

To be honest it might just save a lot of trouble apart from the fatigue of going by road by sticking to either steven's suggestion of the Bundelkhund or the Chambal which is the day time option not quite to Varanasi but to Mughalsarai.

rohit_klar

Hi All,

The best mode of transport is undoubtedly is Air, and everything else depends upon you budget...if one wish to spend money then the alternative way could be reach Jhansi and hire a taxi from there..or one may hire taxi from Mahoba (65 Kms from Khajuraho), Kulpahar (90 Kms from Khajuraho) and Harpalpur(100 Kms from Khajuraho)..it would take 2 hrs from the above mentioned places to reach Khajuraho...and as mentioned earlier in the thread there are mainly two trains from Varanasi to all the three places...but if one choses to travel by Bundelkhand Exp then the most convenient place would be Harpalpur as the train eraches there early in the morning. There are regular and direct bus services from Harpalpur and Mahoba to Khajuraho..but from Kulpahar you may go upto Nowgong or Chhatarpur from there regular bus services are available.

Rohit Saxena