HOW TO REACH MANALI:

Manali is one of the most frequented hill stations in India and during its peak season it is mostly occupied with tourists from different parts of the country. Thus with a flourishing tourism in Manali, the mighty hill station is well connected by road to different parts of the state and Kalka Railway Station that connects different parts of the country through broad gauge tracks is the closest railway station. Whereas encircling Manali one can even hop to the nearby hill stations like Shimla, Manali, Manikaran, Dharamsala and Kasauli. Amongst the unexplored destinations one can even drive up to Keylong that falls on the Manali-Leh highway, which connects one to Ladakh. The distance from Manali to Leh-Ladakh is approximately 453kms.

Nonetheless how to reach Manali is not a matter of fuss. One can drive from Kalka to Manali, which is approximately 285kms and if you are planning your trip from Delhi to Manali, then en route Chandigarh, drive to Manali is approximately 550kms and it takes approximately half a day to cover the distance by road. The State Highway 4 that connects the National Highway 21, en route Ambala and Chandigarh is the most reliable route. The distance from Chandigarh to Manali is approximately 310kms. One who is planning to hit the highway from Dehradun, should catch the National Highway 123 that connects to State Highway 1 followed by State Highway 10. Steer your wheels to National Highway 22, which connects to National Highway 21 en route State Highway 11. The approximate distance from Dehradun to Manali is 440kms. One will surely fall into a chunk of cabs honking to drive to Manali after stepping out from Kalka Railway Station. Daily buses ply from Delhi, Chandigarh and Dehradun for Manali.

By Air

If you are thinking to reach Manali by air, then the closest domestic airport is Chandigarh that runs scheduled flights from Kolkata to Chandigarh and major cities likes New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore and the closest International Airport is at New Delhi. The Bhuntar airport which is actually close to Manali, approximately 50kms, has been shut down.

Bhuntar airport located at a distance of 49 km from Manali and is the gateway to this region. Tourists who prefer and can afford to fly cut down on travel time hugely and thus can have a lot more time to enjoy Manali. Flights are available from all the major cities.

By Rail/ Train

One, who is planning to reach Manali by train, may find the narrow gauge track up to Jogindernagar that is the closest railhead to Manali. The approximate drive from Jogindernagar to Manali is 3-4 hours en route Mandi and Bhuntar. Well, the Kalka Railway Station, which is a terminal in the foot of Himachal heights, circuitously connects Manali to New Delhi, Amritsar, Jammu, Jaipur, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bhopal, Indore, Guwahati, Patna, Kanpur, Lucknow, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai.

By Road

The Himachal Pradesh state bus service is ace and one can get frequent buses from the region to different parts of the country at reasonable cost. The best and most cost effective way to reach Manali is by road. Roads connect Manali to diffrent places including Delhi (540km), Chandigarh (305km), Dehradun (227km) and Ambala (370km). There are several private buses as well that connect the hill station with different part of the state.

Distance Charts:

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