How to reach Kinnaur from Shimla – 2023 Updated

Do you know, the Prominent place in India with the purest air to breathe is Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh ? It is a remote district of the hill state. This blog will share complete knowledge of how to reach Kinnaur from Shimla through different modes.  

Where is Kinnaur located?

Where is Kinnaur located?

With headquarters at Reckong Peo, Kinnaur is a District of Himachal Pradesh. It lies near the China border and along the banks of Sutlej river or its tributaries. Kinnaur is the place famous for Kinnaur Kailash peak and for its high quality apples. 

Name of the Place	Kinnaur ( किन्नौर )
State	Himachal Pradesh
District	Kinnaur
Elevation of Places	Varies from 1500 m, 3700 m
Accessibility	By road
Best time to visit	April – June, September – October

How to reach Kinnaur from Shimla

Kinnaur is connected by road and accessible throughout the year except during heavy snowfall or during heavy rainfall. The distance between Kinnaur from Shimla is around 221 Km. There are different modes by which one can reach Kinnaur.

How to reach Kinnaur from Shimla by Road

There are various options to reach Kinnaur by road.

 You can refer to the below table to plan your journey to Kinnaur.

Sr. No.	Location	Distance (Km)	Elevation (ft)	Elevation (m)	Time  (Hr)
1	Shimla	0	7200	2200	00:00
2	Kufri	15	8500	2600	00:45
3	Narkanda	60	8900	2700	02:15
4	Rampur	120	3300	1000	04:00
5	Bhaba Nagar	170	5100	1550	05:45
6	Tapri	190	5600	1700	06:15
7	Karcham	200	5900	1800	06:30
8	Reckong Peo	215	7900	2400	07:00

How to reach Kinnaur from Shimla on a Bus

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 Kinnaur by bus.

Option – 1 Shimla –  Kinnaur by bus 

Below are the bus details you can choose 

From Shimla to Reckong Peo.

SR. No.	SERVICE NO.	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	RECONGPEO	DURATION	DEPOT	TYPE	ORIGIN	DESTINATION	ONLINE BOOKING
1	333	3:40 AM	4:00 PM	12:20 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	POOH VILLAGE	YES
2	633	4:30 AM	1:30 PM	9:00 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	DHARAMSHALA	THANGI	NO
3	1220	5:00 AM	2:15 PM	9:15 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	HARIDWAR	RECONGPEO	NO
4	556	5:45 AM	3:00 PM	9:15 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE	RECONGPEO	NO
5	255	6:56 AM	4:40 PM	9:44 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	SOLAN	RECONGPEO	NO
6	1513	9:00 AM	7:00 PM	10:00 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
7	CHD-RPO	10:30 AM	7:00 PM	8:30 Hrs	REC PEO	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 NON AC	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
8	273	6:30 PM	3:30 AM	9:00 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	RECONGPEO	YES
9	1511	10:20 PM	7:00 AM	8:40 Hrs	REC PEO	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 NON AC	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
10	CHD-SML-RPO	10:30 PM	7:00 AM	8:30 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
11	1512	11:30 PM	9:00 AM	9:30 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	Kinnaur	NO

Option – 2 Shimla – Rampur by Bus and then Rampur to  Kinnaur 

Below are the bus details you can choose

From Shimla to Rampur:

SR. No.	SERVICE NO.	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	RAMPUR	DURATION	DEPOT	TYPE	ORIGIN	DESTINATION	ONLINE BOOKING
1	1510	12:30 AM	5:45 AM	5:15 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	RAMPUR	NO
2	333	3:40 AM	9:30 AM	5:50 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	POOH VILLAGE	YES
3	633	4:30 AM	8:25 AM	3:55 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	DHARAMSHALA	THANGI	NO
4	1220	5:00 AM	10:45 AM	5:45 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	HARIDWAR	RECONGPEO	NO
5	538	5:30 AM	9:00 AM	3:30 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE	RAMPUR	NO
6	556	5:45 AM	10:40 AM	4:55 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE	RECONGPEO	NO
7	255	6:56 AM	12:15 PM	5:19 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	SOLAN	RECONGPEO	NO
8	518	7:15 AM	12:30 PM	5:15 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE	SANGLA	NO
9	1225	8:25 AM	12:55 PM	4:30 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	HARIDWAR	SARAHAN	NO
10	CHD-KLK-KFN	8:30 AM	1:00 PM	4:30 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	KAFNU	NO
11	1513	9:00 AM	2:45 PM	5:45 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
12	CHD-RPO-2X2	10:30 AM	3:00 PM	4:30 Hrs	REC PEO	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 NON AC	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
13	1726	11:30 AM	6:15 PM	6:45 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	SARAHAN	NO
14	1618	1:55 PM	7:15 PM	5:20 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	AMBALA CANT	RAMPUR	NO
15	191	3:20 PM	8:40 PM	5:20 Hrs	SHIMLA RURAL	ORDINARY	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	RAMPUR	YES
16	321	4:40 PM	9:45 PM	5:05 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	RAMPUR	YES
17	273	6:30 PM	11:00 PM	4:30 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	RECONGPEO	YES
18	1511	10:20 PM	2:45 AM	4:25 Hrs	REC PEO	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 NON AC	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
19	CHD-SML-RPO	10:30 PM	3:00 AM	4:30 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
20	1512	11:30 PM	4:45 AM	5:15 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	Kinnaur	NO

From Rampur to Reckong Peo:

SR. No.	SERVICE NO.	RAMPUR	RECONGPEO	DURATION	DEPOT	TYPE	ORIGIN	DESTINATION	ONLINE BOOKING
1	866	1:15 AM	5:25 AM	4:10 Hrs	KEYLONG	ORDINARY	UDAIPUR	RECONGPEO	NO
2	1511	2:45 AM	7:00 AM	4:15 Hrs	REC PEO	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 NON AC	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
3	1512	4:45 AM	9:00 AM	4:15 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	Kinnaur	NO
4	930	4:55 AM	11:00 AM	6:05 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	DHARAMSHALA	PANGI	NO
5	977	5:00 AM	9:15 AM	4:15 Hrs	DHARAMPUR	ORDINARY	DHARAMPUR MND	RECONGPEO	NO
6	633	8:25 AM	1:30 PM	5:05 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	DHARAMSHALA	THANGI	NO
7	1616	8:30 AM	1:10 PM	4:40 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	RAMPUR	Kinnaur	YES
8	333	9:30 AM	4:00 PM	6:30 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	POOH VILLAGE	NO
9	1220	10:45 AM	2:15 PM	3:30 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	HARIDWAR	RECONGPEO	NO
10	255	12:15 PM	4:40 PM	4:25 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	SOLAN	RECONGPEO	NO
11	781	1:45 PM	7:00 PM	5:15 Hrs	SUNDERNAGAR	ORDINARY	MANDI	RECONGPEO	NO
12	1513	2:45 PM	7:05 PM	4:20 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
13	CHD-RPO-2X2	3:00 PM	7:10 PM	4:10 Hrs	REC PEO	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 NON AC	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
14	273	11:00 PM	3:30 AM	4:30 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	RECONGPEO	NO
15	CHD-SML-RPO	3:00 AM	6:55 AM	3:55 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO

   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 Kinnaur from Shimla on your own Vehicle

If you can reach Shimla in your own Vehicle then reaching Kinnaur is not too difficult a task.

1. The travel time is around 7  hrs so please make sure you start early in the day so that you reach Kinnaur in the evening..
2. You don’t require a 4X4 vehicle there as the normal vehicle can reach there.
3. The road from Rampur to Kinnaur is considered among the most dangerous roads so driving should be done carefully.
4. In winter there would be high snowfall above Shimla to Narkanda and then in the Kinnaur district so weather updates to be taken before the start of the journey.
5. There are limited petrol pumps the way after Rampur.

How to reach Kinnaur from Shimla on a bike

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

1. Every bike can reach Kinnaur 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 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 Kinnaur is considered a dangerous road so driving should be done carefully.
4. Carry rain covers along with as there might be rain at higher reaches.
5. There are many landslide-prone areas that are treacherous during the rainy 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 Kinnaur from Shimla on a Taxi

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

1. The Driver should be experienced in traveling 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 Kinnaur from Shimla by Train

Kinnaur is not connected by train. The last station is at Shimla

How to reach Kinnaur from Shimla by air

Since Kinnaur is located inland in the Himalayas, there is no airport nearby. The Last airport is at Shimla.

Summary – “How to reach Kinnaur from Shimla”

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

• Kinnaur is a wonderful travel destination located in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh at around 217 KM from Shimla.
• You can reach Kinnaur in one day from Shimla.
• Kinnaur can be reached throughout the year but the best time is from April – June and then from September – October.
• Kinnaur can be reached by self-driven car, bike, taxi, and by Bus.
• Cheapest way to reach Kinnaur is by the HRTC bus and many options are available.

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

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions: