India National Highways Road Trip 2026: NH44, NH48, Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Yamuna, Golden Quadrilateral Self-Drive Complete Guide
Browse more guides: India travel | Asia destinations India National Highways Road Trip 2026: NH44, NH48, Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Yamuna, Golden Quadrilateral Self-Drive Complete Guide TL;DR I drove four of India's major corridors during the cool months from October through March, and the road network has changed dramatically since the Bharatmala Pariyojana programme started rolling out in 2017. India now has 1.46 lakh kilometres of national highways across 28 states, the second largest road network in the world after the United States. This guide covers the five Tier 1 routes I tested, with real fuel costs, FASTag balances, dhaba stops, and itineraries for 5, 7, and 14 day self drive trips. Why 2026 Is the Right Year for an India Road Trip I had postponed a long Indian road trip for years because the highway quality outside the Golden Quadrilateral was unpredictable. That equation flipped in 2026. The Delhi to Mumbai Expressway opens its remaining phases this year, and FASTa...