Dharamshala is an offbeat tourist destination located in Himachal Pradesh in India. The Kangra Valley is where most of the tourists come to see the beauty and for yoga and meditation. The article is about how to reach Dharamshala and the best way to visit the Kangra Valley.
Dharamshala Tour
Dharamshala is an off-beat destination, and the place
is located at the foot of the Himalayas. You can complete your Dharamshala tour in multiple ways, like
by bus, by train, and by flight. All options are available to visit the tourist
places.
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| Dharamshala Tour |
Best Way to Reach Dharamshala
Several options are available to complete the Dharamshala tour. The best way to reach
the tourist spot will be by train and by flight. According to your hometown and
budget, you can choose the travel option. The most convenient and cheapest way
will be by train. If you want to travel by flight at a low price, you must book
a ticket in advance (at least 30 days before) and see the offers.
How to Reach Dharamshala by train
The best way to reach Dharamshala is by train, and it
is also a convenient and economical journey. The closest railway station is Pathankot Cantt (PTKC), which is well
connected with major Indian cities. The cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Jaipur,
Pune, Bangalore, etc. are directly connected by railway. There are lots of
trains that run daily from various cities to Pathankot Cantt. From Pathankot,
you have to go there by road.
Chandigarh
is the other, second-closest railway station. The railway station is well-connected
with other major cities in India. So, you will come to Chandigarh from your
hometown by bus, train, or flight. But, if you want to travel by train, you
won’t get so many trains to reach Chandigarh; your best place will be Pathankot
because Pathankot is closer than Chandigarh and has good road connectivity. A
visitor who wants to travel by flight, can also choose Chandigarh.
How to Visit Dharamshala by Flight
The nearest airport, Kangra Airport (DHM) is a
domestic airport. The airport is directly connected with some major cities like
Delhi, Bangalore, etc. Besides this, lots of connecting (one-stop) flights are
available from most of the major cities. Try to book a direct flight in advance
to save time and effort.
How to Reach Dharamshala from Delhi
Delhi is the capital city in India. So, each city or
state is directly or indirectly connected with New Delhi by bus, train, or
flight. If you are a foreign traveler, you must choose Delhi or Bangalore
first. From Delhi, you will have multiple options to visit Dharamshala, like
bus, train, and flight.
By Bus:
There are direct buses available to reach Dharamshala from Delhi. The distance
between the two places is around 450 km. Volvo buses and HTC buses are
available to reach the tourist places from Delhi. HTC bus fare will be around Rs.700
and Volvo bus fare will be around Rs.1100 to Rs.1300.
By Train:
There are several trains that run daily from New Delhi
station (NDLS) to Pathankot Railway Station (PTKC). The railway official
website: www.irctc.co.in
Shri Mata
Vaishno Devi Katra Vande Bharat Express (22439)
The fastest train is Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra
Vande Bharat Express (22439). The train departs New Delhi Station (NDLS) at
6:00 AM and reaches Pathankot Cantt (PTKC) at 11:15 AM, taking 5h 15m.
Festival AC
SPL (04401)
The train departs New Delhi station at 11:50 PM and
arrives at Pathankot Cantt at 7:23 AM, taking around 7 h 33 min. The express
runs every Monday and Thursday on the route.
NDLS JAT SPL
The train NDLS JAT SPL departs New Delhi station at
9:10 PM and arrives at Pathankot Cantt at 3:38 AM, takes 6h 28min. The train
runs daily on the route.
Shri Shakti
AC SF Express (22461)
The train departs NDLS station at 7:05 PM from
platform 10 and arrives at Pathankot Cantt at 2:00 AM, takes 6 h 55 min. The
train runs daily from Delhi to Pathankot, and the fare will be Rs.871 to
Rs.1961.
Vande Bharat
Express
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| Delhi to Dharamshala train |
The return trip from Amb Andaura, the express departs
at 13:00 and arrives in New Delhi at 18:25.
Note: There are many trains on this route. See more.
By Flight:
The Kangra Airport, known as Gaggal Airport (DHM) is
the nearest domestic airport, located 12 km away from the main city. You will
find direct flight services from Delhi
airport to Gaggal airport. Indigo, Spicejet, Airliance Air, operate their
flights daily from Delhi. The flight fare will be around Rs.4500 to Rs.8000.
Generally the fare is Rs.4500; the fare depends on booking time and offer. Flight
fare can increase closer to your travel time or during peak season. If you want
an urgent ticket, you have to pay higher amount. So, try to book flight tickets in advance from a genuine travel portal. Some connecting
flights are also available from Delhi to Gaggal Airport.
Kangra
Airport to Dharamshala
There are lots of rental cars available in front of the
airport. The distance from the airport to the destination is around 12 km. You
can reserve a car or prebook a rental car to reach your destination. The car
fare will be around Rs.1000 to Rs.1200.
Bangalore to Dharamshala
The distance between the two places is around 294 km.
Bangalore city is closer than Delhi. So, a foreign tourist can reach Bangalore
by flight instead of Delhi. There are lots of public buses that provide their
services from Bangalore to Dharamshala. The bus fare starts from Rs.500 to
Rs.1500, depending on bus type, facilities, and tour operator. You can book a bus
ticket online from the best tour operator in advance.
Pathankot to Dharamshala
The distance between the two places is around 80 km.
There are several buses, and taxis are available to reach the destination by
road. The only way is by road. You will find buses from Pathankot Bus Stand,
which is only 300 meters away from Pathankot Railway Station. The bus fare will
be Rs.200 to Rs.250, and takes around 3 hours to reach your destination. However,
local buses are very crowded. Some luxury buses run on the route, and the fare
will be around Rs.550. You can also rent a car to reach the place, and the fare
will be around Rs.2500 to Rs.3000. You can also book rental car from a genuine website.
How to
Explore Dharamshala
You can explore the places by booking a rental car or
bike. If you are a solo traveler, you may book a bike or scooty. If you are
with your family or friends, you must book a rental car in advance or in the spot.
If you want a hassle-free Dharamshala
tour, you must book rental car
online.
Best Places
to Stay
There are several homestays, guest houses, and hotels
are available in Dharamshala or Mcleodganj or Dharamkot. Most of the foreign
tourists choose Dharamkot for a long stay. The place Dharamkot is most
beautiful, peaceful, and best for meditation. You can book online in advance
from a trusted website.
FAQ
Which is the nearest railway station to Dharamshala?
Pathankot is the nearest railway station to Dharamshala.
The station is only 86 km away from the tourist destination. Chandigarh is the
second nearest railway station, which is 237 km away, connected with major
cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, etc.