A group of us friends will be in Shimla for a few days and from there we want to go to Manali. We will be getting a lift from someone we know to Shimla so that part of the journey is sorted out. We now need to know the best way to travel from Shimla to Manali. We would like to know what transport options there are from Shimla to Manali? Which options would be the best way to travel from Shimla to Manali? How long would the journey take?
Take a bus from Shimla bus stand, shared taxi or a taxi depending upon what your budget is. Most convenient out of what I have listed above will obviously be a taxi due to the convenience factor. More than five hours to get to Manali from Shimla.
Hello and welcome to the forum! You have three options: Bus. This is probably the best option. There are HRTC Buses operating from Shimla to Manali. There are several buses types you can ride as well: AC, Ordinary and Non-AC Sleeper. It depends on what bus you take but price ranges from Rs. 390 to Rs. 800. Time varies as well, there's one at 9:40 pm and there's one at 7:30 pm. The journey can take anywhere between 10 to 11 hours. The buses depart at Shimla ISBT Bus Station. Train. There are three railway stations that are nearest to Manali: Una Railway Station, Pathankot-Joginder Nagar Railway Station and Chandigarh Railway Station. However, the first one doesn't have many trains and doesn't have many transportation options from it to Manali. The second one, the train takes a long time before it reaches the station. The third is your best option even though it's the farthest from Manali. It's easy to ride buses or taxis once you arrive in the station. From Chandigarh Bus Station to Manali, it can take about 6 hours more to reach the latter. Some train timings are: 10:35 am, 2:25 pm and 6:15 pm. Hired vehicle. The most expensive option but also the most convenient and comfortable. It can take you 7 to 8 hours to reach Manali by car. Rates range between Rs. 4,800 to Rs. 6,000 for a one way trip. Your best option is via hired vehicle or taxi. It provides the best comfort and you can control the stopovers as well. The next one would be the bus as it's a direct one anyway. Least would be the train as it requires changing transportation means after. It depends on what mode of transportation you choose. Generally, with a car or taxi, it's 7 to 8 hours or less. With the other means, except at least 10 hours to reach Manali. I hope this helps!
