Travelling by Air
Jammu, Srinagar and
Leh are very well connected by air. Jammu is connected by non-stop flights to
Srinagar, Delhi, Jaipur and Chandigarh, while Srinagar is connected to Jammu,
Delhi, Chandigarh and Mumbai. Leh is connected to Delhi, Jammu and Srinagar. Airlines
that fly to the region include the state-owned Air India, and several private
carriers such as Jet Airways, Spicejet, GoAir and Indigo. The reporting time
for flights from Jammu, Srinagar and Leh is two hours prior to departure, due
to stringent security checks. On flights departing from Srinagar and Leh,
passengers are not allowed any cabin luggage, except for a camera or a laptop
bag, and a small handbag for women.
FRRO
New Delhi
East Block 8, Level-II
Sector-1, R K Puram
Ph: (011)
26711443/3843
Chennai
Shastri Bhawan
26 Haddows Road
Ph: (044) 23454977
Kolkata
237 Acharya
Jagadish Chandra
Bose Road
Ph: (033) 22837034
Mumbai
Annexe-II, Crawford
Market (near Police
Commissioner’s
Office)
Ph: (022)
22621169/0046
Jammu
Superintendent of
Police (CID),
Canal Road,
Ph: (0191) 2542676
Srinagar
Senior
Superintendent of
Police (CID),
Special Branch,
Residency (Shervani)
Road
Ph: (0194) 2483588
Leh
Superintendent of
Police
Ph: (01982) 252200
Kargil
Superintendent of
Police
Ph: (01985) 232545
Air India
1800 227722
www.airindia.in
SpiceJet
1800 180 3333
www.spicejet.com
Jet Airways
1800 225522
Indigo
9910383838
http://book.goindigo.in
GoAir
1800 222111
www.goair.in
In all other
domestic flights, passengers are allowed one piece of hand baggage each. All
baggage is subject to security checks whether carried by hand or booked in the
hold. Excess baggage is charged as per the schedule available at the airline
counter.
Travelling by Rail
Jammu Tawi is the
main railhead in the state. Log on towww.irctc.co.in for
booking tickets and www.indianrail.gov.in for latest
information on train schedules and booking status. International travellers
should note that bookings can only be made by registering Indian mobile
numbers. The main stations at New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata have an
International
Tourist Bureau
where foreigners and
non-resident Indians can book tickets. Such tickets get priority under the
Foreign Tourist Quota and are
exempt from
reservation fees. However, even with the quota, foreign tourists may find it
convenient to book IndRail Passes, from India or abroad, for travel in India by
train, especially given that trains in India can be booked for up to several
weeks in advance. All railway stations in India have a licensed porter facility
as well as waiting/retiring rooms that are safe to rest in, in case one is
arriving by a late night train. Taxis and auto-rickshaws are usually available
at major stations, but it is a good idea to hire a pre-paid taxi/auto-rickshaw
to avoid being over-charged. There is no rail network in Ladakh.
Kashmir Railway Line
The Kashmir railway
line, from Jammu to Baramulla, will link the state of Jammu & Kashmir to
the Indian Rail Network, and is currently under construction. The line is
formally known as the
Jammu-Udhampur-Katra-Qazikund-
Baramulla Link. There are 30 proposed stations along the railway line, passing
through some very remote areas. The railway line is expected to provide
all-weather transportation in the state. The first section of the line, from
Jammu to Udhampur, was inaugurated in 2005. Many local trains run on this line.
Once the line to Katra is completed many more trains are expected to run on
this line, easing the passage for thousands of pilgrims to Vaishno Devi. The
section of the line from Qazikund to Baramulla in Kashmir Valley was completed
in 2009. However, due to difficult terrain and weather conditions, the
construction of the line to link Jammu and Kashmir is proceeding slowly.This
multi-billion dollar project is
expected to be
completed in 2017.
Travelling by Road
Travel by road is
the only way to explore the state of Jammu & Kashmir, and the vast road
network is literally the lifeline of the state. The roads are largely
wellmaintained, but some of the interior roads can get rough due to inclement
weather conditions. National Highway 1 (NH 1), which links Attari on the
Indo-Pak border in Punjab to Delhi, has four important offshoots – 1A, 1B, 1C
and 1D – which run through Jammu & Kashmir.
• The arterial NH 1A
runs from Jalandhar (Punjab) to Uri, via Jammu, Banihal and Srinagar.
• NH 1B connects
Batote in Jammu region to Khanabal in Kashmir, passing through Doda, Kishtwar
and Symthan Pass.
• NH 1C, running a
mere 8 kms, connects Domel to Katra. It was recently renamed NH 144.
• NH 1D connects
Srinagar to Ladakh, via Kargil. The other road which connects Ladakh to the
rest of the country is the Leh-Manali highway (a part of NH 21), which passes
through Baralacha-la and Tanglang-la. Both the highways are maintained by the
Border Roads Organisation. Ladakh is very popular with biking enthusiasts,
several of whom ride to Ladakh from Manali. Buses run frequently from Jammu to
Srinagar and from Srinagar to Leh, and are the popular mode of transport with
most tourists. The only other alternative is air travel. Due to heavy snowfall
from October to May, many roads in Kashmir and Ladakh are often closed. The
closing of roads is subject to weather conditions, so make sure to check before
finalising your travel plans.
Local Travel
Although buses and
auto-rickshaws do ply in towns across the districts, it is advisable that
visitors hire vehicles during their stay. Please approach your hotel desk for
information on reliable car rentals and their charges. You can also call local
J&K Tourism offices and ask them to book a car for you.
For a list of
taxi-hire rates in Ladakh
visit leh.nic.in.
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