Amritsar · How to Reach

Amritsar sits in the far northwest of the Indian rail and road network, near the end of the line before the Pakistan border, but it is a major terminus rather than a backwater — the city is very well connected to Delhi and the rest of northern India by train, has its own international airport, and lies on good highways. Getting there is straightforward from almost any direction.

By train. The main station is Amritsar Junction (station code ASR), a large terminus close to the city centre and only a short ride from the Golden Temple. It is one of the busiest stations in the region, with frequent services to and from Delhi, including fast daytime trains such as the Shatabdi Express and a number of overnight expresses, as well as long-distance connections across the country. The Delhi–Amritsar corridor is the workhorse route, covering roughly 450 kilometres in about six hours on the quicker services. Because live timetables and seat availability change constantly, check current trains and fares in the search box on this page rather than relying on a fixed schedule.

By air. Amritsar has its own airport — Sri Guru Ram Dass Ji International Airport (ATQ), about 11 kilometres northwest of the city — and it is a genuine international gateway, not just a domestic strip. It handles domestic flights to Delhi, Mumbai and other Indian metros, and a useful roster of direct international services, particularly to destinations with large Punjabi diaspora communities. For many overseas visitors, especially pilgrims, Amritsar is a rare Indian city you can reach by a direct international flight without routing through Delhi. The airport is close enough that a taxi into town takes well under half an hour outside peak traffic. Confirm current routes before planning around them, as the international schedule shifts seasonally.

By road. Amritsar lies on the historic Grand Trunk Road (NH-3) and is linked to Delhi by the fast Delhi–Amritsar corridor via the Jalandhar–Ludhiana highway, a drive of roughly 450 kilometres that typically takes eight to ten hours by car or bus depending on traffic and stops. Chandigarh is about 230 kilometres away (around four to five hours), and the hill stations of Himachal Pradesh are within a comfortable day's drive, which is why many travellers fold Amritsar into a wider northern circuit. Regular inter-city buses, including comfortable Volvo services, run from Delhi, Chandigarh and Jammu. As with the trains, winter fog on the corridor can slow road travel sharply (see the best-time section).

Getting around once you arrive. The old city, with the Golden Temple, Jallianwala Bagh and the Partition Museum, is compact and best explored on foot — the core sights are within a short walk of one another. For longer hops, auto-rickshaws, battery-powered e-rickshaws, cycle-rickshaws and app-based cabs are all readily available. There is a heritage street (the Golden Temple Plaza / Heritage Walk) approaching the main entrance, which is pedestrianised, so you will finish the approach to the Temple on foot regardless. For the Wagah–Attari border ceremony, roughly 28–30 kilometres west of the city, most visitors take a shared cab, a tour vehicle or a private taxi, since public transport there is limited and timing matters. Agree fares before setting off, or use a metered app, to avoid haggling.