Kufri is one of the beautiful hill stations in Himachal Pradesh. It is a weekend destination for North Indian Tourists. This blog will share complete knowledge of how to reach Kufri from Chandigarh through different modes.
Where is Kufri located?
Kufri is a small town situated on Hindustan Tibet road National Highway -22 just 15 Km away from Queen of Hills – “Shimla”.
| Name of the Place | Kufri ( कुफरी ) |
| State | Himachal Pradesh |
| District | Shimla |
| Elevation of Place | 2600 m, 8500 feet |
| Accessibility | By road |
| Best time to visit | Round the year, For Snow Mid-Dec to Mid -Feb |
| Distance from Chandigarh | Around 135 Km |
How to reach Kufri from Chandigarh
To reach Kufri, you need to first reach Shimla, which is well connected by road and accessible throughout the year except during very heavy snowfall.
The distance between Kufri from Shimla is around 15 Km. There are different modes by which one can reach Kufri.
How to reach Kufri from Chandigarh by Road
There are various options to reach Kufri by road.
You can refer to the below table to plan your journey to Kufri.
| Sr. No. | Location | Distance (Km) | Elevation (ft) | Elevation (m) | Time (Hr) |
| 1 | Chandigarh | 0 | 700 | 225 | 00:00 |
| 2 | Solan | 70 | 5100 | 1550 | 02:00 |
| 3 | Shimla | 120 | 7200 | 2200 | 03:30 |
| 4 | Kufri | 135 | 8500 | 2600 | 04:15 |
How to reach Kufri from Chandigarh 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 Kufri by bus. You can take the 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.
Option – 1 Chandigarh to Kufri
| SR. No. | SERVICE NO. | CHANDIGARH | KUFRI | DURATION | DEPOT | TYPE | ORIGIN | DESTINATION | ONLINE BOOKING |
| 1 | 301 | 12:20 AM | 6:45 AM | 6:25 Hrs | SHIMLA RURAL | ORDINARY | DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE | KHAMADI | NO |
| 2 | 556 | 1:10 AM | 7:15 AM | 6:05 Hrs | REC PEO | ORDINARY | DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE | RECONGPEO | NO |
| 3 | 1220 | 1:25 AM | 6:30 AM | 5:05 Hrs | REC PEO | ORDINARY | HARIDWAR | RECONGPEO | NO |
| 4 | 538 | 1:30 AM | 6:30 AM | 5:00 Hrs | RAMPUR | ORDINARY | DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE | RAMPUR | NO |
| 5 | 518 | 3:15 AM | 8:15 AM | 5:00 Hrs | REC PEO | ORDINARY | DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE | SANGLA | NO |
Option – 2 Chandigarh to Shimla, then Shimla to Kufri.
The bus service from Chandigarh to Shimla is much more frequent. You can easily reach Shimla based on the connecting bus from Shimla.
From Shimla to 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 Kufri from Chandigarh on your own Vehicle
If you have good exposure to driving on mountainous roads then this is a perfect option to travel to Kufri. Below are key things to be considered while traveling to Kufri on your own driving.
- Around 5 Hrs are required to reach Kufri from Chandigarh.
- 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..
- Highway from Shimla to Kufri is in good condition..
- You don’t require a 4X4 or a SUV as the normal vehicle can reach there.
- In winter there would be high snowfall above Shimla to Kufri. Please plan your journey by checking the weather.
- If you want to by-pass Shimla you can go to Chail and then to Kufri.
How to reach Kufri from Chandigarh on a bike
Kindly consider the below points before planning a trip to Kufri on a bike.
- Every bike can reach Kufri but prefer a bike with > 150 cc engine if you are with a pillion rider.
- 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 Kufri at a higher altitude than Chandigarh.
- Carry rain covers along as there might be rainy uphill while there is a clear sky on the plains.
- 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 Kufri from Chandigarh on a Taxi
Taxis can easily be hired for Kufri and there are many options available on the online platforms. Following key things to be considered while taxing taxis to Kufri.
- The Driver should be experienced in traveling these areas.
- Vehicle to be comfortable since travel time would be around 5 hrs.
- Negotiate well before finalization.
How to reach Kufri from Chandigarh by Train
The nearest railway station en route to Kufri 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. You can easily reach Kalka railway station from Chandigarh which is less than an Hour.
- 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.
How to reach Kufri from Chandigarh by air
The nearest airport en route to Kufri is Shimla airport but there is no direct service available on the plane from Chandigarh.
Heli service is available from Chandigarh to Shimla.
Summary – “How to reach Kufri from Chandigarh”
Let’s summarize what we have understood in this blog “How to reach Kufri from Chandigarh ”
- Kufri is a wonderful travel destination located in the Shimla district of Himachal Pradesh at around 130 KM from Chandigarh.
- You can reach Kufri in one day from Chandigarh.
- Kufri can be reached throughout the year but the best time is from April – June and then from September – October.
- If you want to see snowfall the best time is mid dec to mid feb.
- Kufri can be reached by self-driven car, bike, taxi, and by Bus.
- Nearest railway station is Shimla which is narrow gauge. The train can be taken from Kalka.
- Cheapest way to reach Kufri is by the HRTC bus and many options are available.
We hope you have got a good understanding of “How to reach Kufri from Chandigarh ”. If you want to give suggestions on this blog ” please comment.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions:
Question – Chandigarh to Kufri bus
Answer – There are many direct buses from Chandigarh to Kufri. Read this blog, you will be able to know details of all the buses.
