Last updated: October 2026 · Method: desk research across published sources and visitor reports; nothing here is first-hand, and details change, so confirm locally.
Jaisalmer and Udaipur sit diagonally across Rajasthan with no convenient direct connection, the pair that travel agents underestimate and itineraries pay for.
The realistic options
| Route | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Via Jodhpur | Train or road to Jodhpur, then the Jodhpur-Udaipur services; the most frequent and predictable chain |
| Direct road | Roughly seven-to-nine hours through Jodhpur-side country; doable in a day with an early start and a good driver |
| The overnight version | Sleep in Jodhpur and make the second half a morning, the version we recommend |
Why we split it: the crossing through the dark buys nothing; a Jodhpur night adds Mehrangarh at sunset and turns the transfer into a third city. The Bikaner-Udaipur guide covers the northern variant of the same problem.