How to reach Joshimath — road distances, rail and air
Joshimath sits on NH58, the road from Rishikesh to Badrinath, so everyone going up the valley passes through it. There is no railway or airport close by; the last stretch is always by road.
By road
From Delhi it is about 529 km. Free-flow routing says 9.5 hours, and the hill road above Rishikesh usually takes much longer, so plan on breaking the journey. On our own routing Rishikesh is about 248 km and 442 minutes away, by way of Rudraprayag and Chamoli; Wikipedia gives 251 km. Haridwar is about 269 km and 466 minutes, and Dehradun's bus stand about 290 km and 487 minutes. Regular buses run from Rishikesh.
Rail and air
The nearest railway station is Rishikesh, and Haridwar has trains to most of India. The nearest airport is Jolly Grant near Dehradun, about 269 km and 473 minutes away on our routing, or 293 km by Wikipedia's figure.
Beyond Joshimath
Auli is about 26 minutes up a side road. Govindghat, the start of the walks to the Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib, is about 34 minutes on, and Badrinath about 76 minutes. Landslides after cloudbursts can close this stretch in the monsoon, so leave early and keep a spare day in July and August.
Where to stay
Since the subsidence that began after the 2021 flood, parts of Joshimath were zoned as unsafe; ask locally where it is safe to stay. See things to do in Joshimath, when to visit and the one-day plan.
Places around Joshimath
The Joshimath guide →
Nearby destinations
All destinations →
Questions people ask
How far is Joshimath from Rishikesh?
About 248 km and 442 minutes by road on our routing; Wikipedia gives 251 km by way of Rudraprayag and Chamoli. Regular buses run from Rishikesh, and all the pilgrim traffic to Badrinath passes through Joshimath, so it is the usual overnight stop on the way up.
How far is Joshimath from Delhi?
About 529 km by road. Free-flow routing says 9.5 hours, and the hill road above Rishikesh usually takes much longer, so most people break the journey at Rishikesh or Haridwar. Haridwar is about 269 km and 466 minutes away on our routing, and Dehradun's bus stand about 290 km.
What is the nearest airport and railway station?
Jolly Grant airport near Dehradun, about 269 km and 473 minutes away on our routing; Wikipedia gives 293 km. The nearest railway station is Rishikesh, about 248 km away, and Haridwar has trains to most of India. The rest of the way is by road.