Rohtang Pass & Atal Tunnel Status 2026: Open or Closed, Permit, Timings

Short answer: As of 26 October 2026, we found no official order closing Rohtang Pass for the 2026-27 winter, and the official permit portal showed no closure notice. But winter has started up there: fresh snow fell at the Atal Tunnel north portal and Sissu on 15 and 25 October 2026 (IANS photos). In past years Rohtang has closed to tourist vehicles between early October and early December, and reopened in May. Before you go, check the official permit portal, rohtangpermits.hp.gov.in, and local news on the morning of travel.

We update this page when the status changes. Every line in the status log below gives a date and a source. Planning a winter trip? Read our Manali in December and January guide as well.

Rohtang Pass and Atal Tunnel: Quick Facts

Is Rohtang Pass open or closed today?

On 26 October 2026: not officially closed, as far as we could find, but in the early-snow window. Here is what we checked:

• The official permit portal (rohtangpermits.hp.gov.in, run by the Kullu district administration) was online and listed Rohtang, Special Rohtang and Hamta Pass permits. It showed no closure notice. The booking page returned an error when we tried it, so we could not see slot availability.
• The Kullu district website (hpkullu.nic.in) links to the permit portal but had no Rohtang notice.
• News: IANS photos show fresh snow and tourists at the Atal Tunnel north portal on 15 and 25 October 2026. We found no report of a Rohtang closure order in October 2026.

Why it is uncertain: in 2025 early snow closed Rohtang on 9 October (The Tribune), and the pass was later open again until the end of November (India.com, 24 November 2025). One snowfall can shut it for a day or for the season. If Rohtang is the main point of your trip, keep a flexible day and check on the morning.

Rohtang and Atal Tunnel status log

Newest first. "Tourist vehicles" means vehicles with a valid permit beyond Gulaba.

How does the Rohtang permit work?

The permit is for the vehicle, not for each person. It is needed to drive beyond the Gulaba barrier towards Rohtang. All permits are online only, at the official portal rohtangpermits.hp.gov.in, managed by the District Administration Kullu.

In practice: most visitors without their own car go with a Manali taxi whose driver arranges the permit. Confirm in writing that the permit is included in the price and which day it is for.

About Tuesdays: for years Rohtang has been closed to tourist vehicles on Tuesdays for road maintenance, and The Tribune repeated this on 4 May 2026. The portal's information page, however, showed the maintenance day as "NONE" when we checked. Check the day when you book your permit.

The same portal also issues Hamta Pass permits.

What are the Atal Tunnel timings and rules?

We found no official fixed opening hours for tourists at the Atal Tunnel. It is an all-weather road tunnel, but in winter the police and district administration decide each day how far tourist vehicles may go. Recent restrictions:

No permit is needed for the Atal Tunnel itself. The Rohtang permit applies only to the old pass road beyond Gulaba.

Sissu: the village beyond the north portal is the usual snow stop in Lahaul. In 2025 the Sissu gram panchayat banned tourism activities in its area from mid-January to 28 February for religious ceremonies (The Tribune, January 2025). No notice for early 2027 had been published on 26 October 2026.

When does Rohtang close and reopen each year?

Closing: usually by late November or early December, and sometimes much earlier after snow. Dated examples:

• 2024: closed beyond Gulaba after an inspection on 30 November (The Tribune).
• 2025: shut by early snow on 9 October, about a month ahead of the usual time, then open again until 30 November (The Tribune; India.com).

Reopening: in May, once the Border Roads Organisation has cleared the snow walls, in stages:

• 2025: Rohtang reopened to tourists on 24 May (The Tribune).
• 2026: open to Marhi from 4 May, to beyond Rahni Nala (km 46.35) from 17 May, with BRO still clearing snow walls of 5 to 20 feet (The Tribune). Some travel sites give 15 or 17 May as the full opening; we did not find an official notice of the exact date.

How can you check Rohtang and Atal Tunnel status live?

1. Official Rohtang permit portal: rohtangpermits.hp.gov.in. If permits are on sale for your date, the road is planned to be open. Closures after fresh snow can still happen on the day.
2. District Kullu: hpkullu.nic.in, for orders on the Manali-Rohtang road.
3. District Lahaul and Spiti: hplahaulspiti.nic.in. Its "Road Status" page was last updated in May 2024 when we checked, so do not rely on it alone.
4. Local news: The Tribune's Himachal pages carry most Kullu and Lahaul road orders within a day.
5. Weather: check the India Meteorological Department's Himachal forecasts and warnings before going high.
6. Your hotel or driver in Manali: they hear about police barriers first.
7. Emergencies: 112 (national emergency), 108 (ambulance), 1077 (disaster helpline, listed on the Lahaul-Spiti district site).

What can you do if Rohtang is closed?

• Solang Nala (about 14 km from Manali): skiing, snow tubing, snow scooters and paragliding when there is snow. See our Manali winter guide.
• Gulaba and Kothi: snow points on the Rohtang road below the barrier, when police allow vehicles that far.
• Atal Tunnel and Sissu: when the tunnel road is open to tourists. Go early and in a 4x4 after snow.
• Manali itself: Old Manali, Hidimba Devi temple and Vashisht.
• Change your route: if you are coming from Dharamshala, spend the spare day in Bir or Palampur on the way. Our Dharamshala to Manali guide covers the route, and our Delhi, Dharamshala and Manali itinerary shows how to fit it all in.

Need transport or a room? Book a taxi from Dharamshala or McLeod Ganj to Manali, see our treks around Dharamshala, or stay a night in our checked hotels in Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj before the drive.

What is confirmed and what is not (26 October 2026)