How to Reach Srinagar from Delhi

Srinagar sits roughly 800 km north of Delhi, and there are four practical ways to close that gap: an 80-minute flight, a train to Katra followed by the Vande Bharat over the Chenab bridge, a long drive up NH44, or an overnight bus. The right choice depends on your budget and how much time you have. This guide lays out every mode with current 2026 distances, journey times and fares, so you can book the one that fits. If you are short on time, fly. If you want the journey to be part of the trip, take the train.

Delhi to Srinagar at a glance

Here is every route side by side. Distances and times are one-way and approximate; fares move with season and how far ahead you book.

By air (the fastest way)

Flying is the quickest option and, for most travellers, the easiest. Srinagar's Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport (airport code SXR) takes nonstop flights from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, and the hop takes about 1 hour 20 minutes. IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet and Akasa Air all run direct services, with several departures a day through the summer season and fewer in deep winter. One-way fares usually sit around Rs 3,500 to Rs 8,000, rising higher in the May-June peak and the winter snow window, so book two to three weeks ahead for the best price.

The airport is about 13 to 15 km from the city centre, a 30 to 40 minute taxi ride, and prepaid taxis wait outside the terminal. Srinagar airport runs a stricter security check than most, so keep your ticket (a digital copy on your phone is fine) and a valid photo ID handy, and reach two and a half to three hours before departure. One more thing to sort before you leave Delhi: prepaid SIMs issued outside Jammu and Kashmir do not work in the region, so carry a postpaid connection or pick up a local SIM on arrival.

By train (via Katra and the new Vande Bharat)

This is the part most guides still get wrong, because the route changed in 2025. There is still no single direct train running the whole way from Delhi to Srinagar as of October 2026. What exists now, after the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) opened, is a fast two-leg journey: Delhi to Katra by train, then Katra to Srinagar on a dedicated Vande Bharat that crosses the Chenab bridge.

Leg 1: Delhi to Katra

Take a train from New Delhi to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra station (station code SVDK). The Shri Shakti Express (22461) is the popular overnight choice, and a Delhi to Katra Vande Bharat (22439) covers the leg by day. The overnight Jammu Rajdhani (12425) ends at Jammu Tawi rather than Katra, but that works too: the Srinagar Vande Bharat now starts at Jammu Tawi, so you can board it there. The run takes about 8 hours on the Vande Bharat and 10 to 12 hours on the overnight trains, with fares from about Rs 500 in sleeper class on the trains that carry it (the Shri Shakti and the Vande Bharat are AC-only) to Rs 1,500-2,000 in AC classes.

Leg 2: Katra to Srinagar on the Vande Bharat

From Katra, the Jammu Tawi to Srinagar Vande Bharat Express (26401) covers the final 190 km in about 3 hours. It now starts at Jammu Tawi (around 06:15), calls at Katra around 08:10 and reaches Srinagar around 11:10, and it runs six days a week (every day except Tuesday). Chair Car fares are about Rs 715 to Rs 880 and Executive Chair Car about Rs 1,320 to Rs 1,515, both with catering included. There is a separate security screening for this leg at Katra, so leave a comfortable buffer between the two trains.

The ride is the highlight. Between Katra and Banihal the train crosses the Chenab Rail Bridge, the world's highest railway arch bridge, standing 359 metres above the river and taller than the Eiffel Tower. For the best view of the gorge, sit on the right-hand side as you head up to Srinagar.

Is the direct Delhi to Srinagar train running yet?

Not yet. A direct overnight New Delhi to Srinagar Vande Bharat Sleeper has been announced and is expected to begin by late 2026, once the USBRL corridor clears its final safety certification. The plan is a departure from New Delhi around 19:00 and arrival in Srinagar around 08:00, an overnight run of roughly 13 hours, with stops at Ambala, Ludhiana, Kathua, Jammu Tawi, Katra, Sangaldan and Banihal. Until it actually starts, the Katra-transfer route above is the way to reach Srinagar by rail. Check the latest status before you travel, as launch dates on this corridor have moved more than once.

How to book

Book both legs on IRCTC (irctc.co.in) or the IRCTC Rail Connect app. Reserved tickets open 60 days before the travel date, and the Katra to Srinagar Vande Bharat sells out fast in summer, so book the moment the window opens. For a full rundown of every train that reaches the valley and the fares on each, see our guide to Delhi to Kashmir trains.

By road (self-drive or taxi)

The road distance from Delhi to Srinagar is about 800 to 870 km, almost all of it along National Highway 44 (NH44), the old Jammu-Srinagar highway. Driving takes 16 to 20 hours depending on traffic, weather and halts, so most people split it over two days with an overnight stop at Jammu, Patnitop or Udhampur. The final mountain stretch runs through the 9.2 km Chenani-Nashri (Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee) tunnel, which bypasses Patnitop, and the 8.5 km Banihal-Qazigund tunnel, which has replaced the old Jawahar Tunnel for most traffic. These tunnels keep the road open through most of the year, but the highway can still shut briefly after heavy snow or landslides in winter. A self-drive works out to roughly Rs 8,000 to Rs 12,000 in fuel and tolls one way, and a private taxi from Delhi costs a good deal more. Check the highway status before you set out anywhere in the December to February window.

By bus (the budget option)

Direct overnight sleeper buses now run from Kashmiri Gate ISBT to Srinagar, taking about 20 to 22 hours. The other route runs in two parts: a Delhi to Jammu bus from Kashmiri Gate ISBT (about 12 hours), then a second bus or shared taxi from Jammu to Srinagar (about 8 to 10 hours) operated by JKSRTC and private lines. All told it is roughly 18 to 22 hours and Rs 1,200 to Rs 2,500, which makes it the cheapest way to reach Srinagar and also the slowest. Book the Jammu leg on the state transport site or at the ISBT counter, and carry warm layers for the overnight run.

Which way should you choose?

Pick by what matters most to you. If time is the priority, fly: 80 minutes in the air beats every other option combined. If cost is the priority, take the overnight bus or a sleeper train to Jammu or Katra. If you want the journey itself to be memorable, take the train and ride the Vande Bharat over the Chenab bridge. Families with young children and older travellers usually find flying the least tiring, while the train is the sweet spot for anyone who wants comfort, scenery and a fair price in one trip.

Planning your Srinagar trip

Once you have sorted how to get there, the next questions are where to stay and what to see. Our Srinagar travel guide covers Dal Lake, the shikara rides and the Mughal gardens, while the wider Kashmir tourism hub adds Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonmarg. If you would rather have the flights, hotels and airport transfers handled for you, our Kashmir tour packages, Kashmir family packages and Kashmir honeymoon packages bundle the whole journey end to end.

Edited by TravelTriangle