Key hubs
Palitana airport and railway station
- Airport
- Bhavnagar Airport (BHU), about 51 km away, with flights to Mumbai and Surat; Ahmedabad (AMD) is about 215 km by road with wider connections
- Railway station
- Palitana (PIT) is a small station on the Bhavnagar branch; many travellers change at Sihor for Ahmedabad services, or use Bhavnagar Terminus and continue by road
- Getting around
- Private car or taxi from Bhavnagar or Ahmedabad; local autos link the town, the bus stand and the base of the hill. The hill itself is on foot or by doli.
How to reach Palitana by air
Bhavnagar Airport (BHU), about 51 km away, has flights to Mumbai and Surat; allow roughly 1 to 1.5 hours by road. Ahmedabad (AMD), about 215 km away, offers many more connections and a four-hour or longer drive.
How to reach Palitana by train
Palitana (PIT) is a small station connected to Sihor and Bhavnagar; many services call at Sihor, from where a taxi or a connecting train completes the trip. Bhavnagar Terminus is the larger railhead.
How to reach Palitana by road
Palitana is about 50 km south-west of Bhavnagar and about 215 km from Ahmedabad. State and private buses serve the bus stand, and taxis can be booked from Bhavnagar or Ahmedabad.
Getting around Palitana
Local autos link the bus stand, the railway station and the road to the base of the hill. A private car is easiest for Hastagiri or Bhavnagar. On the hill itself there is no vehicle access; you walk or take a doli.
For parents and senior travellers
Easy transfers to and in Palitana
- Take a doli if you doubt your knees or heart. The bearers carry you up in a chair slung on poles; ask at the base about the fare and agree it before you sit.
- Carry water but eat nothing on the hill. Food is not allowed in the temples, so eat before you start and plan a meal for the return.
- Break the climb into short stretches. Rest stations and water points are spaced along the route; use them instead of pushing through.
- If the steps are too much, choose Hastagiri Jain Tirth instead, which has a road most of the way up, or simply spend the morning seeing the hill from the foot.
- Ask the airline or railway for wheelchair or porter assistance when you book, not on the day.
- Pre-book the pickup from the airport or station, so nobody has to negotiate with drivers after a long journey.
- Choose arrivals in daylight where you can, and keep the first afternoon free to rest.