ArticleVerified 2026-09-27

How to reach Mandi — the Chandigarh and Bhuntar roads

Getting to Mandi via Chandigarh in about three hours, via Bhuntar airport in under an hour and a half, or by HRTC bus — and what each route involves.

Photo: Pinakpani · CC BY-SA 4.0

A highway town, not a detour

Rather than a dedicated side road off the highway, Mandi sits directly on National Highway 5, the main route between Chandigarh and Manali — most visitors pass through it anyway, making a stop here easy to add without a real detour.

By road from Chandigarh

The most direct route: about 164 km and just under three hours. HRTC buses and private taxis run this road regularly, and Chandigarh's own airport is the practical gateway for most visitors flying in from elsewhere in India.

By air via Bhuntar

Bhuntar, also known as Kullu–Manali Airport, is genuinely the nearest airport — about 59 km and roughly an hour and a half by road, closer than Chandigarh itself. Flights are limited and mostly connect through Delhi, so checking the day's schedule matters before relying on it.

By road from Manali

About 107 km and just under two and a half hours — the same National Highway 5 that continues on to Chandigarh, making Mandi a natural stop for anyone travelling either direction along the route.

> a night in Mandi — it sits almost exactly on the way, not off to one side.

By road from further away

Mandi connects easily to Kullu (69 km), Bir (68 km) and other Himachal hubs, since National Highway 5 is one of the state's main arteries. Most travellers reach it as a stop along a longer route rather than as a standalone destination requiring its own dedicated journey.

Getting around once you're there

Trilokinath, Ardhnareshwar and Panchvaktra temples are all within a short walk or taxi ride of central Mandi. Pandoh Dam and Rewalsar Lake, further out, are reached by road; see the two-day plan for the full sequence.

Plans that include this

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Panchvaktra Temple at the confluence of the Beas and Suketi Khad

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Rewalsar Lake, sacred to Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs

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Questions people ask

How do I get to Mandi from Chandigarh?

Drive or take an HRTC bus — about 164 km and just under three hours on National Highway 5. Mandi sits on the main road between Chandigarh and Manali, so most travellers already pass through it on a longer Himachal trip.

What is the nearest airport to Mandi?

Bhuntar, also called Kullu–Manali Airport, about 59 km and roughly an hour and a half away — genuinely closer than Chandigarh's own airport, though flights are limited and mostly connect through Delhi rather than other major Indian cities directly.

Is Mandi a good stopover on the way to Manali?

Yes — its position on National Highway 5 between Chandigarh and Manali makes it a natural overnight break for anyone driving the full route in one push, rather than a detour requiring extra travel time or a separate side trip of its own.