Varanasi to Allahabad: is a day trip possible?

SitaParityaga

I'll be in Varanasi in October over Diwali.....and I'd like to take a day trip to Allahabad.

Is it possible to do this in one day? I'm thinking of hiring a car/driver to get there and back in order to maximize the amount of time in Allahabad. I want to go to the Hanuman temple near the sangam, take a dip in the sangam, and then try to find the elusive Monday/Tuesday wool blankets in the market.

Although I have done this trip in the past, it was about 20 years ago, and I don't recall how long of a trip it is between the two cities.

wonderwomanusa

On the train, Allahabad is only about 3 hours from Varanasi, so if you start out early in the moring, you should be able to do it in one day...but then, it's India! <sigh>

What are those Monday/Tuesday blankets? Do I want you to get one for me?

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The map is not the territory. --Alfred Korzybski

SitaParityaga

Everyone needs a Monday/Tuesday wool blanket from Allahabad! If I find some, I'll bring you one back!

The source of my inspiration is Neem Karoli Baba, Ram Das' guru.

If its three hours by train, can it be done in less time by car? Has anyone out there done this?

KABAARY

You can easily do Varanasi-Allahabad within the day. Road is bad in parts and narrow which does not help smooth flow of traffic but even then it would take maximum 3 hours to cover the distance of 120 odd kms (strange that the train takes as much as 3 hours but I don't know since I have travelled between the two cities only by car).

Have lunch at El Chico...

SitaParityaga

El Chico!!!!! Mexican?

KABAARY

Believe it or not, Indian ! With a few continental dishes thrown in (no Mexican)...

Get's an honourable mention here :
http://wikitravel.org/en/Allahabad

Paresh

The road distance between the two cities is around 120 KMs. I think you can hire car and take the famous Grand Trunk Road (National Highway -2) to reach Allahabad from Varanasi.

If you calculate the total time from your Hotel room at Varanasi to Hotel room at Allahabad then you can save around 30-45 minutes. Not much.

Traffic Jams on the highway depends on time.

I did this trip on bike during the last Maha Kumbh Mela (once every 12 years). During that time I had to leave the bike much before the Sangam but the whole trip was fun.

SitaParityaga

How long did it take you on the bike?

Just curious...way too tough for me to try!

Paresh

It took 150 minutes on bike. But note that, I did avoided all the city traffic at Varanasi by taking short cuts which you may not be able to take on car.

Khak

the roads should be much better now...........by car should not take more than 2.5-3 hrs one way..........

I had done a one day allahabad trip from mughalsarai........and it was not very hectic at the end

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~Khak~

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.