How to reach Shimla from Manali – 2023 Updated

Once the summer capital of India, Shimla is one of the most beautiful hill stations in India. It is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh and Occasionally called “Queen of Hills” and It is a weekend destination for North Indian Tourists. In this blog, we will share complete knowledge of how to reach Shimla from Manali through different modes.  

Where is Shimla located?

Shimla 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	Shimla ( 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 Manali	Around 15 Km

How to reach Shimla from Manali

Reaching Shimla, you need to reach either Shimla or Narkanda , which is connected by road and accessible throughout the year except during heavy snowfall or during heavy rainfall. The distance between Manali and Shimla via Narkanda is  around 245 Km.  There are different modes by which one can reach Shimla.

How to reach Shimla from Manali by Road

There are 2 options to reach Shimla by road.

OPTION – 2 Manali to Shimla Via Mandi Shimla  (Shortest one – open throughout the year) 

Sr. No.	Location	Distance (Km)	Elevation (ft)	Elevation (m)	Time  (Hr)
1	Manali	0	6400	1950	00:00
2	Kullu	40	5200	1575	01:00
3	Aut	70	3900	1200	01:45
4	Mandi	115	2600	800	03:00
5	Sunder Nagar	130	3000	900	03:30
6	Shimla	250	7200	2200	06:50

OPTION – 2 Manali to Shimla Via Jalori Pass ( Beautiful journey – closed in Winters) 

 You can refer to the below table to plan your journey to Narkanda via Jalori Pass.

Sr. No.	Location	Distance (Km)	Elevation (ft)	Elevation (m)	Time  (Hr)
1	Manali	0	6400	1950	00:00
2	Kullu	40	5200	1575	01:00
3	Aut	70	3900	1200	01:45
4	Jalori Pass	115	8700	2650	03:45
5	Anni	145	4100	1250	05:00
6	Narkanda	200	8900	2700	06:45
7	Theog	230	7500	2300	07:45
8	Shimlla	260	7200	2200	09:00

How to reach Shimla from Manali on a Bus 

There are many direct busese from Manali to Shimla,

SR. No.	SERVICE NO.	MANALI	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	DURATION	DEPOT	TYPE	ORIGIN	DESTINATION	ONLINE BOOKING
1	711	6:00 AM	3:30 PM	9:30 Hrs	KULLU	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 OLD	MANALI	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	YES
2	717	7:03 AM	4:15 PM	9:12 Hrs	SHIMLA LOCAL	ORDINARY	MANALI	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	YES
3	812	9:20 AM	7:30 PM	10:10 Hrs	SHIMLA LOCAL	ORDINARY	MANALI	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	YES
4	710	6:20 PM	4:30 AM	10:10 Hrs	KULLU	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 OLD	MANALI	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	YES
5	726	7:20 PM	4:30 AM	9:10 Hrs	KEYLONG	ORDINARY	KEYLONG	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	Yes
6	155	9:00 PM	6:10 AM	9:10 Hrs	KULLU	HIMSUTA AC VOLVO / SCANIA 2X2	MANALI	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	YES
7	718	9:30 PM	4:23 AM	6:53 Hrs	SHIMLA RURAL	ORDINARY	MANALI	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	YES

 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 Shimla from Manali on your own Vehicle 

If you can reach Manali in your own Vehicle then reaching Shimla  is not too much difficult a task but it depends on the choice of the route you are taking 

For Option -1 and Option 2

1. The travel time is around 250 KM or more than that so please make sure you start early in the day so that you reach Shimla in the evening..
2. You don’t require a 4X4 vehicle there as the normal vehicle can reach there.
3. In winter there would be snow at Jalori pass so better take the route via Karsog.

How to reach Shimla from Manali on a bike

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

1. Every bike can reach Shimla but prefer a bike with > 150 cc engine.
2. Make your bike fully serviced. 
3. Ride carefully as the road is considered dangerous road
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.

How to reach Shimla from Manali on a Taxi

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

1. Drivers should be experienced in traveling in these areas.
2. Ground clearance of the Vehicle to be good.
3. Negotiate well before finalization.

How to reach Shimla from Manali by Train

Shimla is connected by train and Manali is not connected by train.

How to reach Shimla from Manali by air

The  airport near Manali is at Buntar Near Kullu and Near Shimla is at Shimla.

Summary – “How to reach Shimla from Manali”

Let’s summarize what we have understood in this blog  “How to reach Shimla a from Manali ”

• Narkanda is a wonderful travel destination located in the Shimla district of Himachal Pradesh.
• You can reach Shimla by 2 options from Manali.
• Shimla can be reached throughout the year during option 2 .
• Shimla can be reached by self-driven car, bike, taxi, and by Bus.
• Cheapest way to reach Shimla is by the HRTC bus and many options are available.

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

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions: