How to reach Narkanda from Delhi – 2023 Updated

Known for widespread snowfall during winters and year round spectacular views of snow capped Himalayan ranges, Narkanda is a nice tourist destination. Winter sports such as skiings are a famous attraction here. This blog will share complete knowledge of how to reach Narkanda from Delhi through different modes.  

Where is Narkanda located?

Situated on the hilltop,  Narkanda is a small town situated in the Shimla district of Himachal Pradesh. Narkanda is located in the upper Shimla on Hindustan Tibet Road.

It is around 60 Km from Shimla after Kufri.

Name of the Place	Narkanda (नारकंडा )
State	Himachal Pradesh
District	Shimla
Elevation of Place	2700 m, 8900 feet
Accessibility	By road
Best time to visit	Throughout the year
Distance from Delhi	Around 425 Km

How to reach Narkanda from Delhi

Narkanda is well connected by road and accessible throughout the year except during very heavy snowfall. The distance between Narkanda from Delhi is around 425 Km. There are different modes by which one can reach Narkanda.

How to reach Narkanda from Delhi by Road

There are other options for reaching Narkanda  by road.

 You can refer to the below table to plan your journey to Narkanda

Sr. No.	Location	Distance (Km)	Elevation (ft)	Elevation (m)	Time  (Hr)
1	New Delhi	0	700	225	00:00
2	Zirakpur	250	1000	320	05:00
3	Solan	316	5100	1550	07:00
4	Shimla	364	7200	2200	08:30
5	Kufri	380	8500	2600	09:15
6	Narkanda	425	8900	2700	10:45

How to reach Narkanda from Delhi on a Bus

If you want to travel to Himachal with a limited budget then traveling by Bus would be the best option. Unlike other hilly states, the bus network in Himachal is very good and night service is also available.

Himachal Pradesh State Owned Buses are called HRTC buses ( Himachal Road Transport Corporation buses). They are usually green/blue in color.   

There are multiple options to reach Narkanda by bus. You can take a bus to major bus stands / ISBTs and then a further connecting bus can be taken.

Before moving to the options we need to understand the route map. 

There are many direct buses from Delhi to Narkanda, you can choose below options for reaching Narkanda.

Option – 1 Delhi  to Narkanda.

There are 4 buses from Delhi to Rampur ( one Volvo bus )

SR. No.	SERVICE NO.	DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE	NARKANDA	DURATION	DEPOT	TYPE	ORIGIN	DESTINATION	ONLINE BOOKING
1	538	6:31 PM	7:30 AM	12:59 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE	RAMPUR	YES
2	93	7:35 PM	8:30 AM	12:55 Hrs	DW TARADEVI	HIMSUTA AC VOLVO / SCANIA 2X2	DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE	RAMPUR	YES
3	556	8:10 PM	9:15 AM	13:05 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE	RECONGPEO	YES
4	518	9:58 PM	9:45 AM	11:47 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE	SANGLA	YES

. 

Option – 2 Delhi to Chandigarh,  then to Narkanda.

From Delhi to Chandigarh:

There are many buses between Delhi and Chandigarh. You can easily get an ordinary/deluxe / Volvo bus very frequently.

From Chandigarh to Narkanda Travel you can read this blog with complete details of Buses . 

Option – 3 Delhi to Shimla, then to Narkanda.

Similar to Chandigarh, bus service from Delhi to Shimla is much more frequent. You can easily reach Shimla based on the connecting bus from Shimla.

From Shimla to Narkanda Travel you can read this blog with complete details of Buses

For online booking of buses on the HRTC website kindly Click here

Note: If you are planning to take an offline HRTC bus, kindly confirm the timings from the HRTC Depot office before finalization. Click here to know the phone numbers. 

How to reach Narkanda from Delhi on your own Vehicle

If you have good exposure to driving on mountainous roads then this is a perfect option to travel to Narkanda. Below are key things to be considered while traveling to Narkanda on your own driving.

1. Around 12 Hrs are required to reach Narkanda from Delhi.
2. Roads till Solan are very good  separate lanes for up and down traffic) and in the rest part till Shimla construction is going on the road..   
3. Highway from Shimla to Narkanda is in good condition..
4. You don’t require a 4X4 or a SUV as the normal vehicle can reach there.
5. In winter there would be high snowfall above Shimla to Narkanda. Please plan your journey by checking the weather.
6. If you want to by-pass Shimla you can go to Chail and then to Kufri. 

How to reach Narkanda from Delhi on a bike

Kindly consider the below points before planning a trip to Narkanda on a bike.

1. Every bike can reach Narkanda but prefer a bike with > 150 cc engine if you are with a pillion rider. 
2. You will feel the major variation in the temperature while traveling on a bike as there is a gain and drop of altitude. Shimla to Narkanda at a higher altitude than delhi.
3. Carry rain covers along as there might be rainy uphill while there is a clear sky on the plains.
4. There would be many landslide-prone areas that are treacherous during the rainy season.
5. During winters Bike riding is not advisable as there will be snowfall / black ice on roads and bike riding is extremely dangerous..

How to reach Narkanda from Delhi on a Taxi

Taxis can easily be hired for Narkanda and there are many options available on the online platforms. Following key things to be considered while taxing taxis to Narkanda.

1. The Driver should be experienced in traveling in these areas.
2. Vehicle to be comfortable since travel time would be more than 12 hrs.
3. Ground clearance of the Vehicle to be good.
4. Negotiate well before finalization.

How to reach Narkanda from Delhi by Train

The nearest railway station en route to Narkanda is the Shimla railway station. But this station is on the narrow gauge. You need to change trains from Kalka railway station. The Kalka railway station is for both broad gauge and narrow gauge.

• Pros
  • This route is a UNESCO world heritage site.
  • Best train route to see beautiful Himalayan mountains.
• Cons
  • Travel time is much high since the maximum speed of this train is around 30 km/hr
  • The frequency of the trains between Kalka and  Shimla is quite low.

The major train station en route to Narkanda is Chandigarh railway station.

• Pros
  • There are many regular trains between Delhi and Chandigarh.
  • Taxi service, as well as bus service, is available for further journeys.
• Cons
  • Since Chandigarh is only 250 km from Delhi, the rest of the journey will be covered on road so better travel the whole journey by road.

How to reach Narkanda from Delhi by air

Since Narkanda is located inner in the Himalayas, there is no major airport nearby.

1. The nearest airport en route to Narkanda is Shimla airport.
   • Pros
     • More than half the distance can be covered.
     • Narkanda can be covered in a day if started early from Delhi.
   • Cons
     • The frequency of the flights between Delhi and  Shimla is quite low. 
     • Total travel costs will be much higher.
     • Total distance is not covered.
2. Another airport en route to Narkanda is Chandigarh airport.
   • Pros
     • There are many regular flights between Delhi and Chandigarh.
   • Cons
     • There is not much time saving on flights from Delhi to Chandigarh.
     • It will be difficult to cover Narkanda in a day.
     • Total distance is not covered.

Summary – “How to reach Narkanda from Delhi”

Let’s summarize what we have understood in this blog  “How to reach Narkanda from Delhi ”

• Narkanda is a wonderful travel destination located in the Narkanda district of Himachal Pradesh at around 425 KM from Delhi.
• You can reach Narkanda in 12 hrs from Delhi
• Narkanda can be reached throughout the year but the best time is from April – June and then from September – October.
• Narkanda can be reached by self-driven car, bike, taxi, and by Bus.
• Nearest railway station is  Shimla which is narrow gauge. The major railway station is Chandigarh railway station.
• Nearest airport is Shimla airport.
• Cheapest way to reach Narkanda is by the HRTC bus.

We hope you have got a good understanding of “How to reach Narkanda from Delhi ”. If you want to give suggestions on this blog ” please comment.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions: