How to Reach Srinagar from Kolkata: Nonstop Flight, Train and Road

Most guides still tell you there is no direct flight and no train. Neither is true now: two airlines fly it nonstop, and the Vande Bharat has run all the way into Srinagar since April 2026. Below are the flight numbers, the train connections that actually work for each day of the week, fares, distances and the return trip. For the wider Kashmir picture, including Jammu, Gulmarg and Pahalgam, see how to reach Kashmir from Kolkata, and for every other city, how to reach Srinagar.

Kolkata to Srinagar Route: Every Option Compared

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU) is the main airport in Kolkata and Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport (SXR) is the main airport in Srinagar. On the rail side, Kolkata's three Jammu trains leave from three different stations, so check which one is printed on your ticket before you set off for Howrah.

Kolkata to Srinagar by Flight: Nonstop Since 2026

Is there a direct flight from Kolkata to Srinagar? Yes. Two airlines now fly it nonstop, Monday to Saturday, and both land in Srinagar in the early evening.

Skyscanner and some airline route pages were still showing "0 direct flights" in October 2026, which is why so many travellers end up on a 5 to 8 hour connection they did not need. If a nonstop does not appear in your search, check goindigo.in or airindiaexpress.com directly.

On Sundays there is no nonstop. Akasa Air QP 1802 runs every day, leaving Kolkata at 08:55 and reaching Srinagar at 13:50 with one stop. Monday to Saturday, IndiGo 6E 874 (14:05, arriving 18:15) is the other one-stop option.

Fares follow Kolkata's holiday calendar. Outside the peaks, a nonstop seat costs roughly Rs 7,500 to Rs 11,000 one way if you book three to five weeks out. In Durga Puja and Diwali week, and in the May to June school holidays, fares run well above that, because only two nonstop planes a day serve the whole city. Book those dates six to eight weeks ahead.

Srinagar Airport to Dal Lake

Srinagar airport is about 12 to 14 km from Dal Gate, a 30 to 45 minute taxi ride. Use the prepaid taxi counter outside arrivals, which posts fixed fares by area. Both Kolkata nonstops land after dark in winter, so ask your hotel or houseboat to send a pickup rather than hunting for a shikara at 8 pm. Flying home, reach Srinagar airport 2.5 to 3 hours early. There is a security check at the airport entry gate as well as the usual one inside.

Kolkata to Srinagar by Train via Jammu Tawi

Is there a direct train from Kolkata to Srinagar? No single train runs the whole way, but you no longer need a road leg. The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link opened in June 2025, and since 30 April 2026 the Vande Bharat has run the full 269 km from Jammu Tawi to Srinagar. Every Kolkata train to Kashmir ends at Jammu Tawi, so the plan is one long train, one change, and a 5-hour ride into the valley.

Leg 1: Kolkata to Jammu Tawi

Leg 2: Vande Bharat from Jammu Tawi to Srinagar

Both Vande Bharat trains have chair car and executive coaches only, and no pantry car, so add meals when you book. Vande Bharat passengers go through airport-style baggage screening at the station, so reach Jammu Tawi 45 minutes before departure with a government photo ID.

Which Connection Works? Plan by the Day You Leave

The Kolkata trains reach Jammu at very different hours, and each Vande Bharat skips one day a week. Pick your departure day from this table and the connection takes care of itself.

The 13151 is the easy one. It runs daily, arrives at 09:05 and leaves you four hours to eat and clear security before the 13:20 Vande Bharat, so you reach Srinagar without paying for a hotel. The Himgiri is the trap. It reaches Jammu at 13:00, which looks like a 20-minute connection to the 26403, but a 37-hour train often runs late and the Vande Bharat screening takes time. Book a room in Jammu and take the next morning's train instead. Do not book the two together on one plan.

Stopping at Katra for Vaishno Devi

Many Bengali families combine Kashmir with Vaishno Devi, and the new line makes that easy. Ride the Vande Bharat from Jammu Tawi to Katra (about 1 h 45 min), do the darshan, then board the next day's 26401 at Katra at 08:10 or the 26403 at 14:55 to reach Srinagar. You never backtrack. Our Vaishno Devi guide covers the yatra registration and timings.

The Ride into the Valley

Ask for a window seat on the Vande Bharat. Between Katra and Reasi the train crosses the Anji Khad bridge, India's first cable-stayed railway bridge. Soon after comes the Chenab Bridge, the world's highest railway arch bridge, whose deck sits 359 metres above the river. Past Banihal the line runs through the 11 km Pir Panjal tunnel and comes out near Qazigund among paddy fields and poplars. Much of the route is tunnel, so the views come in bursts.

Reservations open 60 days ahead on IRCTC. For Puja week and May to June, book sleeper and 3AC on the day the window opens, and book the Vande Bharat at the same time. For timetables from other cities, see our guide to trains to Kashmir.

Going via Delhi

You can also take a Howrah or Sealdah Rajdhani to New Delhi and fly or take the train from there. It suits travellers who want a day in Delhi, but it is rarely faster than the 13151 and Vande Bharat combination, and it costs more. The Delhi to Srinagar route lays out the onward options.

Kolkata to Srinagar Distance

The Kolkata to Srinagar distance is about 1,835 km by air, about 2,250 km by road and 2,214 to 2,290 km by rail. Rival sites quote anything from 2,230 to 2,310 km for the road because they measure slightly different routes. The Srinagar to Kolkata distance is the same in reverse.

Once you are in Srinagar, Gulmarg is about 50 km away (1.5 hours) and Pahalgam about 95 km (2.5 to 3 hours). See how to reach Gulmarg and how to reach Pahalgam for the onward legs.

Kolkata to Srinagar by Road and Bus

Driving from Kolkata to Srinagar is about 2,250 km and 35 to 40 hours at the wheel, so plan on four days with three night halts. The route follows NH19 west through Durgapur, Dhanbad and Varanasi, crosses Uttar Pradesh via Lucknow, Bareilly and Moradabad to Ambala, then turns north on NH44 through Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Pathankot and Jammu.

The last day is the slowest. The 9.2 km Chenani-Nashri tunnel now bypasses Patnitop and the 8.5 km Banihal-Qazigund tunnel has taken most traffic off the old Jawahar Tunnel, but the Ramban stretch still closes for a day or more after heavy snow in December to February or landslides in July and August. Check the J&K Traffic Police advisory before leaving Jammu and drive the mountain section in daylight. Indian citizens do not need a permit to drive to Srinagar.

There is no direct bus from Kolkata to Srinagar. Listings that show one stitch together buses through Delhi and take close to two days. Without a car, the sensible plan is the train to Jammu Tawi and then the Vande Bharat. JKRTC and private buses and shared taxis also leave Jammu for Srinagar every morning, which helps when the train is full.

Srinagar to Kolkata: The Return Journey

Both nonstops fly the reverse route Monday to Saturday. IndiGo 6E 6962 leaves Srinagar at 18:45 and reaches Kolkata at 21:45, and Air India Express IX 2510 leaves at 20:45 and lands at 23:45. On a Sunday, Akasa Air QP 1803 leaves Srinagar at 14:30 and reaches Kolkata at 19:15 with one stop.

The 26404 and 13152 pair is the one most people use. It gives you a relaxed afternoon in Jammu and needs no hotel.

Which Option Should You Choose?

Best Time to Travel from Kolkata to Srinagar

March to June brings tulips in late March and April, open roads and the highest fares in May and June. September to November has clear skies and the chinar trees turning red, and it overlaps Durga Puja and Diwali, so that is when Kolkata's flights fill first. December to February is snow season in Gulmarg, best done by air. July and August bring landslide risk on the Jammu side of the road. For month-by-month weather, see the best time to visit Srinagar.

Travel Tips for Kolkata Travellers

Prepaid SIM cards issued outside Jammu and Kashmir do not work there. Carry a postpaid connection or buy a local SIM with ID in Srinagar.

Pack a fleece in your cabin bag. Srinagar can be near freezing on a November evening while Kolkata is still at 28 degrees.

Carry a government photo ID at all times. It is checked at Vande Bharat stations, on the highway and at the airport gate.

Save PDFs of your tickets before you leave. Mobile data drops in the tunnels between Banihal and Qazigund.

Checked by Our Kashmir Travel Desk

Flight timings on this page were checked against current airline schedule data, and train timings and fares against Indian Railways data, on 25 October 2026.

Plan Your Srinagar Trip from Kolkata

If you would rather not juggle flights, trains and transfers yourself, compare our Kashmir tour packages from Kolkata or the 6 nights 7 days Kashmir tour from Kolkata, which include the Srinagar airport pickup. You can also browse Srinagar tour packages.

Once you land, our Srinagar travel guide and the list of places to visit in Srinagar cover the rest, starting with Dal Lake. Flying in from somewhere else? See Mumbai to Srinagar and Chandigarh to Srinagar.

Edited by TravelTriangle