How to Reach Leh

How To Reach Leh By Air

There is an airport in Leh known as Leh Kushok Bakula Rinpoche Airport. This is one of the highest airports in the world and is situated at an altitude of 3256 meters above mean sea level. Due to the threats of terrorists, there is high level security measures followed here. The flights are sometimes delayed on account of weather conditions and an alternative is the airport at Srinagar and Jammu.

The Leh Airport Code is IATA:IXL, ICAO:VILH. The carriers such as Air India, Jet Airways and Kingfisher Red operate daily flights to and from Delhi.

How To Reach Leh By Train

There is no railway station in Leh and the closest railway station is Pathankot which is situated at a distance of 768 kilometers or Chandigarh which is situated at a distance of about 756 kilometers. From these places you have to take bus to Leh and it will take about three days to reach there.

The code of Chandigarh railway station is CDG.

Trains to Chandigarh from important destinations in India

List of trains passing through Chandigarh railway station

How To Reach Leh By Road

If you want to reach Leh from the south then you have the road from Manali in Himachal Pradesh and if you want to reach it from the west then there is a road from Srinagar. However these roads are winding and narrow and have numerous checkpoints that it is very time consuming travel.

The road from Srinagar is better owing to its lower altitude and passes through many picturesque villages and farmlands. It takes two days to reach and the buses stop overnight in Kargil. However militant trouble will be more in this route. If you take the Manali route then it also takes two days and it stops at Keylong or Sarchu for night stay. The path is rugged but the scenery is fantastic. When there is a snowfall this route is blocked.

The buses are operated by Himachal Pradesh Tourist Development Corporation and there are also private deluxe buses available. A good alternative is to take the jeeps. Traveling in the shared jeeps is one of the fastest ways to reach Leh as they take you in one day. But that may result in severe altitude sickness. In season times it is better to book these tickets in advance and you can find many ticket booking counters in Manali. If you are traveling in a group you can hire private taxis which will be more comfortable.

If you are traveling from Srinagar then you can take a jeep only to Kargil and stay there overnight and hire a jeep the next day to reach Leh. There are also trucks available that will carry you to Leh but may not be as comfortable as the jeeps. But they are the cheapest option. From Manali you can also get bikes for rent. But you have to travel for three days to reach there. Usually bikers stop at Jispa at first day and Pang at the second day and reach Leh at the third.

Distance between Leh and other nearby cities

Distance between Leh and other cities of India and driving directions >>>>

Last Updated: 26/07/2012