Plan a complete Vadodara to Udaipur road trip with the best route, day-by-day itinerary, toll costs, road conditions, fuel cost, places to visit, food stops, stay options and self-drive tips. The Vadodara to Udaipur distance by road is approximately 345 km, and the drive takes around 6 hours 30 minutes depending on your departure time and traffic around Godhra. The recommended route heads north-east from Vadodara to Godhra, then follows the Modasa–Godhra Highway through Lunawada, Malpur and Modasa before joining NH48 at Shamlaji. You cross into Rajasthan at Ratanpur and climb gently into the Aravalli foothills past Kherwara and Rishabhdev before entering Udaipur from the south. It takes about the same time as the NE1 expressway route via Ahmedabad, but it is around 13 km shorter and avoids Ahmedabad's ring-road traffic entirely, making it one of the most relaxed weekend road trips from Vadodara. Ideal for a 2-day Udaipur itinerary, the route pairs easy small-town highway driving with royal heritage like City Palace, Lake Pichola, Saheliyon ki Bari and Karni Mata ropeway, plus lakeside cafés and old-city markets. If you are planning a longer journey, you can extend this route and explore the Udaipur to Mount Abu road trip.
The best route from Vadodara to Udaipur takes NE4 to Godhra, then the Modasa–Godhra Highway through Lunawada and Modasa, joining NH48 at Shamlaji into Udaipur.
✔ Near-equal drive time to the NE1 route, ~13 km shorter.
✔ Skips the Ahmedabad–Gandhinagar city belt, avoiding its unpredictable traffic entirely.
✔ Scenic Aravalli hill entry into Rajasthan near Shamlaji and Rishabhdev.
Overall: Good
Vadodara to Udaipur via NE4 and the Modasa–Godhra Highway through Godhra, Lunawada and Modasa, then NH48 via Shamlaji. FASTag is mandatory on this stretch.
Quick overview of your 2-day road trip
Start your Vadodara to Udaipur road trip at 6 AM and head north-east on NE4 towards Godhra, joining the Modasa–Godhra Highway before the morning traffic builds. Around two hours in, stop for breakfast at Lunawada, then continue through Malpur and Modasa to Shamlaji, where the Vishnu temple sits right beside the highway for a short darshan break. From here NH48 crosses into Rajasthan at Ratanpur and climbs gently through the Aravalli foothills past Kherwara and Rishabhdev. You'll reach Udaipur in the early afternoon, so check in near the old-city ghats, have a late lunch and rest briefly. As the evening cools, walk to Jagdish Temple, then head to Dudh Talai and ride the Karni Mata ropeway for sweeping views over Lake Pichola and the City Palace. Come down in time to walk to Ambrai Ghat for sunset, when the palace glows across the water, and stay on for dinner at Ambrai Restaurant. The whole evening is on foot, with no driving or parking in the old city.
For a quick budget thali, stop at Natraj Dining Hall near City Station Road on your way into the city, before check-in.
Day 2 of your Udaipur itinerary follows the city's geography, keeping the Fateh Sagar side for the morning and the Lake Pichola side for the evening so you never cross town twice. Adults and teens can start with an optional sunrise hike up Bahubali Hill, a short drive outside the city, while families with young kids can enjoy a slower start. After breakfast, visit Saheliyon ki Bari before the crowds arrive, then stroll along the Fateh Sagar Lake promenade. Heading back towards the old city, browse handicrafts, miniature paintings and textiles at Hathi Pol Bazaar, then break for a lake-view lunch and a rest. In the afternoon, give the City Palace a couple of hours for its courtyards, museums and lake views. Board the sunset boat on Lake Pichola from the palace's own jetty, with a stop at Jag Mandir island, so there's no exit, re-entry or rush across town. End the day with the Dharohar folk dance show at Gangaur Ghat and a lakeside dinner nearby.
If you have extra time: Swap the Karni Mata ropeway for the Neemach Mata ropeway, which pairs with the morning at Fateh Sagar. Keep Sajjangarh (Monsoon Palace) and Shilpgram for a third day.
Eat breakfast at your hotel if it's included, or head to a lake-view café like Jagat Niwas Palace.
This map shows the recommended Vadodara to Udaipur road trip route via NE4, the Modasa–Godhra Highway and NH48, through Godhra, Lunawada, Modasa and Shamlaji. Distances and travel times are approximate and intended for planning reference. The live map below reflects current traffic, so its time estimate may differ slightly. For live navigation or to start from a different point, open this route directly in Google Maps.
✔ Travelers from Vadodara, Anand and nearby cities planning a short Rajasthan getaway.
✔ Families and couples looking for a relaxed weekend road trip.
✔ First-time self-drive travelers crossing state borders for the first time.
✔ Travelers who want scenic driving through the Polo Forest without long highway fatigue.
✔ A scenic drive from Gujarat into Rajasthan, through Lunawada, Malpur and Modasa before the Aravalli foothills around Shamlaji.
✔ As quick as the Ahmedabad expressway route but ~13 km shorter, with no Ahmedabad city traffic to navigate.
✔ Perfect mix of quiet highway driving, gentle Aravalli climbs, temple stops at Shamlaji and Rishabhdev, and Udaipur's royal heritage on arrival.
✔ Extend the trip with a scenic drive from Udaipur, like the Udaipur to Kumbhalgarh road trip for Mewar's mighty hill fort.
The Vadodara to Udaipur distance by road is approximately 345 km via NE4, the Modasa–Godhra Highway and NH48. The route passes Godhra, Lunawada, Malpur, Modasa and Shamlaji, and crosses into Rajasthan at Ratanpur. The drive takes around 6.5 hours depending on departure time and traffic, so it's comfortably done in a single day if you leave early.
The best route is Vadodara → Udaipur via NE4, the Modasa–Godhra Highway and NH48, about 345 km and 6.5 hours. It runs through Godhra, Lunawada and Modasa, joins NH48 at Shamlaji, and continues past Kherwara and Rishabhdev into Udaipur. It avoids Ahmedabad entirely and has tolls. The two alternates are the NE1 expressway route via Ahmedabad (~358 km, ~6.5 hours) and the NH48 route (~328 km, ~7.5 hours), which is shortest in distance but slowest.
Not in practice. NE1 heads north-west to Ahmedabad, while Udaipur lies north-east of Vadodara, so that route has to loop around Ahmedabad before joining NH48. Both routes take about 6.5 hours, and Google Maps may show either one as fastest by a few minutes. The Modasa–Godhra route is about 13 km shorter and avoids Ahmedabad's ring-road traffic, so its timing is more predictable.
Toll charges from Vadodara to Udaipur are about ₹190 one way for a standard car, covering the plazas on NE4 and NH48. FASTag is required at the toll plazas on this route, so make sure it's linked and has enough balance. Toll rates vary by vehicle category and are revised periodically.
Expect roughly ₹2,350–₹2,930 one way for the 345 km drive, based on 12–15 km/l mileage and a Gujarat petrol price of about ₹102 per litre. Use the on-page fuel cost calculator to estimate the cost for your own vehicle.
Yes, it's a popular weekend road trip from Vadodara. With a single 6.5-hour drive and no Ahmedabad city traffic, it suits a 2-day Rajasthan getaway: drive on Day 1, and spend Day 2 sightseeing in Udaipur.
Two days cover the drive and Udaipur's highlights, including the City Palace, a Lake Pichola sunset boat ride, the Karni Mata ropeway and the Dharohar folk dance show. A third day allows Sajjangarh (Monsoon Palace), Shilpgram, or an extension to Kumbhalgarh.
On the highway, Hotel Teja Restaurant at Lunawada is a convenient breakfast stop, and there are dhabas and fuel pumps through Malpur and Modasa. Shamlaji Temple makes a good short break before the border. In Udaipur, popular choices include Natraj Dining Hall for a Rajasthani thali, Jheel's Rooftop Café and Khamma Ghani for lake-view lunches, and Ambrai for dinner.
Yes. The route is on highways throughout, with regular fuel and food stops in Gujarat. The Aravalli stretch from Shamlaji to Udaipur needs a little extra attention on its gentle curves. Any hatchback, sedan or SUV in good condition handles it comfortably. Avoid driving late at night on the rural stretches.
The one-way drive is easily done in one day, at about 6.5 hours. A same-day round trip isn't recommended: it means around 13 hours of driving with almost no time in Udaipur. Stay at least one night to enjoy the lakes and palaces.
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