Travel to Himachal by Air
Himachal Pradesh lacks several domestic and international airports because of its steep and rocky environment. There is virtually little air connectivity between the state and the other Indian states. Air travel is still the quickest way to get to this state, though. Three domestic airports in the districts of Shimla, Kangra, and Kullu are ideally situated in Himachal Pradesh.
For foreign visitors, Chandigarh Airport is the most practical choice. The distance between the airport and Shimla, the capital, is about 117 kilometers. Taxis are available from the airport, and regular buses travel to Shimla from Chandigarh Bus Station.
Bhuntar, in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, is home to the Kullu Airport, also called the Kullu-Manali Airport. The Kullu Airport provides access to several well-known and well-liked tourist locations, including Kullu (10 km), Manali (49 km), and Mandi (108 km). There are plenty of flights from Delhi, Chandigarh, and Pathankot to the Bhuntar Airport.
The Gaggal Airport, located in Dharamshala, is a minor airport serving the Kangra district. Additionally, it offers frequent flights between Kangra and Chandigarh and Delhi. Dharamshala (13 km away), Kangra (1.5 km away), Mcleodganj (17.8 km away), and Palampur (39.4 km away) are the major locations and tourist destinations close to the Gaggal Airport.
The Jubbarhatti Airport has excellent connections to the nation's major cities, including Shimla, the capital and most popular tourist destination in Himachal Pradesh. Near the Jubbarhatti Airport, Solan (52.6 km), Kufri (35 km), Naldehra (42 km), and Kandaghat (37 km) are some of the most well-known tourist destinations.
Only tiny aircraft are permitted to operate at any of the three airports in Himachal Pradesh since their runways are all relatively short—less than 5000 feet.
Travel to Himachal by Road
Himachal Pradesh boasts a vast road network that links the state and the majority of its popular tourist attractions to numerous major towns across the nation. Despite its challenging topography, Himachal Pradesh has built a robust road system with the highest road density of all of the nation's hill states. Roads make it simple to get to major travel spots like Shimla, Manali, and Dharamshala.
The state-owned bus company of Himachal Pradesh, the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC), operates a large number of buses that connect the state's major cities and towns and with neighboring locations such as Delhi, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, and Haryana.
One of the earliest Road Transport Corporations (RTCs) in India to offer online reservations, HRTC operates buses on some of the world's most famous motorways, including the Shimla-Kaza, Leh-Delhi, Manali-Reckong Peo, and Kullu-Kaza routes. For visitors and travelers, HRTC provides a wide range of alternatives, from regular and non-air-conditioned buses to Deluxe and Volvo coaches. Being the first bus company in India to operate opulent Volvo buses on its routes between Manali and Delhi as well as Shimla and Delhi, HRTC is well-known.
The NH-21 connects Chandigarh and Manali via Mandi, the NH-21A connects Pinjore in Haryana with Nalagarh and eventually connects with NH-21 at Swarghat, the NH-72 is a crucial route that connects Ambala with Haridwar in Uttarakhand via Amb and Paunta Sahib in Himachal Pradesh, the NH-22 connects Kaurik and Ambala and passes through the capital Shimla, and the NH-88 connects Kangra with Shimla.
In addition to this, the state is home to a vast network of tunnels, some of which are among the longest in the nation. This includes the Aut tunnel, which is 3 km long. Because of its climate and topography, Himachal Pradesh also has several seasonal highways that close in the winter and during the monsoon because of landslides and snowfall, respectively. The Manali-Leh road is the most well-known of these, and it is blocked for the majority of the winter.
Additionally, Himachal Pradesh boasts a vast road system that allows visitors to explore its many stunning and unusual locations. Regular service is also offered by private buses and taxis to and from all of the state's major tourist destinations.
Travel to Himachal by Rail
Himachal Pradesh only has a small railway network that reaches a few locations within the state because it has not yet built many rail tracks.
The state of Himachal Pradesh has fifteen railway stations. Nonetheless, the Kangra Valley Railway line is the main railway that links Himachal Pradesh with neighboring states as well as a few of its cities. It passes through significant locations in Kangra and Palampur on its way from Pathankot in Punjab to Jogindernagar in Himachal Pradesh. By this route, it takes about 8 hours to go to Himachal Pradesh from Pathankot.
Private cabs and buses are accessible from Pathankot at regular intervals for many of the state's most popular tourist attractions, including Dharamshala, Bir Billing, Palampur, and Kangra. Pathankot is a significant junction point for travelers traveling to these locations.
The other main railway line in Himachal Pradesh is the Kalka-Shimla train link. Shimla, the capital city of Himachal Pradesh, is easily accessible by the Kalka-Shimla Toy Train running on this route. This adorable tourist toy train, which has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, departs Kalka, Haryana, and travels to Shimla in about six hours.
The other trains operating on the Kalka-Shimla route are the Shivalik Deluxe Express, Rail Motor car; Himalayan Queen, Shimla Express, and Shimla Kalka Passenger which are the standard train services.
The Shivalik Queen Tourist Coach and the Shivalik Palace Tourist Coach are two unique carriages that run on this route from March to September. Two special trains also run on this route during the busiest time of year, which is April to June.
