Mumbai to Aurangabad

By the Viamo editorial team · Editor Terje Moy · Last updated July 2026 · 5 min read

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Aurangabad is the gateway to two of India's most extraordinary sights: the rock-cut Buddhist caves at Ajanta and the multi-faith temple complex at Ellora, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites carved directly into cliff faces over more than a thousand years. It sits around 330 km inland from Mumbai, and travellers weigh up an overnight train, a short flight, or the road, depending on how much time they have.

The classic way: overnight train

Several trains connect Mumbai (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus or Lokmanya Tilak Terminus) with Aurangabad, with journey times generally in the range of 6.5–8 hours depending on the specific service. An overnight departure is a popular choice: board in the evening, sleep through the journey in a sleeper or AC class, and arrive in Aurangabad ready to head straight to Ellora, which is closer to the city than Ajanta and often visited first.

Day trains also run the route for travellers who prefer to see the Maharashtra countryside en route rather than sleep through it. Book through IRCTC ahead of your travel dates, particularly in the cooler months (roughly November to February) when the caves are most comfortable to visit. For more on how Indian Railways' classes and booking system work, see our guide to India by train. If you are exploring more of Maharashtra by rail, our guide to Mumbai to Pune covers another popular short hop from the city.

The quick way: flying

Aurangabad has its own airport with regular domestic connections to Mumbai, and the flight itself takes only around 1 hour. Given the road distance and the time a train or bus journey takes, flying is a genuinely strong option here if your schedule is tight — a common pattern is to fly in, spend a day or two visiting Ellora and Ajanta, and fly back, minimising travel time in favour of time at the caves. Add the usual airport transfer and check-in time at both ends, but even so, flying comfortably beats the ground options for a short visit.

The road option: bus and car

Direct buses run between Mumbai and Aurangabad, including comfortable AC sleeper coaches on the overnight run, taking roughly 8–9 hours depending on traffic through the Mumbai–Pune corridor and the Deccan plateau roads beyond. This is the budget option and a reasonable overnight alternative to the train if train tickets are unavailable.

By car, the distance is around 330–340 km, and the drive takes roughly 6.5–7.5 hours via the Mumbai–Nashik or Mumbai–Pune–Ahmednagar routes, depending on which road is fastest at the time of travel. Self-driving or hiring a car with driver gives flexibility for stops, though most visitors find the train or flight simpler for a route of this length, reserving a hired car for getting between Aurangabad and the two cave sites once there.

For current Indian visa and entry requirements before your trip, see our India e-visa guide.

Getting to the caves once in Aurangabad

From Aurangabad, both Ellora and Ajanta are reached by road — there are no rail or ferry options for the final leg. Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation runs scheduled bus services to both sites, and private taxis or hired cars with driver are widely available and often more practical given the early starts and long day that an Ajanta visit in particular requires.

What makes Ajanta and Ellora different

The two sites, while often mentioned in the same breath, are quite different in character. Ajanta is older, dating back over two thousand years in parts, and consists entirely of Buddhist caves carved into a horseshoe-shaped cliff above a river gorge — many still containing remarkably preserved wall paintings that are among the finest surviving examples of ancient Indian art. Ellora is later and broader in scope, with over thirty caves representing Buddhist, Hindu and Jain traditions side by side, including the astonishing Kailasa Temple, carved directly out of a single rock face from the top down rather than built up from the ground. Seeing both gives a genuinely different picture of Indian religious art across roughly a thousand years of history, which is why many visitors consider the extra effort of a Mumbai side trip worthwhile.

Other sights around Aurangabad

Aurangabad itself has its own attractions worth an afternoon if your schedule allows, including the Bibi Ka Maqbara, a mausoleum closely modelled on the Taj Mahal and sometimes nicknamed the "Mini Taj," and the hilltop Daulatabad Fort, a formidable medieval fortress on the road towards Ellora. Both are easy to combine with a half-day Ellora visit without significantly extending the day, giving the trip more substance than a pure there-and-back caves visit.

Which should you choose?

If time is limited, flying is the standout option — an hour in the air versus most of a day on the ground, leaving more time at the caves themselves. If you have the time and want to travel overnight to save a day, the train is comfortable and well established on this route. Driving or the bus suit those on a tighter budget or already touring Maharashtra by road.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get from Mumbai to the Ajanta and Ellora caves?

Travel first to Aurangabad by train, flight, bus or car, then continue by road to each site — Ellora is about 30 km away, Ajanta around 100 km. There is no direct rail or air service to the caves themselves.

Is it worth flying to Aurangabad instead of taking the train?

If your time is limited, yes — the flight takes about an hour, against 6.5–8 hours or more by train or road, leaving more time to actually see Ajanta and Ellora.

Can I visit both Ajanta and Ellora in one day?

It is possible but rushed and not recommended. Ellora is close to Aurangabad and manageable in half a day; Ajanta is considerably further and typically needs a full day on its own, including a shuttle bus for the final approach.

Is there an overnight train from Mumbai to Aurangabad?

Yes, several services run overnight with sleeper and AC classes, taking roughly 6.5–8 hours, letting you save a day by travelling while you sleep.