I will be making my first trip to Agra, and I know that there are two routes from Delhi to Agra, one via Ashram and the other on the Yamuna Expressway. I would like some details about both of these routes and mainly would like to know how far Agra is from Delhi by road on both of these routes, so I can prepare for my trip accordingly.
There are actually more than 2 routes if you can think about it. But, now most of the routes essentially will have to go through Yamuna Expressway in some form. So, in that sense it would be best to simply take the expressway. The drive is not that long, about 2-3 hours (depending on how fast you can get out of Delhi). The distance varies route to route, but on an average consider the drive to be around 210-250 km (150 miles). Delhi to Noida and then on to Mathura. Its advisable to make sure you have all the supplies and stuff that you may need. Its also advisable to have your vehicle serviced before getting on the expressway. And carry the phone number of your service company as well. The reason is that cars fly on the expressway, but if your vehicle isn't serviced well, it will likely breakdown at those high speeds. This is why having the service company's number handy is essential. Since everyone's in a hurry, the chances of you getting help on the expressway are slim otherwise. If you keep all that in mind, the expressway is the best way. I don't remember the other route, but I can tell you that the roads weren't good when I had last taken that route. This means it would take a long time for you to get to Agra even if the distance was essentially the same and the journey would be tiring as well.
Hi there, @Snickers! Welcome to the forum! You are right, there are two main routes used to reach Agra from Delhi. These are the following routes: Route No. 1 via Yamuna Expressway - Delhi > Noida > Greater Noida > Yamuna Expressway > Malupur > Agra. This first route is about 210 kilometres long. It is the best route to take to reach Agra from Delhi and you can cover the distance in around 3 hours and 30 minutes. From Delhi to Greater Noida, provided that you leave early in the morning, roads are smooth and you'd reach the latter in an hour or so. But if you leave later in the day, you'd encounter more vehicles in the road which could lead to a delay in your journey. Yamuna Expressway is a six-lane highway connecting Noida to Agra. Thus, slow moving vehicles are not allowed on the expressway. Roads are in excellent condition and you can maintain a constant speed of 100 kilometres per hour. For heavier vehicles though, speed might be a bit slower at 60 kilometres per hour. Regardless, the journey through this expressway is smooth and you'd reach Agra in two hours, more or less. Route No. 2 via NH2 - Delhi > Faridabad > Palwal > Aurangabad > Hodal > Semri > Mathura > Agra. This route is about 220 kilometres long. Covering this distance by driving can take around 4 hours, more or less. If you'd like to avoid the toll in the Yamuna Expressway, then do consider this route. From Delhi to Palwal, road conditions are good. There were a couple of speed breakers along this route that were recently flattened. So you can maintain a moderate speed in this stretch. You can reach Palwal in about two hours or so. From Palwal to Mathura, road conditions are also good. The roads are in the process of being expanded into six lanes so travel time might be smoother in the future. You would be able to reach Mathura in about two hours as well. From Mathura to Agra, roads are smaller but also in good condition. Traffic is your issue here so if you leave from Delhi early, you'd be able to avoid the rush of vehicles. You'd reach Agra in under an hour with this stretch. So both of these routes are utilised by travellers. The first route is chosen mostly because it is a faster way to reach Agra from Delhi. There's one downside to that route though, you cannot use it during the winter season. The route remains very foggy and has low visibility during that season. Yet another reason why some travellers don't choose this route is because it still won't avoid the traffic in Agra once you're out of the expressway. However, road-conditions wise, Yamuna Expressway is still the best way to go. The second route is more appropriate for the winter season. So if you're travelling during that time, only take the second route to avoid accidents. Road widening projects are in the works for this route though so do expect some diversions. Recently, the toll for this route has also been increased. It's also best to avoid this route during night time. It depends upon you which route you'd like to take but I have highlighted the pros and cons of each route already. I hope this helps you.
