Mathura and Vrindavan Fast Facts
Brajbhoomi begins about 80 km south of New Delhi. Mathura is some 140 km from New Delhi and about 60 km northwest of Agra. Getting to Mathura is easy as it is located on the New Delhi-Agra rail line and it is about three hours away from New Delhi by train. The Taj Express, daily from New Delhi, the Punjab Mail, daily from Bombay, and the August Kranti Rajdhani, daily, except Wednesday, from Bombay stop at Mathura.
Several bus services connect Mathura with New Delhi and Agra. By road Mathura is about 4 hours away.
Vrindavan is just 11 km away from Mathura.
In Mathura, Madhuvan, tel # 0565-404064 -- with a pool and in-house restaurant -- is one of the more posh hotels of Mathura. Vishram ghat is a short drive away from here. The Shri Yamuna Palace guest house, once a maharaja's palace, is an interesting place to stay but rather sadly maintained and is located in the bazaar.
Hotel Brijraj, near the Krishna Janmasthan, tel # 0565-406232 and Hotel Agra, at Bengali Ghat, tel # 0565-403318, are good choices too. Rooms are economical.
Vrindavan offers accommodation in a variety of ashrams and dharmshalas.
ISKCON's guest house, tel # 0565-442478 is the ideal place to stay; great veg
food. Otherwise, try the Krishna Sadhak Seva ashram which is located at Gurukul road.
There are vegetarian restaurants all over Braj Bhoomi and they serve excellent mithai and meals. Finding non-vegetarian food is difficult, but it is available at some hotels.
Nathdwara Fast Facts
Nathdwara is 48 km away from Udaipur. The trip to the temple town can be accomplished as a day trip.
Daily Indian Airlines flights connect Udaipur with Jaipur, Aurangabad, New Delhi and Bombay. The one way economy fare between New Delhi and Udaipur is Rs 3,055. The one way economy fare between Bombay and Udaipur is Rs 3,580.
The railway station is four km from the centre.The Udaipur-Ahmedabad Express connects Udaipur to Ahmedabad (six hours). The Garib Nawaz Express and Chetak Express connect Udaipur to Ajmer (eight to nine hours), Jaipur (11 to 12 hours) and New Delhi (17 to 20 hours).
Tariffs and packages for a few popular hotels of Udaipur:
- Hotel Jagat Niwas, 21 Lal Ghat, tel # 0294-415547, housed in a 350 year old haveli, offers its rates valid till January 2001.
- The tariff for an air conditioned double room is Rs 1,190 per couple per night.
Children below 12 will not be charged. Children above 12 will be charged Rs 250 per night. An extra adult will be charged Rs 250 per night.
Located near the lake, the hotel has an in-house restaurant serving vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals and a travel desk.
- Hotel Anand Bhawan, Fateh Sagar road, tel # 0294-523018, 523019, a lake front hotel offers its rates valid till September 30, 2000.
- The tariff for an air conditioned standard double room is Rs 900 for a couple per night.
- The tariff for an air conditioned deluxe double room is Rs 1,200 for a couple per night.
- The tariff for an air conditioned super deluxe double room is Rs 1,450 for a couple per night.
Children below five will not be charged. Children above five will be charged Rs 200 per night. An extra person will be charged Rs 200 per night.
Its facilities: a restaurant, a bar, conference facilities and a foreign exchange desk.
