How To Reach Dehradun

Located in the lesser Himalayan range of the Garwal region, Dehradun is the capital of Uttarakhand. The name Dehradun is a combination of two words "dera" (which stands for 'camp') and "dun" (which stands for 'valley'). Immortalised in Ruskin Bond's short stories, Dehradun is a small town with a laid-back aura. The hills are always looming in the distance and Mussoorie is just 4 hours away.

Dehradun has a spiritual side but there's plenty for the nature lover and the adventurous too. Do visit the Clock Tower, Chetwoode Hall, Tapovan, Tapkeshwar temple and Robber's cave on your visit here. Dehradun is a fairly accessibly town and you can get here by bus, train and also on a flight. Read on to find out all the details on how to reach Dehradun.

Jolly Grant Airport, which is the largest commercial airport of Uttarakhand, is at a distance of 25 km from the city of Dehradun. Take a taxi from the airport to your final destination. It would take just about 40-45 minutes to reach the city. There are numerous flights from Delhi to Dehradun on a daily basis. 

Dehradun is connected to various cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Lucknow, Allahabad, Ujjain and Varanasi by the rail. The Dehradun Railway Station, which is the last station on the Northern Railway line in the area, is approximately 2 km from the city. From there it would take about 10 minutes to reach the city in normal traffic conditions. Various trains like the Dehradun AC Express, Doon Express, Shatabdi Express, Bandra Express, Jan Shatabdi Express, and the Amritsar-Dehradun Express connects Dehradun with other parts of India.

Volvo, Deluxe, semi-deluxe and local buses run by Uttarakhand State Transport connect Dehradun with most urban areas, like, Delhi, Shimla, Rishikesh, Agra, Haridwar, and Mussoorie. Buses leave every hour from the Dehradun Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) which is near Clement Town. There are different transport terminals in Dehradun like the Mussoorie Bus Station near the Dehradun Railway Station and the Delhi Bus Stand on Gandhi Road.

By Bus: City transport services runs buses across the town. The destinations are written in Hindi. As the bus service is an economic means of transport, it is usually crowded. If you are looking for comfort and luxury, it’s better to consider other options.

By Rickshaws: The least expensive way to get around town is by the blue three-wheelers called 'Vikram'. These vehicles are frequently packed, with a capacity of 8 cramped travelers in the back. The minimum fare is Rs. 5 to a maximum of Rs. 15 anywhere in the city.

By Taxis: Most comfortable but expensive way to travel around Dehradun is to avail one of the numerous taxi services. It's not such a bad way to get away from the crowd and explore the nearby destinations.