How to reach Narkanda from Chandigarh – 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 Chandigarh 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 Chandigarh	Around 180 Km

How to reach Narkanda from Chandigarh

Narkanda  is connected by road and accessible throughout the year except during heavy snowfall or during heavy rainfall. The distance between Narkanda from Chandigarh is around 180 Km. There are different modes by which one can reach Narkanda.

How to reach Narkanda from Chandigarh by Road

There are various options to reach Narkanda by road.

 You can refer to the below table to plan your journey to Reckong Peo.

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
5	Narkanda	180	8900	2700	05:45

How to reach Narkanda 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 Narkanda 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 Narkanda

From Chandigarh to Rampur :

SR. No.	SERVICE NO.	CHANDIGARH	NARKANDA	DURATION	DEPOT	TYPE	ORIGIN	DESTINATION	ONLINE BOOKING
1	93	1:00 AM	8:30 AM	7:30 Hrs	DW TARADEVI	HIMSUTA AC VOLVO / SCANIA 2X2	DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE	RAMPUR	NO
2	556	1:10 AM	9:15 AM	8:05 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE	RECONGPEO	NO
3	1220	1:25 AM	9:30 AM	8:05 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	HARIDWAR	RECONGPEO	NO
4	538	1:30 AM	7:30 AM	6:00 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE	RAMPUR	NO
5	518	3:15 AM	9:45 AM	6:30 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE	SANGLA	NO
6	CHD-KLK-KFN	4:00 AM	11:00 AM	7:00 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	KAFNU	NO
7	1513	4:44 AM	11:30 AM	6:46 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
8	CHD-RPO-2X2	6:05 AM	1:00 PM	6:55 Hrs	REC PEO	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 NON AC	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
9	1726	6:36 AM	2:50 PM	8:14 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	SARAHAN	YES
10	1618	8:45 AM	4:45 PM	8:00 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	AMBALA CANT	RAMPUR	NO
11	1511	5:50 PM	12:50 AM	7:00 Hrs	REC PEO	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 NON AC	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
12	CHD-SML-RPO	6:00 PM	1:00 AM	7:00 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
13	1512	7:00 PM	2:00 AM	7:00 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	KALPA	YES
14	1510	8:00 PM	3:00 AM	7:00 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	RAMPUR	YES

Option – 2  Chandigarh to Shimla, then Shimla  to Narkanda.

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 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 Chandigarh 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 6 Hrs are required to reach Narkanda from Chandigarh.
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 Chandigarh 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 Chandigarh 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 these areas.
2. Vehicle to be comfortable since travel time would be more than 6 hrs.
3. Ground clearance of the Vehicle to be good.
4. Negotiate well before finalization.

How to reach Narkanda from Chandigarh 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. 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 Narkanda from Chandigarh by air

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

The nearest airport en route to Narkanda 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 Narkanda from Chandigarh”

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

• Narkanda is a wonderful travel destination located in the Narkanda district of Himachal Pradesh at around 240  KM from Chandigarh.
• You can reach Narkanda In one day from Chandigarh.
• 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 train can be taken from Kalka.
• Nearest airport is Shimla airport but no direct service from Chandigarh.
• Cheapest way to reach Narkanda is by the HRTC bus and many options are available.

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

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions: