National Highway 18 serves as the backbone of trade and commerce of Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha states. You can take this road to travel to several districts, cities and towns of these states for business purposes. Moreover, tourists can use the highways to travel to various travel destinations. Here is everything you should know about NH18.

National Highway 18 passes through three states and covers several important cities. Here is a complete guide on NH 18 route map so that you do not face much trouble when driving on this highway.

States Falling Under National Highway 18 (NH 18)

Following are the states through which the National Highway 18 traverses:

• Jharkhand 
• West Bengal
• Odisha

Entry and Exit Points of National Highway 18 (NH 18)

The National Highway originates from Gobindpur, Dhanbad and passes through several cities before terminating at Balasore, Odisha.

The types of vehicles allowed on National Highway 18 include:

• M1 category vehicles (vehicles used for carrying passengers having not more than eight seats in addition to the driver’s seat)
• M2 and M3 category vehicles (vehicles used for carrying passengers consisting of nine or more seats in addition to the driver’s seat)
• N category vehicles (vehicles used for the carriage of goods)
• Motorcycles, Quadricycles and Three-wheeled vehicles

The government has set a fixed limit beyond which you should never increase the speed of your vehicle:

• Motorcycles: 80 km per hour
• Quadricycle: 60 km per hour
• Three-wheeled vehicles: 50 km per hour
• Motor vehicles with not more than eight seats in addition to the driver’s seat used to carry passengers: 100 km per hour
• Motor vehicles having nine or more seats in addition to the driver’s seat used to carry passengers: 90 km per hour.
• Motor vehicles used to carry goods: 80 km per hour

Some of the famous places around National Highway 18 include:

1. Ghatshila

This beautiful and popular tourist destination in Jharkhand attracts people from all across the country. Several popular places you can visit near the NH 18 include:

• Dharagiri Waterfalls
• Phuldungri Hill
• Narwa Forest

2. Jamshedpur

This is the largest city in Jharkhand, founded by Jamsedji Nusserwanji Tata. A few popular tourist spots of this city near the NH18 are:

• Jubilee Park and Lake
• Tata Steel Zoological Park
• Dalma Hills

3. Darjeeling

This is one of the most sought-after and cosy tourist spots in West Bengal. Some famous attractions that you can visit here include:

• Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
• Batasia Loop
• Tiger Hill
• Darjeeling Rock Garden

4. Sundarbans

The Sundarbans are popular for hosting the biggest mangrove forest in the world. Some famous places in Sundarbans near the National Highway 18 include

• Sajnekhali Bird Sanctuary
• Ghoramara Island
• New Moore Island

5. Konark

Also known as the "City of the Sun Temple", this is one of the most renowned cities of Odisha. The Sun Temple of Konark is an architectural marvel. Apart from this, other tourist spots you can visit in Konark near the national highway include:

• Chandrabhaga Beach
• ASI Museum
• Astaranga Beach

The following are some crucial things that you should consider when driving on National Highway 18:

• It is essential to consider the weather conditions while driving through NH18 during rain to avoid skidding of your vehicle and landslides. 
• Driving at night, especially on hilly terrains, is one of the primary reasons for accidents on this highway. 
• When driving on NH18, it is crucial to maintain speed limits to monitor the movement of vehicles. It will help you to change lanes while overtaking. 
• Traffic congestion on NH18 is one of the most common challenges people face. Try to avoid the peak hours to avoid the congestion.