Our family would like to go to Vaishno Devi for darshan and we would like to plan our trip properly as we know that it is quite far away from Delhi, where we live. I would like to find out what the Delhi to Vaishno Devi distance is, so we can plan the trip accordingly and be prepared for the long trip, as I have heard it can be a bit tiring traveling. We would be traveling by road so the Delhi to Vaishno Devi distance by road information is required.
Hello, welcome to the forum! (Images from Bee The Musafir, Bipul Keshri and Vinayak Gautam) Overview The distance between Delhi and the Vaishno Devi Mandir is around 680 kilometers, it really depends on the route that you choose for the journey. This distance can be covered with around 10 to 12 hours of driving. Specifically, you can find the Vaishno Devi Mandir in Katra, a town just past Jammu. For the last 13.5 kilometers of the journey, you need to cover it by foot. For the elderly or physically disabled individuals, the management provides for various modes of transportation to help ease the journey for them. But this guide is more of the journey prior to reaching the temple, focusing mainly on those planning to reach Katra by road in their own vehicles. We would cover the best routes that one can choose from and just how long the journey can take with each. Reaching Vaishno Devi Mandir in Katra By Road From Delhi There are two main routes you can take to reach Katra by road from Delhi. As mentioned above, you can only reach the Vaishno Devi Mandir by foot from the town of Katra. Taking your own vehicle is advisable as you can control the stopovers along the way, if the need arises. 1. Route via Ludhiana - Delhi > Ambala > Ludhiana > Jalandhar > Mukerian > Pathankot > Jammu > Katra > Vaishno Devi Mandir Entrance (637 Kilometers) The first route is highlighted above, which is via Ludhiana, covering around 637 kilometers in distance. This route is also known as the National Highway 1 route, in reference to the expressway used in the route. From Delhi, you would be passing through Panipat and Karnal to reach Ambala. Road conditions in this stretch are good to excellent. However, your main struggle would be the traffic jams especially around the industrial areas. To avoid such delays in your journey, it's best to leave Delhi very early in the morning so that you won't be a part of the early morning traffic rush. Roads are wide though so don't worry about the driving difficulty in this area. Now from Ambala to Ludhiana, the roads are still quite good especially since they were recently reconstructed. They can be plagued by bumps and potholes though around monsoon season. To pass Ludhiana, you have two options, either take the flyover route or the bypass route. The flyover route is the main road, so it can be quite chaotic during rush hours, which occurs during mornings and evenings. The bypass route takes the detour stretch amidst villages and narrower roads. So take your pick, choose the flyover route if you are able to reach Ludhiana before the rush hours or choose the bypass route if ever you reach Ludhiana during the rush hours. Crossing Ludhiana and reaching Jalandhar, you would still encounter some issues. For the past years, the roads in this stretch are still under construction specifically the flyovers around Phagwara, which is located between the two cities. Fortunately, it is estimated that the flyovers would finally be completed around March of the year 2018. As of now, you need to brave through traffic and diversions in these two cities. So despite the small distance, you might spend a few hours here. For the last stretch, from Jalandhar to Katra, roads are smooth and easy to drive in. However, the roads from Jammu to Katra can be plagued by road blocks during monsoon season due to landslides caused by rain. Aside from that, driving through this stretch, at least during the other seasons, is a breeze and the views are quite enjoyable. The distance between Jammu and Katra is just a little over 40 kilometers, which can be covered within an hour of driving, two hours at the most. Overall, journey duration with this route can be as long as 11 hours, depending on the time of the day that you leave, whether you can avoid the traffic or not. The advantages of this route are quite plenty. Being within the national highway, there's no shortage of tourist facilities such as restaurants, hotels, petrol stations and shops along the way. This can be quite handy for families traveling with the little ones as you never know just how many bathroom breaks you might need along the way. Another advantage of this route is that it is well-maintained since it has toll booths and the government allots some budget for its annual restoration or if ever there's a need to reconstruct parts of it. It also comes with the usual downsides of traffic and congestion since this is the most utilized route to reach Katra. 2. Route via Hoshiarpur - Delhi > Ambala > Banur > Kharar > Garhshankar > Hoshiarpur > Dasuya > Mukerian > Pathankot > Jammu > Katra > Vaishno Devi Mandir Entrance (625 kilometres) The second route is a bit longer to cover though it is shorter in distance. It is via Hoshiarpur, which is also in Punjab. We can refer to this route as the lesser taken path as it is not of national highway status and many stretches are amidst rural areas. The distance covered by this route is around 625 kilometers, which can take around 12 hours to cover with sedate driving. Again, take the usual route to reach Ambala from Delhi, covering both Panipat and Karnal along the way. Avoid rush hour traffic by leaving from the city early in the morning, ideally before the sun rises. From Ambala, take a detour unto the east to reach Banur, instead of taking the west which would lead you to Ludhiana. Banur has good roads, although they are of single carriage and passes through rural villages. The drive is very scenic, albeit slower, perfect for those who want to test their photography skills along the way. Thereafter, pass through smaller villages including Kharar and Garhshankar. Roads are still narrow, just two-lane ones, smooth to drive in but you can't be as fast as compared to national highways. The last village you would pass to reach the highway proper is Hoshiarpur. As soon as you reach Dasuya, roads become wider and even smoother. The roads would then merge into the Jalandhar Pathankot Highway leading into Jammu and finally, Katra. By this time, you can enjoy the highway driving but also be prepared for a bit of traffic during rush hours. By taking this route, you bypass the usual traffic that the former route has, making your journey less stressful. The drive would be slower though because the roads themselves are narrower and needs a bit of care when driving in. The advantage of this route is that you can enjoy the rural side of the Delhi to Katra route. You can have fun viewing kids with little kites frolicking amidst the fields or housewives gathering their laundry. It does come with many disadvantages too, like the slower drive and less maintained roads. If you're someone who needs bathroom breaks quite frequently, this route might prove to be a disappointment as tourist facilities are very limited in it. And if ever you experience issues with your vehicle, you might find it difficult to find car repair shops. Conclusion This ends our small guide on the road distance between Delhi and the Vaishno Devi Mandir in Katra. With the above guide, you can now plan your trip to the holy shrine of Vaishno Devi. There are two main routes that you can choose from, one via the national highway and the other via the village path. It depends on your preference and timing of visit. If you're visiting during weekends, including Fridays, then opt for the latter. If you're visiting during weekdays, specifically off-peak hours, then opt for the former. Good luck and I hope this helps you!
