How to reach Shimla by air, rail and road

Shimla being a famous tourist spot as well as the capital of Himachal Pradesh is well connected by road, rail and air. The heritage narrow gauge toy train has also found its place in the list of UNESCO heritage sites. The travel to Shimla by rail and road is itself a distinct experience as the tracks pass through lovely mountains and valleys and the view changes at every turn.

Getting there by road

By Car

Excellent  road (national highway No 22 from Ambala to Shimla) including the hill stretch with many food joints along the highway (7 hours from Delhi 368 Kms, 3 hours from Chandigarh 118 Kms).  Journey from Chandigarh to Shimla by car is cozy drive as the national highway is well maintained as compared to other hill roads. 

The road to Shimla is a foodie’s delight. Don't miss the food at Giani Ka Dhaba at Dharampur ( 50 Kms from Chandigarh), between Kalka and Shimla. Dharampur along the highway now has nearly 36 well-established dhabas, restaurants and fast food joints.

If you want to go to Kasauli then take a left just after Dharampur. For Chail, go till Kandaghat, and take a right. For Shoghi, go straight till Shoghi. For Shimla, simply keep going...more

There is never a boring moment on this road. The eating joints lined up on both sides of the road and the cool breeze from the hills make for a heady combination.

Driving instructions from Delhi

By Bus

There is 24 hours bus service from Chandigarh (travel time 4 hours, 118 Kms) and Delhi (travel time 9 hours, 368 Kms) and buses depart at short intervals of time.  Both ordinary and luxury buses are available. Some transport agencies are running deluxe VOLVO coaches also. The buses are a convenient way to reach the city as they run all through the day, take less time to reach Shimla as compared to train Services and are generally on time. Check out the Chandigarh Shimla bus travel section for timings and bookings.....more

Going to Shimla by Train

Kalka is the nearest broad gauge railhead. (96 Kms from Shimla). The tourists will have to change their train at Kalka from where The Kalka Shimla toy train runs on a UNESCO heritage narrow gauge track connecting to Shimla. Almost all the major cities in the country are directly connected to Kalka, through train. The Himalayan Queen and the Howrah Express provide services everyday from Delhi to Kalka. The narrow gauge train from Kalka and Shimla passes through more than 100 tunnels providing breathtaking views of the surroundings. The narrow gauge toy train takes about 5-1/2 hours to reach Shimla Railway station.

Refer the train time table for train timings and other relevant information.

Alternately you can take a taxi from Kalka to reach Shimla which costs around  Rs 1200.

Shimla by Air

The nearest airport from Shimla is the Jubbarhattii Airport. It is situated at a distance of 28 km from Shimla. Indian Airlines, Jagson and Deccan airlines operate limited regular flights for Shimla from Chandigarh, Delhi, Dharamsala and Kullu. The distance from airport to the city can be covered in about one hour by taxis which are easily available. As the airstrip is small only small planes can land at this airport

The preferred airport is Chandigarh ( 120 Kms from Shimla). Chandigarh has better air connectivity with other Indian cities than the Shimla airport. Indian Airlines, Kingfisher, Deccan, Go air, Jet airways operate regular flights. Refer how to reach Chandigarh section for more information on flight schedules and other relevant travel information on Chandigarh.