How to Reach Shimla 2026: Toy Train, Bus, Car & Flight from Delhi and Chandigarh

Short answer: Most people reach Shimla by road from Chandigarh (119 km, about 3.5 hours by car or 4 by bus) or by overnight bus or car from Delhi (370 km, about 8 to 9 hours), according to the Shimla district administration. The Kalka-Shimla toy train normally takes 5 to 6 hours from Kalka, but since 30 August 2026 trains have run only between Dharampur and Shimla, with a road transfer from Kalka. Alliance Air restarted flights from Delhi to Shimla’s Jubbarhatti airport (23 km from town) in May 2026, six days a week; Chandigarh airport (about 120 km) is the reliable fallback.

This page covers every way in, with what we could confirm on 27 October 2026 and what we could not. For what to do once you arrive, see our Shimla travel guide and places to visit in Shimla.

How to Reach Shimla: Quick Facts

Road distances and times: Shimla district administration. Flight times: The Tribune, 9 May 2026.

Is the Kalka-Shimla toy train running?

Partly. As of the latest reports we found, trains run between Dharampur and Shimla, not from Kalka.

• 30 August 2026: soil washed away near Bridge No. 57 between Koti and Gumman, in Solan district, leaving the track hanging; ten trains were cancelled (ThePrint).
• Early September 2026: services resumed between Dharampur and Shimla after more than a week, with travellers covering Kalka to Dharampur by road. PTI reported (5 September 2026) that full Kalka-Shimla operations would resume only after the damaged track near Parwanoo was repaired and cleared; no date was given.
• 27 October 2026: we found no report of full through-running from Kalka. Check the live status on Indian Railways NTES or IRCTC before you plan around the train.

This is not the first monsoon break: in September 2025 the line was shut for five days by landslides at Koti and Kanoh before trains resumed (The Tribune, 6 September 2025).

Kalka-Shimla trains in the regular timetable

When the full line is running, these are the regular trains from Kalka, as listed on RailYatri and ixigo in October 2026. Times change and the line is currently cut, so treat them as a guide only.

About the line: opened in 1903, 96 km long, 2 ft 6 in narrow gauge, and part of the UNESCO "Mountain Railways of India" World Heritage Site. The district administration counts 103 tunnels (Wikipedia notes 102 are in use); the Barog tunnel, at about 1.1 km, is the longest. The overnight Kalka Mail from Delhi reaches Kalka early in the morning, in time for the first trains up (district administration).

Booking: tickets are sold on IRCTC like any other train. Book early for summer weekends and holidays, and check the live status on the morning you travel.

Riding the Kangra Valley line too? See our Kangra toy train guide.

How do I get to Shimla by bus?

HRTC (Himachal Road Transport Corporation) runs most of the buses, and its tickets can be booked on the HRTC online booking portal, per the district administration.

• From Chandigarh: buses run about every half hour; about 4 hours.
• From Delhi: ordinary, deluxe and Volvo (HRTC’s Himsuta) services, mostly overnight; about 9 hours. Delhi departures are mostly from ISBT Kashmere Gate; confirm the boarding point on your ticket.
• Arriving in Shimla: long-distance buses use the ISBT at Tutikandi, about 4 km from the main town (district administration). Take a taxi or local bus to Cart Road, then walk or use the lift up to the Mall.

Fares: we have not quoted HRTC fares, because the figures on booking sites disagree and change; check the HRTC portal for the current fare on your date.

How do I drive to Shimla from Delhi or Chandigarh?

The road climbs from Parwanoo (at the Haryana-Himachal border near Kalka) through Solan and Kandaghat to Shoghi and Shimla, on NH-5.

• Four-laning: the Parwanoo-Solan-Kaithlighat-Dhalli four-lane project is not complete. In November 2025 the Himachal Pradesh High Court criticised NHAI for an "inordinate delay" of over six years and noted stretches near Kandaghat, Datyar and Chakki in "pitiable condition" (PTI, 6 November 2025). Expect good four-lane sections mixed with slower ones.
• Shoghi barrier: most traffic from Chandigarh and Delhi enters Shimla here. In the Christmas-New Year rush, police hold and release vehicles in turns; over 1.65 lakh vehicles came through in the ten days before 27 December 2023 (The Tribune).
• Winter: the road beyond Dhalli towards Kufri and Narkanda is the first to shut after heavy snow (on 23 January 2026 the Shimla-Kufri road was closed, per ETV Bharat). Do not drive hill roads after dark in winter, when shaded bends ice over.

Not driving yourself? We arrange taxis across Himachal: book a taxi. For routes into the Kangra Valley, see our Chandigarh to Dharamshala taxi and Delhi to Dharamshala taxi.

Where do I park in Shimla, and can I drive to the Mall?

You cannot drive a private car onto the Mall, the Ridge or the roads leading up to them without a permit. All roads from Cart Road to the Mall side are sealed or restricted (district administration). In April 2026 the Himachal Assembly raised the penalties: ₹5,000 for a restricted road without a permit, ₹2,000 for breaking permit conditions, and for sealed roads ₹15,000 in the bill as passed (ThePrint, PTI, 1 April 2026) or ₹10,000 as listed in the Act notified on 11 May 2026. A daily permit was raised to ₹1,000. Sealed roads named include the Mall Road, Navbahar to the Ridge, Chhota Shimla to the Mall and Ridge, and IGMC to the Ridge.

Parking listed by the district administration: the car park near the lift (about 800 vehicles), ISBT Tutikandi, near the High Court, the railway goods-shed parking near Victory Tunnel, the old bus stand, Chhota Shimla and Sanjauli. Parking on the sides of Cart Road is prohibited. The district page dates from 2018, so check locally for changes.

Getting around: the HPTDC lift links Cart Road with the Mall; local buses run on the ring road from about 7 am to 9 pm; and HPTDC runs daily sightseeing buses, booked at the Tourist Information Centre on the Mall (district administration).

Can I fly to Shimla?

Yes, on a small scale, but have a back-up. Shimla airport at Jubbarhatti, 23 km from the city, has a short runway (1,230 m) and is limited by weather. Alliance Air, the only airline there, flies a 48-seat ATR 42-600.

According to the schedule published by The Tribune on 9 May 2026:

No flights on Tuesdays. The Delhi service restarted on 10 May 2026 after a break of several months, and the Shimla-Dharamshala service on 11 May 2026. Airports Authority of India figures show just 8,052 passengers at Shimla in April 2025 to March 2026, down 68 per cent, so flights here have been anything but steady. Check the current schedule with Alliance Air before booking, and keep Chandigarh airport (about 120 km by road) as your fallback.

How do I get from Dharamshala to Shimla?

Full route, stops and bus details: Shimla to Dharamshala. If you fly into Gaggal from Shimla, our Kangra airport guide explains the transfer, and we can meet you with a Gaggal airport to McLeod Ganj taxi. Planning the whole state? See how to reach Dharamshala and the Delhi, Dharamshala and Manali itinerary, and browse hotels in Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj for the Kangra leg.

Which way should I choose?

What is confirmed and what is not (27 October 2026)