Kanpur travel guide

Kanpur, originally named Kanhapur and formerly anglicized as Cawnpore, is a large city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Founded by Rajput ruler Hindu Singh Chandel, Kanpur became one of the most important commercial and military stations of British Raj.

Kanpur (Hindi: KAHN-poor) is a major industrial and commercial city on the banks of the River Ganges. It has an area of over 400 km² and had a population of around 2.7 million in the 2011 census. Kanpur is home to several educational institutions, including an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-Kanpur), CSJM University, Harcourt Butler Technological University (HBTU), University Institute of Engineering and Technology, GSVM Medical College and Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Technology (AITH).

Getting around

As of June 2025, the Kanpur Metro consists of one line with 14 stations, stretching from IIT Kanpur in the west via Motijheel (Pearl lake) to Kanpur Central railway station. Various extensions and a second line are under construction. There are city buses run by UPSRTC under JNNURM. These buses offer cheaper rates than auto rickshaws. AC low floor city buses that are very comfortable cost the most to ride. Some other types of buses are non-AC low floor, minibuses and low floors which also offer low rates. You can travel using an auto rickshaw or the tempo called Vikram.

Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.