How to reach Chitkul from Chandigarh – 2023 Updated

Chitkul is a beautiful tourist place with clean air surrounded by snow-capped mountains. It is the remotest destination in Himachal Pradesh bordering China after Spiti. This blog will share complete knowledge of how to reach Chitkul from Chandigarh through different modes.  

Where is Chitkul located?

Chitkul is a small village in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh. It is the last inhabited village on the India – China border. It lies on the Baspa river’s bank, the tributary of river Satluj. Baspa river meets Satluj at Karcham from where the road diversion for chitkul is. 

Name of the Place	Chitkul ( छितकुल )
State	Himachal Pradesh
District	Kinnaur
Elevation	3450 m, 11300 ft
Accessibility	By road
Best time to visit	April – June, September – October
Travel Distance by road	350 Km
Travel Time by road	12 Hrs  (approximately)

How to reach Chitkul from Chandigarh

Chitkul is connected by road and accessible throughout the year except during heavy snowfall or during heavy rainfall. The distance between Chitkul from Chandigarh is around 350 Km. There are different modes by which one can reach Chitkul.

How to reach Chitkul from Chandigarh by Road

There are various options to reach Chitkul by road.

 You can refer below table to plan your journey to Chitkul.

Sr. No.	Location	Distance (Km)	Elevation (ft)	Elevation (m)	Time  (Hr)	Remarks
1	Chandigarh	0	700	225	00:00
2	Solan	70	5100	1550	02:00
3	Shimla	118	7200	2200	03:30
4	Kufri	134	8500	2600	04:15
5	Narkanda	179	8900	2700	05:45
6	Rampur	239	3300	1000	07:30
7	Bhaba Nagar	289	5100	1550	09:15
8	Tapri	309	5600	1700	09:45
9	Karcham	319	5900	1800	10:00
10	Sangla	334	8500	2600	10:45	Stay – Option
11	Chitkul	359	11300	3450	11:45

How to reach Chitkul 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.   

Reaching  There are multiple options to reach Chitkul 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 – Sangla by bus and then Sangla to Chitkul by another bus.

Below are the bus details you can choose 

From Chandigarh to Sangla.

SR. No.	SERVICE NO.	CHANDIGARH	SANGLA	DURATION	DEPOT	TYPE	ORIGIN	DESTINATION	ONLINE BOOKING
1	518	3:15 AM	5:15 PM	14:00 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE	SANGLA	NO

From Sangla to Chitkul

SR. No.	SERVICE NO.	SANGLA	CHITKUL	DURATION	DEPOT	TYPE	ORIGIN	DESTINATION	ONLINE BOOKING
1	MND-RMP-CKL	7:45 AM	8:45 AM	1:00 Hrs	MANDI	ORDINARY	MANDI	CHITKUL	NO
2	RPO-CKL-01	12:00 PM	1:00 PM	1:00 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	RECONGPEO	CHITKUL	NO
3	RPO-CKL-002	2:00 PM	3:00 PM	1:00 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	RECONGPEO	CHITKUL	NO

• Pros
  • With this option, you need to stay at Sangla for One night. This will help you in acclimatization.
• Cons
  • Since there is only one bus which origins from Delhi and there is no online booking, there is a limited chance of a seat on this bus. 
  • You need to travel by ordinary bus which is very much uncomfortable in long-distance hilly.

Option – 2 Chandigarh – Reckong Peo by bus and then Reckong Peo to Chitkul by another bus.

Below are the bus details you can choose

From Chandigarh to Reckong Peo:

SR. No.	SERVICE NO.	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	DURATION	DEPOT	TYPE	ORIGIN	DESTINATION	ONLINE BOOKING
1	556	1:10 AM	3:00 PM	13:50 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE	RECONGPEO	NO
2	1220	1:30 AM	2:15 PM	12:45 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	HARIDWAR	RECONGPEO	NO
3	1513	4:44 AM	7:00 PM	14:16 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	YES
4	CHD-RPO	6:05 AM	7:00 PM	12:55 Hrs	REC PEO	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 NON AC	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
5	1511	5:50 PM	7:00 AM	13:10 Hrs	REC PEO	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 NON AC	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	YES
6	CHD-SML-RPO	6:00 PM	7:00 AM	13:00 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
7	1512	7:00 PM	9:00 AM	14:00 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	KALPA	YES

From Reckong Peo to Chitkul:

SR. No.	SERVICE NO.	RECONGPEO	CHITKUL	DURATION	DEPOT	TYPE	ORIGIN	DESTINATION	ONLINE BOOKING
1	RPO-CKL-01	9:30 AM	1:00 PM	3:30 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	RECONGPEO	CHITKUL	NO
2	RPO-CKL-002	12:00 PM	3:00 PM	3:00 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	RECONGPEO	CHITKUL	NO

• Pros
  • There are many buses available on this route.
  • You can also that connecting bus to Chitkul if you reach Reckong Peo on time.
  • You can also take the deluxe bus on this route.
• Cons
  • There is no direct bus from Chandigarh to Chitkul and you have to go to Reckongpeo. This will add a minimum of 2 Hrs to your travel. 

Option – 3  Chandigarh to Shimla, then to  Chitkul.

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 Chitkul Travel you can read this blog with complete details of Buses.

• Pros
  • There are many options for buses available. 
• Cons
  • You have to change many buses.

Option – 4 Chandigarh to Tapri, and then to Chitkul. ( Best combination) 

If you want to reach Chitkul without any halt and not to Reckong Peo then the best combination which I can suggest is to reach 

1. There are two buses from Chandigarh to Recokong Peo at @5:50 PM (Delux bus with Online Booking) and Other @6:00 PM ( Ordinary bus without Online Booking).
2. Take the ticket to Tapri and you will reach Tapri at around 6:00 AM
3. Then take Tapri to Chitkul Bus which departs at @6:45 AM, you will reach Chitkul by around @9:00 AM.

From Chandigarh to Tapri: 

SR. No.	SERVICE NO.	CHANDIGARH	TAPRI	DURATION	DEPOT	TYPE	ORIGIN	DESTINATION	ONLINE BOOKING
1	1511	5:50 PM	6:00 AM	12:10 Hrs	REC PEO	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 NON AC	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	YES
2	CHD-SML-RPO	6:00 PM	5:45 AM	11:45 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO

From Tapri to Chitkul:

SR. No.	SERVICE NO.	TAPRI	CHITKUL	DURATION	DEPOT	TYPE	ORIGIN	DESTINATION	ONLINE BOOKING
1	MND-RMP-CKL	6:45 AM	8:45 AM	2:00 Hrs	MANDI	ORDINARY	MANDI	CHITKUL	NO

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

Note: If you 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 Chitkul from Chandigarh on your own Vehicle

If you have good exposure to driving on mountainous roads and your vehicle is an SUV then this is a perfect option to travel to Chitkul. Below are Key things to be considered while traveling to Chitkul on your own driving.

1. The travel time is more than 12 hrs so please make sure you start early in the morning so that you reach Chitkul in the evening before it is dark.
2. Roads till Solan are good ( separate lanes for up and down traffic).   
3. Highway road up to Karcham after that single-lane road.
4. Road near Chitkul is not so okay, so having a high-ground clearance vehicle would be a good option.
5. You don’t require a 4X4 vehicle there as the normal vehicle can reach there.
6. The road from Rampur to Chitkul is considered among the most dangerous road so driving should be done carefully.
7. There would be many landside-prone areas that are treacherous during raining season.
8. In winter there would be high snowfall above Shimla till Narkanda and then in the Kinnaur district so weather updates to be taken before the start of the journey.
9. There are limited petrol pumps the way after Rampur.

How to reach Chitkul from Chandigarh on a bike

Nowadays traveling into the Himalayas on Bike is getting a trend. Lots of bikers every year travel to remote areas and enjoy the beauty. Reaching Chitkul on the bike would be the dream for every adventure lover. Kindly consider the below points before planning a trip to Chitkul on a bike.

1. Every bike can reach Chitkul but prefer a bike with > 150 cc engine if you are with a pinion rider. 
2. You will feel the major variation in the temperature while traveling on the bike as there is a gain and drop of altitude. Shimla to Narkanda at a higher altitude than Rampur at a lower altitude.
3. Ride carefully as the road from Rampur to Chitkul is considered a dangerous road so driving should be done carefully.
4. Carry rain covers along with as there might be rainy uphill while it is a clear sky on the plains.
5. There are many landside-prone areas that are treacherous during raining season.
6. During winters Bike riding is not advisable as there will be snowfall / black ice on roads and bike riding is extremely dangerous..
7. There are limited petrol pumps the way after Rampur so please plan and fill the tank based upon the fuel consumption of your bike. 

How to reach Chitkul from Chandigarh on a Taxi

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

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 is good.
4. Negotiate well before finalization.

How to reach Chitkul from Chandigarh by Train

The nearest railway station en route to Chitkul is the Shimla railway station. But this station is on the narrow gauge. You need to change the train 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 Chitkul from Chandigarh by air

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

The nearest airport en route to Chitkul is Shimla airport but there is no direct service available on the plane is available from Chandigarh.

Heli service is available from Chandigarh to Shimla. 

Summary – “How to reach Chitkul from Chandigarh”

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

• Chitkul is a wonderful travel destination located in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh around 350 KM from Chandigarh.
• You can reach Chitkul in one day from Chandigarh.
• Chitkul can be reached throughout the year but the best time is from April – June and then from September – October.
• Chitkul can be reached by self-driven car, bike, taxi, and by Bus.
• The nearest railway station is  Shimla which is a narrow gauge. The train can be taken from Kalka.
• The nearest airport is Shimla airport but no direct service from Chandigarh.
• The cheapest way to reach Chitkul is by the HRTC bus and many options are available.

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

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions:

 

If you want to reach Chitkul from Delhi kindly click here