Key hubs
Yamunotri airport and railway station
- Airport
- Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun (DED), roughly 200 km by road; the drive to Janki Chatti takes most of a day
- Railway station
- Dehradun (DDN), Rishikesh (RKSH) and Haridwar (HW) are the usual railheads; no train reaches the Yamuna valley
- Getting around
- Taxis and buses run to Janki Chatti, the last motorable point; from there the shrine is a 6 km walk, or a pony, palki or doli ride
How to reach Yamunotri by air
Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun (DED) is the nearest airport, roughly 200 km by road from Janki Chatti; allow most of a day for the drive. Helicopter services from Dehradun are listed by the state portal, so check current availability.
How to reach Yamunotri by train
Dehradun (DDN), Rishikesh (RKSH) and Haridwar (HW) are the usual railheads. Dehradun is about 180 km from Yamunotri by road, according to the state portal. No railway enters the Yamuna valley.
How to reach Yamunotri by road
From Dehradun the road runs via Mussoorie and Damta to Naugaon and Barkot, then on to Janki Chatti, the last motorable point. The route is a single mountain road that landslides can close in the monsoon.
Getting around Yamunotri
Taxis and shared vehicles run to Janki Chatti. From there the shrine is about 6 km on foot, or by pony, palki or doli. Kharsali is about 1 km from Janki Chatti, across the river.
For parents and senior travellers
Easy transfers to and in Yamunotri
- Do not go straight from the road to the shrine; sleep a night at Barkot or Janki Chatti first so the body can adjust to the altitude.
- Carry a rain jacket, warm layer, walking stick, water and your regular medicines, and tell a companion if you feel breathless or dizzy.
- Avoid July and August, when landslides can close the road and make the trail slippery.
- 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.