Aura of India: Cities in Uttar Pradesh: Lucknow, Agra, Varanasi and Prayagraj

Rumi Darwaza, the great Awadh-era gateway in Lucknow, in afternoon light

Photo: Rishabhgpt, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped), via Wikimedia Commons

Rumi Darwaza in old Lucknow, late afternoon, with traffic passing under the great arch.

Uttar Pradesh is a state of old cities strung along its rivers, and each one asks for a day of its own.

Lucknow and Kanpur, the cities of the centre

Lucknow is the capital, and the city of the nawabs of Awadh, who made it their court in the eighteenth century. Their buildings are in the old city: the Bara Imambara with its maze of passages, the Rumi Darwaza gateway beside it, and the lanes of Chowk. Hazratganj is the colonial shopping street. The 2011 Census counted about 2.8 million people in the municipal corporation. Lucknow Metro's one line runs 23 km from the airport through Charbagh station and Hazratganj to Munshipulia.

Kanpur, a short drive south-west on the Ganga, is an old mill and leather city with few sights of its own, though the riverside town of Bithoor is close. Its metro runs from IIT Kanpur to Kanpur Central station; the extension south to Naubasta has been tested and is due to open, so check before you go.

Agra, Mathura and Vrindavan, the cities of the west

Agra is the city most visitors see first, for the Taj Mahal, the red sandstone Agra Fort and the tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah. The Taj is closed on Fridays. Agra Metro's first 6 km, from Taj East Gate to Mankameshwar, has stations named Taj Mahal and Agra Fort; the rest of the network is still being built. Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar's red city, is not part of Agra but a separate town about 40 km away.

Mathura and Vrindavan, on the road and railway between Agra and Delhi, are the towns of Krishna's birth and childhood. They are small, crowded with temples, and at their fullest at Holi and Janmashtami. Fast trains and the Yamuna Expressway link all three with Delhi.

Varanasi, Prayagraj and Ayodhya, the river cities of the east

Varanasi is best on foot and by boat. Stay near the ghats, walk the lanes behind them, and go out on the river at dawn. Sarnath, where the Buddha first taught, is just north of the city; Ramnagar Fort, the old seat of the maharajas of Banaras, is across the river. Prayagraj, called Allahabad until 2018, is the city of the Sangam, where the Ganga and Yamuna meet.

Ayodhya, on the Saryu, has changed most. The Ram temple, the new Ayodhya Dham station and an airport have turned a small pilgrim town into a busy one. The Ganga Expressway, opened in April 2026, now runs 594 km from Meerut to Prayagraj.

Noida, Ghaziabad, Meerut and Aligarh, the cities near Delhi

Noida and Ghaziabad are Delhi's eastern suburbs: offices, flats, malls and the Delhi Metro, with almost nothing for a visitor. Noida's new airport at Jewar opened in June 2026. Meerut is older and more interesting. The uprising of 1857 began here on 10 May, and a small government museum on Delhi Road tells the story; it is closed on Mondays. Since February 2026 the Namo Bharat rapid train has run the 82 km from Delhi to Meerut in about 55 minutes.

Aligarh is a university city. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan opened a school here in 1875; it became a college two years later and Aligarh Muslim University in 1920.

What changed in 2026

In February the Delhi–Meerut Namo Bharat corridor opened in full. In April the Ganga Expressway opened from Meerut to Prayagraj, cutting the drive to about 6–8 hours. In June Noida International Airport at Jewar began flights. Metros help in Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra and Noida, but for the old quarters you still need autos, cycle rickshaws or your feet.

Ten days, west to east

Start in Agra for two days, with a morning at Fatehpur Sikri, and a day at Mathura and Vrindavan. Go on to Lucknow for two days, then a day in Ayodhya. Finish with three days in Varanasi and a day at the Sangam in Prayagraj. Before you go, read dawn on the river at Varanasi.

Cities to know

Lucknow (Lucknow): the capital; about 2.8 million people in the municipal corporation (Census 2011).
Agra (Agra): the Taj Mahal, the fort and a short metro line.
Varanasi (Varanasi): the ghats, the old lanes and Sarnath nearby.
Prayagraj (Prayagraj): the Sangam and the great river fairs.
Ayodhya (Ayodhya): the Ram temple and the Saryu ghats.
Mathura and Vrindavan (Mathura): Krishna's towns, between Agra and Delhi.
Kanpur (Kanpur Nagar): a mill city on the Ganga, near Bithoor.
Meerut (Meerut): where 1857 began, under an hour from Delhi by rapid train.
Aligarh (Aligarh): the university city of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan.
Noida and Ghaziabad (Gautam Buddha Nagar and Ghaziabad): Delhi's suburbs, and the new airport at Jewar.

Between Agra and Varanasi the cities change from Mughal red stone to river steps, but the plain and the slow brown rivers stay the same.

Plan your visit

Best season	October to March. December and January bring thick morning fog that delays trains; April to June is very hot.
How to reach	Airports at Lucknow, Varanasi, Jewar (Noida), Agra, Prayagraj and Ayodhya. Delhi's airport is the usual way in for Agra, Mathura and Meerut.
Getting around	Fast trains and expressways between the big cities; the rapid train from Delhi to Meerut; autos, cycle rickshaws and app cabs in town.
Where to stay	Lucknow: Hazratganj. Agra: Taj Ganj or Fatehabad Road. Varanasi: the ghats from Assi to Dashashwamedh. Prayagraj: Civil Lines.
How long to spend	One or two days each for Agra, Lucknow and Prayagraj, two or three for Varanasi, and a day for Ayodhya. More in our Uttar Pradesh guide.

Open Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh in Google Maps

Questions people ask

Which is the most developed city in Uttar Pradesh?

No official body ranks cities that way. Lucknow and Kanpur were the largest in the 2011 Census. For a visitor, Agra, Lucknow and Varanasi have the most to see.

Is Fatehpur Sikri in Agra?

No. It is a separate town about 40 km west of Agra, usually seen as a half-day trip.

Allahabad or Prayagraj: which name is right?

The city was renamed Prayagraj in 2018. The old name survives in Allahabad University and the Allahabad High Court.

How do I get from Delhi to Meerut?

Take the Namo Bharat rapid train from Sarai Kale Khan or Anand Vihar; it takes about 55 minutes.

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Cities in Uttar Pradesh: Lucknow, Agra, Varanasi and Prayagraj