Chandigarh · How to Reach

Chandigarh is one of the best-connected cities in northern India, which is part of what makes it such an easy addition to a trip. It sits roughly 245 kilometres north of Delhi on the main corridor toward Himachal Pradesh, and it has its own airport, a busy railway junction and excellent road links. Because it is a regional hub — the shared capital of Punjab and Haryana and the gateway to the hills — services in every mode are frequent.

By train. The principal station is Chandigarh Junction (station code CDG), a well-organised, modern station a few kilometres southeast of the city centre. It is one of the busier stations on the Northern Railway network, with fast daily services to and from Delhi as well as connections to other cities. From Delhi the standout options are the semi-high-speed Vande Bharat Express and the long-running Shatabdi Express, both of which cover the route in roughly three to three and a half hours and make a comfortable day connection entirely feasible. Chandigarh is also the terminus for travellers transferring to the narrow-gauge Kalka–Shimla toy train — most take a short hop to nearby Kalka (station code KLK) to pick it up. 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. Chandigarh has its own airport — Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport (IATA code IXC), about 12 kilometres from the city centre near Mohali. It handles domestic flights to major Indian cities and a limited roster of short-haul international services, so for many travellers a direct flight is possible. Where a direct flight is not convenient, Delhi (DEL) is the fallback: about 245 kilometres away and connected by frequent fast trains, buses and the expressway. Always confirm current IXC routes before planning around them, as the international schedule in particular changes.

By road. Chandigarh is linked to Delhi by a well-developed national highway corridor, and the drive typically takes around four to five hours depending on traffic and where in Delhi you start. This is also the busiest bus corridor in the region: frequent government and private coaches, including air-conditioned and Volvo services, run between Chandigarh's Inter-State Bus Terminals (there are terminals in Sector 17 and Sector 43) and Delhi, Shimla, Manali, Amritsar and other cities. For onward travel into the hills, Chandigarh is where most road journeys toward Shimla, Kasauli and Himachal begin.

Getting around once you arrive. The city's grid makes navigation unusually simple — sectors are numbered and laid out in an orderly pattern, and addresses tend to be logical once you understand the system. Auto-rickshaws and app-based cabs are the main way to get around; the wide, well-signed roads and roundabouts also make Chandigarh one of the more pleasant Indian cities to cycle in, and a public cycle-sharing scheme operates from docking stations across many sectors. Distances between the main sights are modest, but they are spread out enough that walking between all of them is impractical, so plan on hiring a cab or auto for the day, or renting a two-wheeler. Fixing a fare or using a metered app before you set off saves friction.