Shimla Travel Guide
Summer Capital of British India
How to Reach Shimla From Chandigarh
Photo by Philippe Raffard, CC BY-SA 3.0
After Delhi and Kalka, Chandigarh is the other hub from where a large portion of the tourists start their journey for Shimla. Chandigarh to Shimla can be easily covered via Bus, car or train.
If you are planning to avail the Kalka to Shimla toy train route, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you need to reach Kalka station by bus, car or train from Chandigarh. Kalka to Shimla route goes up the gradient from Kalka making its way through the curves and gradients offering the passengers a spectacular view of the mountain ranges. The route has 102 tunnels and 87 bridges along the way. No wonder, this journey itself is a prize for the tourists. You always need to book well in advance to get a seat in the toy trains.The train journey from Kalka to Shimla takes 5:30 hrs to cover the distance of 96 km.
Most popular among the tourists is the iconic Shivalik Deluxe Express which is a luxury train specially for tourists. Ticket prices includes breakfast and mineral water.
Reaching Chandigarh – Chandigarh is well connected with rest of India via air and railways. Regular direct flights are coming from New Delhi, Bangaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Srinagar and Dharamshala. By train, Chandigarh and Ambala Cantt (45 KM from Chandigarh) is very well connected with all major cities of India.
Chandigarh To Shimla Route
Chandigarh to Shimla is 115 Km and it takes 3-4 hrs in car or 4-5 hrs in bus to reach Shimla. This route goes via – Chandigarh—Kalka—Solan—Shimla (115 Km)
FROM | TO | DISTANCE (Km) | FROM CHANDIGARH (Km) |
|---|---|---|---|
Chandigarh | Kalka | 28 | 28 |
Kalka | Solan | 40 | 68 |
Solan | Shimla | 47 | 115 |
Chandigarh To Shimla By Train
If you are planning to reach Shimla via train from Chandigarh then you need to avail the Kalka to Shimla toy train route. This meter gauge line was built during British era and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
To avail this line, you need to reach Kalka station by bus, car or train from Chandigarh. Kalka to Shimla route goes up the gradient from Kalka making its way through the curves and gradients offering the passengers a spectacular view of the mountain ranges. The route goes through 102 tunnels and 87 bridges along the way and has 10 stations enroute. No wonder, this journey itself is a prize for the tourists. You always need to book well in advance to get a seat in the toy trains.The train journey from Kalka to Shimla takes 5:30 hrs to cover the distance of 96 km.
Most popular among the tourists is the iconic Shivalik Deluxe Express which is a luxury train specially for tourists. Ticket prices includes breakfast and mineral water.
Advance booking of these trains are available from IRCTC website. Out of the trains running in this route, Shivalik Deluxe Express is most popular among tourists and most pricey also. during high season, tickets are exhausted months in advance.
Kalka - Shimla Train Timing
Train No | Train Name | Kalka | Shimla |
|---|---|---|---|
52457 | Shimla Passenger | 04:00 | 09:20 |
72451 | Rail Motor | 05:10 | 09:50 |
52451 | Shivalik Deluxe | 05:30 | 10:10 |
52453 | Shimla Express | 06:00 | 11:05 |
52455 | Himalayan Queen | 12:10 | 17:20 |
Shimla - Kalka Train Timing
Train No | Train Name | Shimla | Kalka |
|---|---|---|---|
52456 | Himalayan Queen | 10:30 | 16:10 |
52458 | Shimla Passenger | 14:00 | 20:10 |
72452 | Rail Motor | 16:25 | 21:35 |
52452 | Shivalik Deluxe | 17:40 | 22:25 |
52454 | Shimla Express | 18:15 | 23:20 |
Chandigarh To Shimla By Bus
Buses for Shimla starts mostly from Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) at Sector 43. Few buses in the Delhi-Shimla and other long distance routes are available from ISBT Sector 17.
For comfort and convenience, it is best to take a Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus from Chandigarh. Apart from HRTC, other government non AC buses are also available all through the day at a gap of 30 to 60 minute. Private operators also offer AC bus services in this route.
HRTC (Himachal Road Transport Corporation)
HRTC runs multiple buses daily from Chandigarh to Shimla. These are Volvo, AC Deluxe and Non-AC buses. They are available in the morning as well as night.
Timing –
Chandigarh to Shimla Buses are quite frequent and available at a gap of every 30 to 60 mins. Timing starts from very early morning (reaching Shimla at 6 to 6.30 AM) and runs throughout the day till evening.
Booking – Advance booking available at – www.hrtchp.com/hrtctickets. If you are planning to visit during the high season, book your tickets well ahead of the journey date as the demand for tickets are high.
Fare – One way fare from Chandigarh to Shimla is approximately between Rs 300 to Rs 1200 depending on the type of bus.
Starting Point – Inter State Bus Terminal (ISBT) Sector 43, Chandigarh. Few buses in the Delhi-Shimla and other long distance routes are available from ISBT Sector 17.
Halt – The buses halt twice during the journey. Depending on the time of travel, the 1st stop will be for breakfast/lunch/dinner and the 2nd stop for tea break. It is better to take some refreshments and keep some water with you before the journey.
Drop and Transfer to Hotel – The HRTC bus will drop you at Shimla ISBT. If you are staying at a nearby hotel, you can pull your own luggage or hire a porter. Otherwise, hire a local cab to drop you to your hotel.
Other – HRTC timetable is very strict and they do not cancel a scheduled journey at the last moment if there are less passengers.
Private Bus Service
Apart from HRTC AC bus service and other government Non-AC buses, there are many private operators who are providing AC Deluxe and Non-AC bus service in this route. Compared to private buses, HRTC services are much more punctual and dependable. You should opt for a private bus only if bookings in HRTC buses are not available.
Chandigarh To Shimla By Car
Chandigarh to Shimla by car takes 3 to 4 hrs. The journey is through some very scenic route via Chandigarh—Kalka—Solan—Shimla (115 Km).
Going by your own or hired car have certain advantages. As your wish you can stop at any place in order to stretch your legs or take a photograph of your choice.
Shimla Links
Popular Tour Plans - Himachal Pradesh
1-3 Days
1. Shimla (2N/3D)
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4-6 Days
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7-10 Days
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