I am planning for a trip to North East. Visiting Kaziranga and Shillong are my top priorities. Moreover, I would also like to travel to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, if possible. So I am looking for information on bus service between Guwahati and Tawang. Is there direct buses from Guwahati to Tawang? As far as I am aware of, there is no railway connectivity to Tawang, so I think road transport is the only option to get there. Please let me know what is the best mode of transport to reach Tawang from Guwahati.
There is no direct bus service from Guwahati to Tawang. However, there is one bus operated by ASTC (Assam State Transport Corporation) that leaves for Bomdila from Guwahati. It departs Guwahati ISBT at 6 in the morning and arrives at Bomdila in the evening. It takes about 12 hours to cover the distance of around 340 KM between Guwahati and Bomdila. From Bomdila, Tawang is another 170 KM away. You need to stay overnight at Bomdila and board a bus to Tawang on the next morning. You can also get shared cabs (mostly Tata Sumo) from Bomdila to Tawang. Cabs usually take around 8 hours to arrive at Tawang from Bomdila, while the bus journey can take upto 12 hours. Guwahati to Bomdila - 340 KM - 12 Hours by bus. Bomdila to Tawang - 170 KM - 12 Hours by bus (8 Hours by shared maxi cabs). Another option for you is to take a bus to Tezpur from Guwahati. Tezpur-bound buses depart from Guwahati ISBT every 30 minutes throughout the day. It takes about 6 hours to reach Tezpur from Guwahati. From Tezpur, you have two options to reach Tawang. First option is the Assam State Transport bus. ASTC operates a direct bus from Tezpur to Tawang. It leaves Tezpur Bus Stand in the early morning and reaches Tawang in the evening after around 14 hours' journey. The route is very scenic and goes through the beautiful backdrop of Sela Pass. However, it can be a very hectic journey as the roads are virtually non-existent in some parts and the whole journey involves steep ascend. Guwahati to Tezpur - 180 KM - 6 Hours by bus. Tezpur to Tawang - 320 KM - 14 Hours by bus. The second option is to take a bus to either Bomdila or Dirang from Tezpur. Halt there during the night and take another bus to Tawang in the morning. Shared cab services are also available from Bomdila and Dirang to Tawang. Tezpur - Bomdila - 150 KM - 7 Hours by bus. Bomdila - Tawang - 170 KM - 10-12 Hours by bus (8 Hours by shared maxi cabs). Or Tezpur to Dirang - 190 KM - 9 Hours by Bus. Dirang - Tawang - 130 KM - 8-10 Hours by bus (6 Hours by shared maxi cabs). Night journey is not recommended due to the road condition and remote location. In case of an emergency like landslides, finding a helping hand would be next to impossible during the night time. There are a number of lodges and guest houses at Bomdila and Dirang, so staying there for a night is not going to be a problem. To be on the safer side, it is always better to avoid night journey while in the North-East. Regards, Deb
