Best time to visit Katra and Vaishno Devi — month by month, from the IMD normals
When to go to Katra and Vaishno Devi: IMD 1991–2020 highs, lows and rain for every month, the mild spring and autumn, hot May–June and the wet monsoon.
ArticleVerified 2026-10-23
How to reach Katra — by train, by road from Delhi and Jammu, and on to Srinagar
How to reach Katra for Vaishno Devi: SVDK station and the Vande Bharat to Srinagar, Delhi 642 km by road, Jammu station and airport, with measured times.
Katra sits at the foot of the Trikuta hills in Reasi district, and it is easier to reach than most hill towns: a railway runs right into it.
Photos: Lillottama (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Billjones94 (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
By train
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra station, code SVDK, is on the Jammu–Baramulla line. Trains have run into it since 4 July 2014, and it takes long-distance trains from across the country. The station is about 1.6 km and 3 minutes by road from the middle of the town on our routing. From the platform, go to the Shrine Board's registration counter near the bus stand before anything else; the yatra guide explains the card.
On to Srinagar over the Chenab
Katra was the end of the line for a decade. Since 6 June 2025 two Vande Bharat trains have linked Katra with Srinagar, and the line crosses the Chenab Rail Bridge between Kauri and Bakkal, about 23 km north of Katra by Wikipedia's figure. Its deck stands 359 m above the river bed, the highest rail bridge in the world, and the bridge is 1,315 m long with a main arch of 467 m. Our Srinagar guide starts where that train ends. Check timings and booking with Indian Railways.
By road
- Delhi: 642 km, 489 min, free-flow.
- Chandigarh: 393 km, 318 min, free-flow.
- Amritsar: 238 km, 228 min, free-flow.
- Pathankot: 149 km, 138 min, free-flow.
- Jammu Tawi station: 46 km, 66 min.
- Jammu Airport: 49 km, 71 min.
- Udhampur: 37 km, 54 min.
- Srinagar: 213 km, 241 min.
From Delhi it is about 642 km by road. Free-flow routing says 8.5 hours, and traffic usually adds several more; Wikipedia gives about 685 km and around 12 hours. NH 144 passes through Katra. Plains figures come from OSRM and hill figures from BRouter, both free-flow; real driving is slower.
By air
The nearest airport is Jammu, about 49 km and 71 minutes by road on our routing (Wikipedia says 50 km). Taxis and buses run up to Katra; we have no verified fares. Helicopters from helipads in and around Katra fly pilgrims to Sanjichhat near the shrine; they do not fly from Jammu. We have no verified fares or booking rules, so check the Shrine Board's site.
Once you are here
Read the yatra guide, the best time to go and things to do in Katra, and copy the two-day yatra plan.
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Questions people ask
Which is the railway station for Vaishno Devi?
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra (station code SVDK), on the Jammu–Baramulla line, open to trains since 4 July 2014. It is about 1.6 km and 3 minutes by road from the middle of Katra on our routing, so most pilgrims go straight from the train to the registration counter near the bus stand.
How far is Katra from Jammu?
About 46 km and 66 minutes from Jammu Tawi station by road on our routing, and about 49 km and 71 minutes from Jammu Airport, the nearest airport. Wikipedia gives 42 km from Jammu city and 50 km from the airport. Taxis and buses run between the two; we have no verified fares.
Can I go from Katra to Srinagar by train?
Yes. Vande Bharat trains have run between Katra and Srinagar since 6 June 2025, crossing the Chenab Rail Bridge, which stands 359 m above the river bed. Check the current timetable and booking with Indian Railways before you plan around it; we cannot verify timings here.
How long is the drive from Delhi to Katra?
About 642 km by road. Free-flow routing says 8.5 hours, and traffic usually adds several more; Wikipedia gives about 685 km and around 12 hours. From Chandigarh it is about 393 km, from Amritsar 238 km and from Pathankot 149 km on the same routing.