Road trip guide
Puri Asansol
Puri to Asansol links the temple town and the Odisha coast with the industrial belt of West Bengal. It is a natural overnight journey, long enough to want a berth and short enough to arrive fresh.
Photo: Maithon Dam, Jaiprakashsingh, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Quick answer
Puri to Asansol by bus takes about 11 to 13 hours and covers about 570 km by road, via Bhubaneswar, Bhadrak, Kharagpur, Durgapur. An overnight trip: leave Puri in the evening and reach Asansol early the next morning.
The journey, stop by stop
The big towns the road passes, in order.
Puristart
Bhubaneswar
Cuttack
Bhadrak
Balasore
Kharagpur
Bankura
Durgapur
Asansol arrive
What the road is like
From Puri the road runs to Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, then north up the coastal highway through Bhadrak and Balasore into West Bengal.
After Kharagpur it turns north-west through Bankura and the Durgapur steel belt to reach Asansol.
Pilgrims returning from Puri, students and families travelling between the two states use this corridor all year, with peaks around Rath Yatra, Durga Puja and the winter holidays.
Rail journeys between Puri and Asansol usually go via Kharagpur, and many need a change of train. Check current trains and timings on IRCTC before you plan.
Why go by bus, not train?
Why more and more people now choose the road for Puri to Asansol.
- Board near home: a bus stops at towns and junctions along the way, so you do not have to travel to a big station first.
- Seats when trains are full: on popular dates, train seats to Asansol sell out weeks ahead, while buses add capacity close to the date.
- Live tracking your family can follow, so nobody has to call you at midnight to ask where you are.
- A proper berth to sleep in: a modern AC sleeper coach gives you your own lie-flat berth with curtains, charging and a reading light.
- Why buses are growing: new expressways, better coaches and online booking with seat choice have made long-distance road travel faster and far more comfortable than it was a few years ago.
Tips for the journey
Pick a lower berth if you get up at night, and an upper berth if you want the most privacy and the least foot traffic.
Carry a light shawl: AC coaches run cool after midnight, even in summer.
Keep your ID, phone charger and water in a small bag at your berth, and the big bag in the luggage hold.
Share your live bus tracking link with family before you sleep, so they can see where you are without calling.
Eat a light dinner before boarding. Long-route coaches stop for meals, but timings depend on the road.
Questions travellers ask
How long does Puri to Asansol take by road?
About 11 to 13 hours, which makes it a comfortable overnight trip.
How far is Asansol from Puri?
About 570 km by road, via the Odisha coastal highway, Kharagpur and Durgapur.
When is this route busiest?
Around Rath Yatra, Durga Puja, and the winter and summer holidays. Book early for those dates.
Is it better to travel overnight?
Yes for most people: you sleep through the long highway stretch and arrive in the morning.
Useful links: the road route on Google Maps and IRCTC for current trains. Distances and times are rounded and vary with traffic and stops.
Last updated 15 October 2026 by the Nandighosh travel team.
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