How to best get from Kolkata to Manali?

Abraxas

This is my first question, so thank you in advance for any help!

I am arriving in India in late July from Thailand, landing in Kolkata. This will be my first time to India, and am frightened of the heat, so am planning to head to the mountains around Leh as quickly as I can while the passes are open.

I plan to make my way up to Manali to take a bus north from there, and am wondering what the best option would be to get to Manali - train to Delhi or Chandigarh? Or is there a better place to catch a bus to Manali than Chandigarh other than Delhi?

I would prefer to avoid Delhi if possible at this stage... will go back there once I have found my feet in India!

Thanks again for any help.

zoltan

I've had a quick look at www.mapmyindia.com and it looks like you will have to travel through Delhi to get there (as the most direct option).

Cheers
Zoltan

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Abraxas

Thanks for the response Zoltan - but I am wondering whether the best option for getting a bus to Manali is dehli or whether i will be fine to go from Chandigarh?

Or is there a better way to get to Manali?

wandering_soul

hi there
manali is connected to delhi, chandigarh, shimla via road only.
shimla and chandigarh is connected to delhi via road and air, (direct flights are there). so from kolkata u can take a direct flight to delhi and from there u can arrive at shimla via air (1hr30min)flight or take a direct bus to manali.
delhi - manali 575km
shimla - manali 260km / 8-9hr

dream_traveller

If you are travelling from Kolkata to Manali best possible route is to go via Delhi. But since you want to skip Delhi here are some other options to reach Manali from Kolkata. But let me tell you once again via Delhi is the best possible way and probably the quickest also. Anyways here are some other options without Delhi
1.) Kolkata-Delhi-Chandigarh/bhuntar-Manali. From kolkata you fly to Delhi, from there another flight to Chandigarh or Bhuntar and from there Bus or car.No need to enter inside the Delhi city if you opt for this option.
2.) Kolkata-Chandigarh/Ambala-Manali. You can take train from Kolkata to Chandigarh(Kalka mail),[it takes around 30 hours]and get down at Chandigarh. But keep it mind this train goes via Delhi and has a stopage time of 2 hours in Delhi station. It reaches Chandigarh 3-3.30 in the morning(or midnight?). From there you can take bus for Manali. Chandigarh-Manali by Bus 8-9 hours. Otherwise you can take train for Ambala(jammu tawai express, Amritsar mail-check out the timings at www.indianrail.gov.in).From Ambala to chandigarh by car a short distance(or for that matter ambala to manali by car) and from chandigarh by bus/car to Manali.

Hope this will serve your purpose. For any further clarifications do send reply.

Abraxas

Thanks for the reply dream traveller... i guess i am asking whether I am saving time and trouble by staying on the train through to Chandigarh, or whether it will be simpler to get off at Delhi and catch a bus from there... and you have said simpler to go from Delhi.

I just love trains! (Which is why I wont fly to Delhi.)

Is 3am a terrible time to arrive at Chandigarh or will it be ok to arrive and go to a hotel at that hour?

Abraxas

I've just worked out what you meant by the trip to Ambala on erail.in - thanks for that too!

AvidTrekker

You can very well indulge in your favourite train travel.. no need for buses till there is a track laid out...

Check out these trains..
from Kolkata to Ambala Cantt (UMB) (just 28 km from Chandigarh)

2317 Akal Takht Exp Sealdah 07:40, UMB 12:30 (Wed & Sun only)

3151 Kolkata Jammu Tawi Exp Kolkata 11:45, UMB 23:15 (daily)

3049 Howrah Amritsar Exp, Howrah 14:00, UMB 04:20 (daily)

3005 Howrah Amritsar Mail Howrah 19:10, UMB 02:50 (daily)

2331 Howrah Jammu Tawi Himgiri Exp Howrah 23:45, UMB 05:40 (Tue, Fri, Sat)

ENJOY your Train journey !!!

BTW, ALL these trains AVOID Delhi completely

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dream_traveller

3 a.m. nt so terrible time in chandigarh....u will get something...but i am not sure whether you will get a.c. buses for manali from chandigarh in the morning... otherwise local non a.c. buses will be there....not best of the condition....still i think from Kolkata by rajdhani express to Delhi. kolkata(howrah)-delhi rajdhani express leaves at 4 p.m. from howrah station and reaches delhi at 9.50a.m. and kolkata(sealdah)-delhi rajdhani express leaves from sealdah station at kolkata at 4.50p.m. and reaches delhi at 10.50 a.m. however please check the correct timings. These are two trains run everyday. From delhi a.c. volvo bus for manali. leaves at 6p.m. and reaches manali 10a.m. i think this is the best possible quickest route to reach manali from kolkata.

Abraxas

ok, so in the spirit of making decisions with no good reasons, I have decided to take the train to Ambala, arriving at 12.30... I arrive in Kolcuta on Tuesday and this leaves on Wednesdays...
2317 AKAL TAKHT EXP AVL SDAH 07.40 UMB 12.30

Then get a ride to Chandigarh and sort myself out there. Thanks for the help dream traveller... I guess when i said 'best' i guess i meant most train and least bus, not necessarily fastest. I have time on my hands in fact, I'm just a bit scared of arriving into the heat and so am heading for the hills. (I'll work on being clearer in future questions!)

Thanks for the train-loving support Avid!

Any idea how much a ride from Ambala to Chandigarh will cost me?