Last updated: 22 September 2026 · Method: desk research. Fares and times from Goibibo, MakeMyTrip, RedBus and railway aggregators, checked September 2026. Prices move with season and demand — confirm on the operator’s site before booking.
Jodhpur to Udaipur looks simple on a map — 266 km, a straight shot across Rajasthan. Then you try to book a train, and the map stops being helpful. This is a major inter-city route without a practical direct rail link, and knowing that upfront changes how you plan.
Your two real options
| Mode | Time | Typical cost | Book with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bus | 5–6 hrs | ₹400–1,500 (private sleepers at the top), RSRTC cheapest | RedBus, Paytm, RSRTC online |
| Taxi | ~5 hrs | From ~₹2,500 sedan one-way | Goibibo, MakeMyTrip, Savaari |
| Train | 7+ hrs with a change | ~₹150–520 per leg | IRCTC |
September 2026 platform data; changes without notice.
Why there’s no train worth taking
The rail map of southern Rajasthan never grew a direct Jodhpur–Udaipur line. Trains do exist on paper, but they route you through a change at Marwar, Beawar or Ajmer, and once you add the wait, you’re at seven-plus hours for a journey the bus covers in five. Indian train fares are cheap, sleeper legs run ₹150–250, 3AC around ₹520; but cheap doesn’t help when the routing fights you. the road is the local default; now you know why.
The bus
Private operators (Ashok Travels is a frequently named operator on this route (verify current schedules)) run the full range, day seaters, AC coaches, and overnight sleepers from roughly ₹400 up to ₹1,500. RSRTC, the state operator, undercuts everyone if you don’t mind a basic seat. The road climbs through the Aravallis in the final stretch, which is a good argument for a daytime bus: the last hour into the hills is the scenic stretch. Overnight sleepers work well if you’d rather wake up in the City of Lakes.
The taxi
One-way sedans start around ₹2,500 on the booking platforms, with local operators quoting in the ₹2,500–4,500 band depending on vehicle and negotiation. Split four ways, that’s often the same as AC bus seats with door-to-door convenience, and it buys the option to stop somewhere like Ranakpur, roughly 90 km from Udaipur (well past the midpoint from Jodhpur), if you book a car for the day instead of a point-to-point cab.
Things the booking sites won’t tell you
Can I fly?
Udaipur has an airport (Maharana Pratap, UDR) with connections from Delhi and Mumbai, but nothing from Jodhpur. Flying means backtracking through a hub, which makes no sense for a five-hour drive.
Which is better at night?
The sleeper bus. Roads through the hills are fine by day and unremarkable by night, and hotel-check-in timing works better when you arrive at dawn. If you get motion sickness, take the front seats downstairs, the upper sleepers sway more.
One day or overnight in Udaipur?
Udaipur rewards two nights; a one-day turnaround from Jodhpur mostly shows you the inside of a vehicle. If you only have a day, the taxi is the only mode that makes it workable.
Related guides
- Jodhpur to Jaisalmer: train, bus or taxi (fares and times)
- Jodhpur to Jaipur: fares and times compared
- Jodhpur vs Udaipur: which should you visit first?
- The best time to visit Jodhpur, month by month
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Verification: figures on this page are research approximations — check current details on IRCTC (trains), RSRTC (buses), Rajasthan Tourism before you travel.