How to Reach Cherrapunji

If you’re travelling from far away, taking a flight is the most convenient and fastest way to reach Cherrapunji. The nearest airport is in Shillong, about 80 km from Cherrapunji, and the second closest is in Guwahati, about 167 km away. The Shillong Airport serves domestic regions, while the one in Guwahati also runs international flights and has higher connectivity within the country. You can book taxis, buses, or cabs and make your way from Shillong or Guwahati to Cherrapunji.

Cherrapunji doesn’t have a railway station, and neither does Shillong. To prevent deforestation, and because it’s more challenging to lay down railway lines in hilly regions, only two railway stations have been built in Meghalaya. The closest railheaad from Cherrapunji is in Guwahati, Assam. The station is well-connected to the country’s railway network, and you can take a train from virtually anywhere in the country and reach Guwahati easily. Once you reach Guwahati, you can take a bus or book a cab, and travel the rest of the way via road. The remaining 160 km take about 4 hours to cover.

The way to Cherrapunji via road also goes through bigger cities like Shillong and Guwahati. Cherrapunji is a mere 60 km away from the state capital Shillong. In Shillong, you will find buses and taxis going towards Cherrapunji in the Police Bazaar area. Shared taxis, also called Sumos, are a popular method of transportation here. They are faster and more comfortable than buses. A road trip also provides the opportunity to enjoy the mesmerizing scenery of the hills, valleys, and dense forests of Meghalaya. From Guwahati, you can take buses from the Guwahati Inter State Bus Terminal or the Paltan Bazaar area, where you will find them going to Cherrapunji, and more frequently to Shillong.