Delhi to Goa by Road: A Self-Drive Guide to India's Great Road Trip

Driving from Delhi to Goa is one of India's great road trips: about 1,900 km across Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra, from the Aravallis to the Western Ghats and down to the Arabian Sea. It is a real undertaking at 30–35 hours of driving, so most people split it over three or four days with nights in Udaipur, Gujarat and Pune. This guide covers the route, a day-by-day plan, costs and how to set up the trip with a self-drive car from Delhi.

Delhi to Goa at a glance

• Distance: about 1,850–1,950 km, depending on the route.
• Driving time: 30–35 hours, over three to four days.
• Route: NH48 through Rajasthan and Gujarat, then Pune, Kolhapur and the Western Ghats.
• Best time: November to February. Avoid the monsoon months for the ghats.
• Good for: a week or more in Goa, or a long workcation.

The route

The usual route follows NH48 from Delhi through Jaipur to Udaipur, then into Gujarat through Ahmedabad and Vadodara. From there you either pass through Mumbai or go around it towards Pune, then follow the highway south through Satara and Kolhapur before descending through the Western Ghats into Goa.

The first day's drive to Udaipur is a road trip of its own: our Delhi to Udaipur guide covers that leg, including the Chittorgarh option.

A four-day plan

1. Day 1: Delhi to Udaipur, about 660 km. Leave by 5–6 am to arrive before dark.
2. Day 2: Udaipur to Ahmedabad or Vadodara, about 260–370 km. A shorter day: leave late, or see Udaipur in the morning.
3. Day 3: Vadodara to Pune, about 550–600 km, past Surat and around Mumbai.
4. Day 4: Pune to Goa, about 450 km, through Satara and Kolhapur and down the ghats.

With two drivers you can do it in three days: Delhi to Udaipur or Ahmedabad on day one, on to Pune on day two, and Goa on day three. That means 10–12 hours at the wheel each day, so it only makes sense if you share the driving.

Road conditions and driving tips

• NH48 is a wide divided highway most of the way, with heavy truck traffic in Rajasthan and Gujarat.
• Around Mumbai, traffic can add hours: time your run past the city for early morning or late evening.
• The ghat descent into Goa has hairpin bends: use a low gear downhill and take it slowly.
• Fuel and food are easy to find along NH48; fill up before the ghats.
• Our cars have a 120 km/h speed limit, so plan each day at a steady highway pace.
• Keep the FASTag topped up: there are many toll plazas on the way.

What the trip costs

For fuel, a petrol SUV doing 14–15 km a litre uses about 130 litres each way: roughly ₹12,000–13,000 at ₹96 a litre. Tolls add several thousand rupees each way, with plazas roughly every 60 km on the national highways, all paid by the FASTag in the car. Add three nights of hotels on the way, and the same again if you drive back.

The car rental is where a long trip saves the most: trips over 5 days get 20% off, over 15 days 30%, and 30 days or more 40%.

Driving in Goa

Once you arrive, the car is the best way to see both halves of Goa: the busy beaches and nightlife of the north (Baga, Anjuna, Vagator and Arambol) and the quieter beaches of the south (Palolem, Agonda and Cabo de Rama). Roads are narrow and shared with scooters, so drive slowly through villages. Park only in marked places near the beaches, and lock valuables out of sight.

• Old Goa's Basilica of Bom Jesus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Latin Quarter of Fontainhas in Panaji.
• Fort Aguada and its lighthouse, above Sinquerim beach.
• Dudhsagar Falls on the Karnataka border, best just after the monsoon.
• The Anjuna Flea Market on Wednesdays, in season.

Renting a self-drive car for Goa

• Unlimited kilometres and an All-India permit on every car; you pay any state entry taxes along the way.
• Long-trip discounts of 20% over 5 days, 30% over 15 days and 40% for 30 days or more.
• An SUV such as the Scorpio N, XUV 7XO or Grand Vitara is the most comfortable for 1,900 km.
• Plan it as a round trip back to Delhi. Collect the car at our Mahipalpur office near IGI Airport, or have it delivered anywhere in Delhi NCR.
• You need a driving licence held for at least a year, a government ID and a ₹5,000 refundable deposit.

See all our cars or read more about outstation trips from Delhi.