Lucknow - capital of Uttar Pradesh, India

Lucknow (Hindi: लखनऊ Lakhnaū) is the capital of Uttar Pradesh and one of the most populous cities in northern India. Lucknow, the "City of the Nawabs", thrives along the banks of Gomti river. The city along with the rest of Awadh fell to the British during the colonial era. Today, Lucknow is dotted with remnants of its rich cultural past.

Understand

Lucknow is also known for its elaborate cuisine and chikankaari or exquisite shadow-work embroidery on fine muslin cloth.

Lucknow is a historically important city and for many centuries was at the heart of North Indian culture. In particular, the city was famous for its adab and tehzeeb (manners and etiquette), intricate embroidery, beautiful gardens and dance forms such as kathak. It was also one of the sites of the 1857 Indian Mutiny (or First War of Indian Independence). The Hindi spoken in Lucknow is considered the most beautiful and gentle in the country. The city has a population of around 3.4 million.

Lucknow is the heart of the art, cuisine, dance, culture and music of Northern India. It was the cradle of the Hindu-Muslim-symbiosis that was the epitome of India for hundreds of years. it brought in the best of various cultures and accepted Western institutions like La Martiniere College in her womb. It was made famous by the soft-spoken, and sweet tongued, Awadh-Lucknowai culture that was based on civilised behaviour toward fellow human beings. Lucknow is the home of Urdu, Hindustani and Hindi languages. The city became known as a centre for Urdu poetry and courtly presence and diction, being the birthplace and city of residence for many poets. The Mushaira, an event of poetry recitation forms the heart of Lucknow's nightlife where Mushairas go on into the wee hours of the night. Lucknow's only rival in Northern India was Delhi, though Lucknowies were always embroiled in a healthy rivalry with Delhi, home of the famous poet Ghalib and others. Lucknow is also famous for its sweetmeat, the sweet shops in the old city dates to 1850s. Awadhi and Mughlai food is the delight of the visitors to Lucknow.

Another thing that may surprise visitors are the ubiquitous posters, billboards and signs boasting of great progress and bearing the picture of Mayawati. She is the former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh state and is quite controversial. Labelled by some as the "Dalit Queen," she has received criticism for misuse of public funds and abuse of power. She has spent millions of rupees on massive public works projects such as the Ambedkar Memorial (see below) which opposition leaders see as a waste. No matter who you speak to in Lucknow, everyone will have an opinion about her, and it's an excellent conversation starter.

Climate

Get in

By plane

• Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport (IATA: LKO, formerly Amausi Airport), 26.761944°, 80.883333°, fapdlko@aai.aero. The airport has daily flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Patna, as well as direct flights to Bangalore, Sharjah, Jeddah, Muscat, Dehradun, Indore, Pune, Goa and Varanasi. The Red Line of the Metro connects it to Charbagh station (and by extension Lucknow Junction).

By train

Lucknow is on the Delhi-Gorakhpur railway route. Connections can be made from Agra and Allahabad. A major railway junction, Lucknow is conveniently connected to many cities. Some of the important trains are : 12003/12004 Shatabadi Ex. : 15063/15064; Nainital Ex; : 19165/19166; Sabarmati Exp : 12553/12554; Vaishali Exp : 15609/15610; Awadh-Assam Exp : 12875/12876; Neelanchal Exp : 14283/14284; Ganga-Yamuna Exp : 12229/12230 Lucknow Mail : 12419/12420; Gomti Exp : 14257/14258; Kashi-Vishwanath Exp : 14011/14012; Nauchandi Exp : 11015/11016; Bombay-Gorakhpur Exp : 12511/12512; Cochin-Gorakhpur Exp.

The important contact for Lucknow Railways are: Railways Manual Enquiry 139, 2636132; reservation 0522-2635841; Badshahnagar 0522-2385182. 0522 is Lucknow's STD code.

There are two major stations in Lucknow - Lucknow Junction and Charbagh. Both of these form the same complex, but serve different trains.

• Lucknow Charbagh railway station, 26.830675°, 80.925291°. 2019-12-07
• Lucknow Junction railway station, 26.831967°, 80.918587°. 2019-12-07

By road

Lucknow is connected by road with all the major cities of the country. Some of the major road distances are: Agra 363 km, Allahabad 210 km, Ayodhya 135 km, Kolkata 985 km, Jim Corbett National Park 400 km, Delhi 497 km, Dudhwa National Park 238 km, Kanpur 79 km, Khajuraho 320 km, Varanasi 280 km.

By bus

The bus stations are situated at Alambagh, and Kaisar Bagh and Polytechnic.

• Roadways Inter State Bus Terminal Alambagh, +91 522-2458096.

Buses from Sunauli-Bhairawa on the India/Nepal border stop on their way to Varanasi.

From Lucknow to New Delhi: There is a luxury air-conditioned bus from Quaiser Bagh Bus station. Route for this bus is Lucknow - Sitapur - Bareilly - Muradabad - Ghaziabad - Delhi [Anand Vihar ISBT]

Get around

Places of interest are spread out over a large distance, so using motorised transit is advised.

By metro

One line in a north-south route has been built that connects the city centre to several other places, including the airport and Charbagh railway station.

• Lucknow Metro. 2019-12-07

By hired car

There are many car rental companies available. One should hire cars with local drivers as traffic is dangerous for anybody not used to local traffic conditions.

By taxi and rickshaw

Taxi and rickshaw drivers in Lucknow are of the more insistent type, although few of them speak enough English to go to locations that are out of the way. Trilok Battery Rickshaw has launched a battery-operated tricycle. Now the plan is to introduce solar tricycles also. CNG buses and rickshaws are available to get you around the whole city. Metro Project was approved by the government in 2013 and was scheduled to be available 3-4 years later. The rickshaws in Lucknow are both manpower and motor-powered. The rickshaw pullers are available everywhere from Gomti Nagar to Hazratganj.Cycle rickshaws contribute less pollution to this historic city than their motorised cousins, and provide work to some who need it most.

See

• Ambedkar Memorial, 26.84793°, 80.97597°. A large, 107-acre development to honour Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar who was the architect of the Indian constitution. Impressive stone work, statues and fountains intermix with carefully sculpted gardens. Free 2019-12-07
• Amrapali water park.
• Bara Imambara and Bhool Bhulaiya, 26.869104°, 80.912885°. A large and impressive tomb complex built in 1783. There is an interesting labyrinth too. You could easily spend half a day wandering around these beautiful but crumbling examples of Mughal architecture. If you hire a guide, do not expect him to know the way around; some are known to get lost in the labyrinth. The ticket also includes the Chhota Imambara, the Husainabad clock tower and picture gallery. Lone couples are not allowed to enter the labyrinth inside the complex without a guide. This prohibition is not brought to notice while buying the entry ticket. You will also have to pay a man 2 rupees to mind your shoes while exploring the complex: shoes are not allowed inside. ₹500 for foreigners 2019-02-05
• Botanical Gardens. 6AM–8:30. A good place for nature lovers, it features peacocks, a cactus museum, and research labs. 2019-12-09
• Buddha Park, 26.902295°, 80.944014°. A small park on the side of a noisy congested road in Lucknow. A statue of the Buddha gives the park its name. The park features fun rides and boating facilities.
• Cathedral School, Hazaratganj. It is a school and comprises of a massive church. Lot of celebrations take place around Christmas time and is packed.
• Chhota Imambara, 26.860556°, 80.915833°. An imposing mausoleum built by the third Nawab of Avadh in 1837. The ticket for Bara Imambara is also good for admission to Chhota Imambara.
• Colvin Taluqdars College. A must see place it has great architecture built in 1896 named after Sir Auckland Colvin.
• Crocodile sanctuary at Kukrail. One of the biggest sanctuaries in Asia.
• Deva Shariff, around 30 km from the city, is a place of worship and faith where people from all the religions gather, a symbol of unity and love.
• Dilkusha ruins, 26.831°, 80.954°.
• Farangi Mahal. The Oxford and Cambridge of India author/poet Shibli Naumani. For more details see the book Ul Farangi Mahal by Francis Robinson
• Globe Park.
• Husainabad Clock Tower (Ghanta Ghar), Hussainabad Lucknow, 26.874581°, 80.906788°. A British landmark, set in a park with the somewhat poorly curated picture gallery, and a lake. A great place for sunset. The ticket for Bara Imambara also grants admission here.
• Indira Gandhi Planetarium (Patna Planetarium), 9, Nabi Ullah Road , Suraj Kund Park, 25.611°, 85.144°, +91 2629176. Tu-Su shows 1–6PM (45-min shows 1–1:40PM English, 2:30-3PM, 5PM Hindi). A building in the shape of Saturn. ₹25
• Marine Drive, Near Inox Cinemas, Gomtinagar. Beautiful Gomti river-side and monumental structures view for fun with Family and friends. Best time to visit is 4–6PM, during the sunset.
• Qaiserbagh complex.
• The Ram Krishna Math, Nirala Nagar, 26.874167°, 80.94°.
• Rammanohar Lohiya park.
• Ruins of the Lucknow Residency and Museum. The bloody history of the demise of this Raj era compound is immortalised in the museum in the basement. This was the scene of the 1857 First Battle for Independence, referred to by the British as `The Indian Mutiny.´ Although you can still clearly see numerous cannon ball marks in the ruined buildings, thankfully it is a peaceful place today. So much so in fact, that you are likely to stumble across couples taking a little private time in the leafy shady groves. The Residency is clearly recognised by the locals and tourists alike as a breezy haven to escape from the bustle and dust of a busy Indian city. The Residency will try to sell you a photo pass for an additional ₹25. The guard will also ask you if you have a camera. However once you are inside, no one will say anything if you take photos. ₹300 for foreigners, ₹25 for Indian citizens 2019-02-05
• Rumi Darwaza (Rumi Gate), Hussainabad Lucknow, 26.860556°, 80.915833°.
• Shaheed Smarak.
• The Zoo/Museum,. closed on Monday. It has the trains of joy for children and a large number of animals in here. Many museums of owls, and fish aquariums also available. Available here is tasty western-style food.
• State Museum Lucknow. 2020-01-06

Do

• CIMAP (Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants).
• East End Mall & Wave Cinemas, Vibhuti Khand, Gomti Nagar.
• Fun Republic Mall & Fun Cinemas.
• Haathi Park.
• Hazaratganj (lover's street). The city centre provides the food of the Mughals to Chinese and dosa of marksmen to the tastiest rabdis of moti mahal. The choice of cloth are the best for any occasion and the showrooms give every sort of thing you want. The celebrations of India's wins during world cups and solar powered lights make it a forever young market. The hanuman temple is the place for you to express your devotion perfectly
• NBRI (National Botanical Research Institute).
• Phoenix United Mall & PVR Cinemas.
• River Side Mall & Inox Cinemas.
• Sahara Ganj Shopping Mall & PVR Cinemas, Shahnajaf Rd.
• TORNOS (Lucknow Walks), Tornos House, C-2016 Indira Nagar ('C' Block crossing), +91-522-2349472, info@tornosindia.com. 10AM–7PM. They offer some great heritage walks including a culinary walk. ₹15 2015-07-21
• Lucknow Mahotsav. 2019-12-09
• Lucknow Literary Festival. 2019-12-09

Buy

Chikan dress — a cotton dress with hand-made embroidery, is a must-buy in Lucknow. These garments are both for men and women. The cost is anywhere between ₹250-5000 depending on the chikan work (hand embroidery work on cloth is of various types, "Murri" is the traditional handwork and is therefore a little more expensive). In old Chowk and Aminabad it is a small scale industry so it is cheapest to buy from there. There are a lot of shops next to each other, and for the obvious reason of close competition, you'll get the best bargain. In Hazratganj ("Ganj") the same piece will cost some ₹200 more. Beware of the touts who will take you to shops near the Civil Hospital and Hussain Ganj where the prices are 500% higher!

• Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Sthal, Gomti Nagar.
• Aminabad Market. Very old market, good for buying chikan (hand-embroidered clothes), leather shoes/bags and for chaat/sweets. There's a reasonably large book-market, consisting of an entire street. Gadbad-jhala is a market to get cheap bangles and fashion jewellery.
• Chowk. Lively market. This is the place to find bargains, and check out the locals. Visit in the evening.
• FUN Republic.
• Hazratganj Market. Very trendy and upscale. All recognizable Western brands will be available here.
• Inox. Movie multiplex and shopping mall
• Kapoorthala.
• Nishatganj, Nishatganj, NH-24. A very big fruits and vegetable market is here. Also, one can buy latest fashion trends clothes at a huge market area under the Nishatganj Gurudwara located nearby NH24.
• Sanatkada, 130, Jagdish Chandra Bose Road, Kaiserbagh. 11AM-8PM. Sells wide variety of crafts, including woven and hand embroidered garments, short tops, sarees, dupattas, home furnishings, artefacts, silver jewellery and accessories, organic honey, jams, preserves and herbs.
• SaharaGanj Mall, Sahanajaf Road, Hazratganj, Lucknow. The first and biggest mall in the city. Gives the experience of xbox for guys who don't have it
• The Tornos Studio (Indira Nagar), Tornos House, C-2016 Indira Nagar, +91 2349472. 2. They have great collection of book on Indian Mutiny. One can visit to read pr watch a film on Lucknow. They will offer tea/coffee free of cost. But nothing is for sale - great place for evening. All this by appointment (call: 0522-2349472)
• Lulu Mall, Sushant Golf City IBB-2T-5 Shaheed Path (on NH 27, the Lucknow-Sultanpur National Highway), 26.7846°, 80.9916°, +91 522-3539001, lululucknowshoppingmall@luluindia.com. 10AM–10PM. The Mall will house over 300 national and international brands, , family entertainment centre, food court, parking facility with a multi level car park. 2023-01-02

Eat

Everyone in Lucknow knows about the famous tikkas and kebabs. They are Mughal delicacies. Lalbagh, many roadside hotels near Aminabad and old Chowk offer cheap and unique types of dishes. Also, try out the street next to Tulsi thatre in Hazratganj for some exotic non-vegetarian delicacies.

The Food Court at Sahara Ganj, near Hazrat Ganj is the recent hot favourite with a number of fast food joints. If coffee and tea is something you like, you will find a huge variety at Cappuccino Blast at Mall Avenue. At Akbari Gate, during winters one can also enjoy Kashmiri Tea (a red coloured hot tea) with cream and Makhan Malai (a local variant of ice cream, saffron flavoured, made by hanging unsalted butter overnight in dew and then aerating it by beating it).

Budget

• Alzaiqa. You can find great non-vegetarian food here, specially chicken.
• Bajpai Kachauri Bhandar.
• Dainik Jagaran Chauk. Cheap and delicious non-veg food
• Dastharkwan.
• Haji Sahib's Shop, Akbari Gate. 7–10AM. This is in the heart of Old Lucknow. Serves the juiciest Nihari (lamb shanks in gravy) and Kulchha (a traditional bread).
• Jai Durgmaa Hotel. Very good vegetarian food etc.
• Prakash kie kulfi. Try the faloodha kulfi.
• Ram Asrey Sweet Shop. Very good sweets and snacks like Namkeen, Daalmonth etc.
• Tundey's Kebabs (MF Eating point). Has been serving kebabs for more than 50 years. The place offers wonderful kebabs with parantha and also sells biryani.
• Idrees Biryani, Chowk. 8 AM to 9 PM. Serves a good biryani. 2018-11-14

Mid-range

• Basket Chat, at Royal Hotel, hazratganj and at sahara ganj.
• Cappuccino Blast, 12 The Mall Avenue, Lucknow, UP, India, 26.834372°, 80.948031°, +91 522 223 6238. 10AM–midnight. Cafe, hookah lounge and restaurant serving continental, Indian and Chinese cuisine.
• Dastarkhwan. Exotic non-vegetarian delicacies, specially the special chicken masala, shaami kebabs and rumali roti/mughlai parathas.
• DineOut Restaurant, DineOut 297 A Sector 10 Indira Nagar, 26.888410°, 81.002530°, +91 0522-424-4857, dineoutrestro@gmail.com. 11AM-11PM. Pure vegetarian restaurant for family dining. 2019-03-16
• Kewal's. Famous for their tea and mouth watering samosas (potato stuffed pancake).
• Lalbagh. Famous for their tea and mouth watering samosas (potato stuffed pancake).
• Mint. Offers alcoholic beverages and great food. Food festivals are common.
• Paani Batashe (Sadar (Cantt)), Near chappan Bhog.
• Parampara. Sweets near the centre of Lucknow. 2018-02-18
• Sakhawat. 7AM-10PM. A lesser-known but good joint for connoisseurs. Operating since 1911, it has a limited stock and little seating space, with a select clientele.
• Sharma Tea House. Famous for their tea and mouth watering samosas (potato stuffed pancake).
• Ultra Violet, Mall Ave. Offers non-alcoholic beverages, great food and has a great ambience. Food festivals are common.

Splurge

• Aryan's. is also located at many various parts of the city
• Royal Cafe.
• The Salt, Sapru Marg, Lucknow. Family restaurant
• kool break. best food 2018-02-18

Drink

Finding alcohol is not a problem, but most bars are seedy and are to be avoided, except for those in five-star restaurants.

• A safer drink alternative is the famous local lassi yogurt drink.
• Not all retail shops of wine/liquor are authorised to serve so it's always suggested to drink in a bar or at your home or hotel.
• Cool Break, ashok marg. Nice ambience, rich menu.

Sleep

Please be wary of any hotels listed here that give details like 'close to x y and z' and 'air-conditioned rooms'. Most of these might be self-promotion attempts and not based on real tourist feedback.

Budget

• Hotel Mansi Ganga, Pandariba Road, pandariba Road Charbagh, Khalsa Hospital,, 26.834349°, 80.923043°, +91 522 263 0513, +91 522 263 7841.
• Lucknow Homestay, 110-D Mall Avenue, 26.832061°, 80.949803°, +91 522 223 5460. 110D Mall Avenue. Has WiFi, home cooked meals and boasts of space. Just off The Mall. The hosts are friendly, and a mine of information.
• New Sharma Hotel, 26.831293°, 80.918051°, +91 522 263 0544, +91 522 263 5901, +91 522 404 5586. There are two Sharma Hotels.
• Sharma Hotel, +91 9369266335 (Contact person Shujat Hashmi). Opposite charbagh railway station

Mid-range

• Arif Castles, Rana Pratap Marg, Hazratganj, 26.857269°, 80.943166°.
• Carlton, Rana Pratap Marg, 26.855816°, 80.946495°.
• Comfort Inn, Vibhuti Khand, Gomti Nagar, 26.865276°, 80.996684°, +91 522 272 0987.
• Hotel Gemini Continental, Rani Laxmi Bai Marg, Kaiserbagh Officer's Colony, 26.852632°, 80.936183°, +91 522 401 1111.
• Hotel Gomati near Hazratgunj and Sharagunj mall is run by Uttar Pradesh Tourism and offers decent rooms at moderate cost.
• Hotel Mandakini Saket Regency, 92/3-A, Old R.T.O. Compound, Gautam Budh Marg (Latouche Road), 26.838197°, 80.935078°, +91 522 407 3402, +91 98100 68858. Located in the cluster of hotels just north of the railway station. Reasonably friendly staff, just don't ask where to eat nearby, instead go a block or two back towards the station. The hotel doesn't have a restaurant but does offer room service. Rooms are reasonably clean but the air-con units are ancient and noisy. Large LCD TVs with cable. You may be able to negotiate a double room down to ₹1350 in the low season. Double room ₹1800
• Park Inn, La Place, Hazratganj, 26.853147°, 80.943399°.

Splurge

• Clarks Avadh, Parivartan Chowk, Mahatma Gandhi Marg (Opp. Begum Hazrat Mahal Park), 26.856696°, 80.935035°, +91 522 261 6500. One of the more centrally located hotels in Lucknow. Clean, well-kept and very smart. The restaurant named "Falaknuma" at the ninth floor has the right ambience to enjoy a Mughlai dinner with awesome views of the city. The Murg Malai Tikka is recommended. The service at the restaurant leaves much to be desired however, and the alcohol selections are in no way on par with what would be expected from an upscale hotel elsewhere. Wi-fi is available for a price.
• Dayal Paradise, Vipul Khand 5, Gomti Nagar, 26.842596°, 80.990737°, +91 522 405 9999. Check-in: noon, check-out: noon. ₹2400
• Piccadily Hotel, Kanpur Road, Sector B, Bara Birwa, 26.802915°, 80.896346°, +91 522 409 6000. A luxury hotel. 3 km from Lucknow Airport.

Connect

Mobile phone coverage in the city is excellent. There are many service providers offering a wide variety of plans, including Airtel, Jio, Vodafone, Reliance and BSNL.

Phone numbers in Lucknow begin with 0522, typically followed by seven digits. To call Lucknow from outside India you will need to dial the international prefix for your country, followed by India’s country code 91. If you want to dial a landline no. from a mobile, then you have to add 0522 before the number.

Cope

Emergency numbers

• Emergency Helpline, 108.
• Police, 100.
• Fire Department, 101.
• Ambulance, 102.
• Childline, 1098.
• Women Power Helpline, 1090.
• Emergency Helpline (India), 112.

Go next

By land

• Agra
• Allahabad
• Varanasi
• Sunauli - Nepal can be reached via Bhairawa