Attention commuters! The travel time between Lucknow and Kanpur is set to shrink from 1.5–3 hours to just 30 minutes, all thanks to the new Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is likely to inaugurate this much-awaited road connectivity on April 28, promising smoother, faster, and more reliable drives.
This 63-km long expressway will ease congestion on old routes, slash travel time dramatically, and deliver huge relief to lakhs of daily commuters zipping between Uttar Pradesh’s key cities.
When can you access the Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway?
The Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway is expected to be inaugurated on April 28, 2026. However, the launch date and time have not been officially announced. Originally slated for April 21 by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the launch has been pushed back a week to the revised date, which is also not confirmed yet.
Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway: Toll charges revealed
NHAI has finalised toll rates for different vehicle categories, which will be implemented once the expressway opens:
- Cars, Jeeps, SUVs: ₹275 (one way), ₹415 (return within 24 hours)
- Light Commercial Vehicles: ₹445 (one way), ₹670 (return)
- Buses and Trucks: ₹935 (one way), ₹1,405 (return)
- Heavy Vehicles: ₹1,020 (one way), ₹1,530 (return)
At present, a one-way trip on NH-27 costs around ₹95 for cars, making the expressway a premium option that offers significant time savings in return.
Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway: Key benefits and what commuters can expect
– Relief for commuters: The upcoming Lucknow–Kanpur Expressway is expected to bring major relief for daily commuters who frequently travel between Lucknow and Kanpur for work, education, and business.
– Travel Time Cut: A key advantage of the expressway is the significant reduction in travel time. The journey will now take around 30 minutes instead of 1.5 to 3 hours.
– Boost to regional development: The expressway is also expected to support overall regional development. It will improve access to important places such as educational institutions, industrial zones and logistics hubs. The project will further connect with the Lucknow-Agra Expressway, creating a smoother route towards Delhi and other parts of northern India.
– Support for logistics: The expressway will help business travellers and logistics operators by making travel faster, smoother, and more reliable.