Questions about transitting from Bhopal to Sanchi to Jhansi..

whatbeanbelieved · May 13th, 2009, 17:03

We have a pretty enormous trip planned, starting from Himachel Pradesh, going through Rajasthan and then concluding in Madhya Pradesh.. I'm mostly clear about the first two, but there's a bit of a confusion about MP.

Plus, we have a certain time-related problem -- in that we have to be back in New Delhi by 12th July, and we will only reach Bhopal on the 9th -- so yes, it's a horribly rushed itinerary. On the 9th, we want to see Bhimbetka and possibly Bhojpur on the way back. Then, on the 10th of July, we want to leave for Sanchi.

I wanted to know if there are buses from Sanchi to Jhansi -- the last thing we wanted to see was Khajuraho, and I've heard it's closer to Jhansi. So:
- is there a bus from Sanchi to Jhansi that anyone knows of?
- will it be safe to turn up in Jhansi late in the night? We shall be six, though all young women? (And one of us is a foreigner)
- or would it be better to scrap these ideas and just stay in Sanchi for the night, and then catch a very early morning (i.e. 3 am-ish) train from Vidisha nearby, to Jhansi?

Plus, could anyone tell me how long it would take to travel from Jhansi to Khajuraho and back? If we start in the morning (by about 9) could we be back by about 7 or 8 in the evening? As far as I can make out, the Grand Trunk express seems to be the most convenient in terms of timing and getting us back to New Delhi by morning.

Thanks so much for all your help!

And in general, I think this site is wonderful.

Cheers,
Manasi

delhiwala · May 13th, 2009, 19:14

Sanchi - Jhansi is a long trip for bus. I do not know the road condition now, when I was there, they were in pathetic condition...... and IMO, A group of girls Reaching Jhansi at late is not a good idea.

Sanchi has Stupa and a museum, nothing else, so If you can finish up your Sanchi siteseeing by 3 PM, then you may board 1057 Amritsar express from Vidisha (10 KMs from Sanchi) at 4 PM. This will reach Jhansi at 8:30 PM.

Next day (10th July), you can do a day trip to Khajuraho. It takes 4 Hrs. one way so you'll have to start early or you may stay there and return to Jhansi on 11th.

Else you may stay at Vidisha and take the 7:50 AM train to Jhansi next day, it reaches Jhansi at 11:50 AM. Then you can move to Khaujaraho and stay there. Next day you can do Khajuraho and come back to Jhansi for catching GT express. If possible do Orchha too !

whatbeanbelieved · May 13th, 2009, 19:59

Ooh, thanks for the prompt response!

The road conditions were something I hadn't thought about, actually, and it makes more sense to take the train now. I looked at the Amritsar Express schedule and it looked really packed, almost like a pass-train. Is it prone to being late?

And would leaving Vidisha at 3 or 4 in the morning be a terrible idea?

Oh, and Orchha... I'm so deeply tempted. There are so many things to do in Madhya Pradesh and we've given it so little time. But if possible, I definitely want to visit Orchha.

Possibly also the Udaygiri caves near Sanchi - if we have time.

delhiwala · May 13th, 2009, 23:09

Sorry, I do not have any idea about any bus leaving at such hours........If one is leaving, I think there is no problem.......

whatbeanbelieved · May 14th, 2009, 01:17

Well, I meant leaving by train at 3 or 4 in the morning. But I've been thinking about it and it seems like a really silly idea, and unsafe.

Are there buses/taxis for hire from Sanchi or Vidisha to Jhansi? Sorry about having so many questions...

delhiwala · May 14th, 2009, 01:45

Both are small places. So I think You'll have to hire one from Bhopal. Will be costly ? Have you checked the train availability ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatbeanbelieved

Well, I meant leaving by train at 3 or 4 in the morning. But I've been thinking about it and it seems like a really silly idea, and unsafe.

Are there buses/taxis for hire from Sanchi or Vidisha to Jhansi? Sorry about having so many questions...

whatbeanbelieved · May 14th, 2009, 01:59

I did, and they're running out very quickly.

This is actually the only part of the trip I'm a little apprehensive about. Taking a cab from Bhopal to Sanchi to Jhansi sounds a little expensive for college students. Trains seem like the reasonably alternative, but I want to make sure we get there by nine in the evening.

I was contemplating going back to Bhopal and catching a train from there - somehow it seems safer to take a lake night train from a big city to Jhansi, one that will get us there in the morning, than to wait in Sanchi.

I'm not sure about the safety in M.P. either. Should I be worrying?

worthyquest · Jun 2nd, 2009, 11:36

if i were you, i'd scrap either bimbetka or khajuraho. it is too much! you will all be exhausted and frazzled and the amazing sights will be one big blur...

my choice would be scrapping khajuraho. think about it for a moment: 4 hours travel each way on an overnight trip? and that's not counting getting from sanchi to jhansi... khajuraho will still be there some other time, and personally i found it to be not as interesting as other places and full of tour buses.

sanchi is incredible, and so are the udaygiri caves in vidisha. orrcha is lovely and peaceful and would be a good way to finish up your trip. base yourself in bhopal for your trips to bimbetka and sanchi (it is very close and you can get back and forth by train or bus); allow a full day for sanchi; travel to jhansi the next day and then head on to orccha. that would be my suggestion...

it might also be possible to do bimbetka as a half-day trip, leaving by cab in the morning and then getting back to bhopal in time for the shatabdi. though i don't really remember what that drive is like...

whatbeanbelieved · Jun 4th, 2009, 18:58

*cringe* Oh dear, well, we already booked our tickets. No one wanted to scrap Khajuraho, so by consensus (albeit consensus of a group of people who've never been to either Sanchi or Khajuraho) we decided to skip Sanchi instead. But actually, we have a whole day in Bhopal. We had intended to go to Bhimbetka - mostly because I'm very intrigued by the idea of the Palaeolithic cave paintings - but since we have a really late night train to Jhansi, I'm sure we could change plans. My guess is we'll wing it and possibly split up to do one and the other and share stories.

But let's see.

Thanks so much for the suggestion though.

worthyquest · Jun 7th, 2009, 12:26

sanchi is one of my favourite places in india... so unique and peaceful... i'd definately visit it over bimbetka. personally, i feel like the idea of bimbetka is more interesting than its actuality. there are some faint cave paintings. that's it. whereas sanchi has so much history and beauty. (i've been there three times... every time i've been to bhopal... but never have gone back to bimbetka.)

bhopal itself has a lot of interesting things to see as well. besides the old city and the mosques there, there are the modern and tribal galleries at the bharat bhavan and the open air "museum of man". it sounds cheesy to say they have replicated adivasi dwellings from all over the country... but it is actually not cheesy at all. fascinating.

and if you are interested in tribal art, check out the mural by jangarh singh shyam at the state assembly.

aadil · Jun 18th, 2009, 14:21

Madhya Pradesh (the heart of India!!!) has so many places to visit and none of them are worth leaving out!!! Sanchi, Vidisha, Udaigiri, Heliodorus pillar, Bhimbetka, Bhopal, Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Khajuraho, Orchha and Jhansi are all pretty closeby compared to the other far off places. So if you go to either of these then you should make it to all of them!!! Do allocate more time to see them all and you will not regret your decision. Hire a jeep and share the cost, will be faster and safer than taking buses and other shared public transport.

Cheers,
Aadil.

May 13th, 2009, 17:03	#1
whatbeanbelieved Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Jamshedpur, India Posts: 20	Questions about transitting from Bhopal to Sanchi to Jhansi.. We have a pretty enormous trip planned, starting from Himachel Pradesh, going through Rajasthan and then concluding in Madhya Pradesh.. I'm mostly clear about the first two, but there's a bit of a confusion about MP. Plus, we have a certain time-related problem -- in that we have to be back in New Delhi by 12th July, and we will only reach Bhopal on the 9th -- so yes, it's a horribly rushed itinerary. On the 9th, we want to see Bhimbetka and possibly Bhojpur on the way back. Then, on the 10th of July, we want to leave for Sanchi. I wanted to know if there are buses from Sanchi to Jhansi -- the last thing we wanted to see was Khajuraho, and I've heard it's closer to Jhansi. So: - is there a bus from Sanchi to Jhansi that anyone knows of? - will it be safe to turn up in Jhansi late in the night? We shall be six, though all young women? (And one of us is a foreigner) - or would it be better to scrap these ideas and just stay in Sanchi for the night, and then catch a very early morning (i.e. 3 am-ish) train from Vidisha nearby, to Jhansi? Plus, could anyone tell me how long it would take to travel from Jhansi to Khajuraho and back? If we start in the morning (by about 9) could we be back by about 7 or 8 in the evening? As far as I can make out, the Grand Trunk express seems to be the most convenient in terms of timing and getting us back to New Delhi by morning. Thanks so much for all your help! And in general, I think this site is wonderful. Cheers, Manasi

May 13th, 2009, 19:14	#2
delhiwala IM what IM Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Indeyah ! Posts: 4,813	Sanchi - Jhansi is a long trip for bus. I do not know the road condition now, when I was there, they were in pathetic condition...... and IMO, A group of girls Reaching Jhansi at late is not a good idea. Sanchi has Stupa and a museum, nothing else, so If you can finish up your Sanchi siteseeing by 3 PM, then you may board 1057 Amritsar express from Vidisha (10 KMs from Sanchi) at 4 PM. This will reach Jhansi at 8:30 PM. Next day (10th July), you can do a day trip to Khajuraho. It takes 4 Hrs. one way so you'll have to start early or you may stay there and return to Jhansi on 11th. Else you may stay at Vidisha and take the 7:50 AM train to Jhansi next day, it reaches Jhansi at 11:50 AM. Then you can move to Khaujaraho and stay there. Next day you can do Khajuraho and come back to Jhansi for catching GT express. If possible do Orchha too ! __________________ Travel only with thy equals or thy betters; if there are none, travel alone. - The Dhammapada

Jun 18th, 2009, 14:21	#11
aadil Aircraft Service Engineer, Astronomer & Traveller Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Mumbai, India. (Lat 18.967 N, Long 72.833 E, Alt 11 m) Posts: 2,038	Madhya Pradesh (the heart of India!!!) has so many places to visit and none of them are worth leaving out!!! Sanchi, Vidisha, Udaigiri, Heliodorus pillar, Bhimbetka, Bhopal, Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Khajuraho, Orchha and Jhansi are all pretty closeby compared to the other far off places. So if you go to either of these then you should make it to all of them!!! Do allocate more time to see them all and you will not regret your decision. Hire a jeep and share the cost, will be faster and safer than taking buses and other shared public transport. Cheers, Aadil. __________________ Climb high; climb far; Your goal, the sky, Your aim, the stars!!!

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May 13th, 2009, 19:59	#3
whatbeanbelieved Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Jamshedpur, India Posts: 20	Ooh, thanks for the prompt response! The road conditions were something I hadn't thought about, actually, and it makes more sense to take the train now. I looked at the Amritsar Express schedule and it looked really packed, almost like a pass-train. Is it prone to being late? And would leaving Vidisha at 3 or 4 in the morning be a terrible idea? Oh, and Orchha... I'm so deeply tempted. There are so many things to do in Madhya Pradesh and we've given it so little time. But if possible, I definitely want to visit Orchha. Possibly also the Udaygiri caves near Sanchi - if we have time.

May 13th, 2009, 23:09	#4
delhiwala IM what IM Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Indeyah ! Posts: 4,813	Sorry, I do not have any idea about any bus leaving at such hours........If one is leaving, I think there is no problem.......

May 14th, 2009, 01:17	#5
whatbeanbelieved Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Jamshedpur, India Posts: 20	Well, I meant leaving by train at 3 or 4 in the morning. But I've been thinking about it and it seems like a really silly idea, and unsafe. Are there buses/taxis for hire from Sanchi or Vidisha to Jhansi? Sorry about having so many questions...

May 14th, 2009, 01:59	#7
whatbeanbelieved Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Jamshedpur, India Posts: 20	I did, and they're running out very quickly. This is actually the only part of the trip I'm a little apprehensive about. Taking a cab from Bhopal to Sanchi to Jhansi sounds a little expensive for college students. Trains seem like the reasonably alternative, but I want to make sure we get there by nine in the evening. I was contemplating going back to Bhopal and catching a train from there - somehow it seems safer to take a lake night train from a big city to Jhansi, one that will get us there in the morning, than to wait in Sanchi. I'm not sure about the safety in M.P. either. Should I be worrying?

Jun 2nd, 2009, 11:36	#8
worthyquest Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Philadelphia, USA Posts: 64	if i were you, i'd scrap either bimbetka or khajuraho. it is too much! you will all be exhausted and frazzled and the amazing sights will be one big blur... my choice would be scrapping khajuraho. think about it for a moment: 4 hours travel each way on an overnight trip? and that's not counting getting from sanchi to jhansi... khajuraho will still be there some other time, and personally i found it to be not as interesting as other places and full of tour buses. sanchi is incredible, and so are the udaygiri caves in vidisha. orrcha is lovely and peaceful and would be a good way to finish up your trip. base yourself in bhopal for your trips to bimbetka and sanchi (it is very close and you can get back and forth by train or bus); allow a full day for sanchi; travel to jhansi the next day and then head on to orccha. that would be my suggestion... it might also be possible to do bimbetka as a half-day trip, leaving by cab in the morning and then getting back to bhopal in time for the shatabdi. though i don't really remember what that drive is like...

Jun 4th, 2009, 18:58	#9
whatbeanbelieved Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Jamshedpur, India Posts: 20	cringe Oh dear, well, we already booked our tickets. No one wanted to scrap Khajuraho, so by consensus (albeit consensus of a group of people who've never been to either Sanchi or Khajuraho) we decided to skip Sanchi instead. But actually, we have a whole day in Bhopal. We had intended to go to Bhimbetka - mostly because I'm very intrigued by the idea of the Palaeolithic cave paintings - but since we have a really late night train to Jhansi, I'm sure we could change plans. My guess is we'll wing it and possibly split up to do one and the other and share stories. But let's see. Thanks so much for the suggestion though.

Jun 7th, 2009, 12:26	#10
worthyquest Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Philadelphia, USA Posts: 64	sanchi is one of my favourite places in india... so unique and peaceful... i'd definately visit it over bimbetka. personally, i feel like the idea of bimbetka is more interesting than its actuality. there are some faint cave paintings. that's it. whereas sanchi has so much history and beauty. (i've been there three times... every time i've been to bhopal... but never have gone back to bimbetka.) bhopal itself has a lot of interesting things to see as well. besides the old city and the mosques there, there are the modern and tribal galleries at the bharat bhavan and the open air "museum of man". it sounds cheesy to say they have replicated adivasi dwellings from all over the country... but it is actually not cheesy at all. fascinating. and if you are interested in tribal art, check out the mural by jangarh singh shyam at the state assembly.