Delhi to Badrinath by Train: Nearest Railway Station and Best Trains
You can’t reach Badrinath by train. There’s no railway line to the town yet. The nearest stations are Rishikesh and Yog Nagari Rishikesh (about 295 km) and Haridwar Junction (about 320 km). From Delhi, take a train to Haridwar, which has the most trains and the easiest onward connections, then continue by bus or taxi for 10 to 12 hours, ideally with an overnight halt.
Here’s how to pick the right station, the right train and the right onward plan.
Nearest railway station to Badrinath
Station | Code | Distance to Badrinath | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
Rishikesh | RKSH | About 295 km | Closest, but few long-distance trains |
Yog Nagari Rishikesh | YNRK | About 295 km | Newer station; some long-distance trains terminate here |
Haridwar Junction | HW | About 320 km | Most trains from Delhi and across India; best onward taxis |
Dehradun | DDN | About 330 to 340 km | Shatabdi, Vande Bharat; close to Jolly Grant airport |
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Our recommendation: use Haridwar. It has more trains from Delhi than any other station in the region, a large taxi stand, and it’s only 25 km from Rishikesh, where the Badrinath buses start.
Best trains from Delhi to Haridwar
These are the trains most pilgrims use. Timings change, so always check the latest schedule on NTES or IRCTC before you book.
Train | No. | From | Type | Why it’s useful |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Dehradun Shatabdi Express | 12017 | New Delhi | Morning chair car, daily | Reach Haridwar around midday, drive to Rishikesh or Srinagar the same day |
Dehradun Vande Bharat Express | 22457/22458 | Anand Vihar Terminal | Fastest chair car, six days a week | Short journey time; good for a same-day start into the hills |
Dehradun Jan Shatabdi Express | 12055 | New Delhi, departs 3:20 pm | Afternoon chair car, daily | Reach Haridwar in the evening, sleep there, start early next day |
Mussoorie Express | 14041 | Old Delhi, departs 10:25 pm | Overnight sleeper, daily | Sleep on the train, arrive in the morning, save a hotel night |
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There are also many long-distance trains from Mumbai, Kolkata, Ujjain, Kerala and elsewhere that run to Haridwar, Rishikesh or Yog Nagari Rishikesh. If you’re coming from outside North India, check direct trains to Haridwar first before routing through Delhi.
Which plan works best?
Plan A: Morning train, drive the same day (fast)
- Take the morning Shatabdi or Vande Bharat to Haridwar.
- Pick up a pre-booked taxi at the station.
- Drive 4 to 5 hours to Srinagar or Rudraprayag and stay overnight.
- Next day, drive on to Badrinath, arriving by afternoon.
Total: 2 days from Delhi to Badrinath. Best for families with a taxi.
Plan B: Overnight train, early bus (budget)
- Take the overnight Mussoorie Express from Old Delhi.
- Get off at Haridwar early in the morning and take a local bus or auto to Rishikesh.
- Catch the next Badrinath bus. Most leave Rishikesh between 4 am and 8 am, so check the timing works with your arrival. If you’ve missed the morning buses, stay in Rishikesh and take the first bus the next day.
- Bus journey: 10 to 12 hours.
Total: 1.5 to 2 days. Cheapest, but tiring.
Plan C: Evening train, rest, early start (comfortable)
- Take the afternoon Jan Shatabdi to Haridwar.
- Stay the night in Haridwar or Rishikesh, and attend the Ganga aarti if you arrive in time.
- Leave at 6 am by taxi or the first bus.
- Halt at Rudraprayag or Joshimath, or push on to Badrinath if you started very early.
Total: 2 to 3 days. Best for seniors and anyone wanting a gentle trip.
Arriving at Haridwar: what to expect at the station
Haridwar Junction is busy at any time of year and packed during the Kanwar Yatra, Kumbh years and summer holidays. Taxi touts meet every train. If you’ve pre-booked a taxi, ask the driver to share the vehicle number and meet you at a fixed point outside the main exit. If you haven’t, use the prepaid or official taxi stand rather than agreeing a fare on the platform.
Autos and e-rickshaws run to Har Ki Pauri and the bus stand, and shared vehicles run the 25 km to Rishikesh through the day.
Onward from the station: bus or taxi?
Buses from Rishikesh and Haridwar to Badrinath run in the yatra season through UTC and private operators. Fares start around â‚ą675, with premium coaches costing more. Buses leave early and take 10 to 12 hours. Book a day ahead in May, June and the closing weeks.
Taxis cost more but let you halt where you want and wait out landslide holds. Indicative 2026 one-way fares from Haridwar or Rishikesh were about â‚ą6,200 to â‚ą8,000 for a sedan and â‚ą9,200 to â‚ą13,000 for an Innova. Round trips with waiting at Badrinath cost roughly double. See our Delhi to Badrinath road guide for full fare tables.
Shared jeeps run between towns like Rudraprayag, Chamoli and Joshimath. They’re useful for solo travellers but leave only when full.
Coming from South, West or East India?
You don’t have to route through Delhi. Several long-distance trains run directly to Haridwar, Rishikesh or Yog Nagari Rishikesh from cities such as Mumbai, Ujjain, Howrah and Thiruvananthapuram. Search your city to HW or YNRK on IRCTC first. If the journey is longer than a day, compare it with a flight to Dehradun, which can save a full day each way.
Is there a train to Badrinath in future?
Yes, but not yet. The Rishikesh to Karnaprayag railway line (about 125 km) is under construction as part of the Char Dham railway project. It will have stations at Devprayag, Srinagar, Rudraprayag, Gauchar and Karnaprayag, among others, with long sections in tunnels. A further link towards Joshimath has been proposed, but it’s still at the planning stage.
When the Karnaprayag line opens, it will remove about 125 km of road travel from the trip, roughly 4 to 5 hours. There’s no confirmed opening date as of 2026, so plan your trip on today’s road connections.
Delhi to Badrinath by train: a sample timeline
Here’s what a comfortable train-and-taxi trip looks like:
Day | Plan |
|---|---|
Day 1 | Morning train New Delhi to Haridwar. Taxi to Srinagar or Rudraprayag. Overnight. |
Day 2 | Rudraprayag to Badrinath (about 160 km). Evening aarti. |
Day 3 | Tapt Kund, darshan, Mana village. |
Day 4 | Badrinath to Haridwar or Rishikesh (long day) or halt at Rudraprayag. |
Day 5 | Train back to Delhi. |
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Add two days if you’re combining it with Kedarnath. See our Do Dham itinerary.
Delhi to Badrinath by train: a sample timeline
- Book early. Shatabdi and Vande Bharat seats on the Delhi to Dehradun line sell out in May, June and around long weekends.
- Register before travel. Char Dham registration is compulsory, and there are long queues at the Haridwar and Rishikesh offline counters in peak season. Do it online. See our Char Dham registration guide.
- Don’t carry too much. You’ll move luggage between train, auto, bus and hotel. One bag per person is plenty.
- Plan your halt. If you’d rather not sleep at a roadside town, compare staying at Badrinath itself with staying at Joshimath in Badrinath vs Joshimath.
- Flying instead? If a fast train is sold out, a Delhi to Dehradun flight takes about an hour. See our nearest airport and helicopter guide.
For every route into Badrinath in one place, see how to reach Badrinath.
Badrinath ka nearest railway station kaun sa hai?
Badrinath tak train nahi jaati. Sabse paas ke station Rishikesh aur Yog Nagari Rishikesh hain, lagbhag 295 km door. Haridwar Junction (lagbhag 320 km) par Delhi aur poore Bharat se sabse zyada trains aati hain, isliye zyadatar yatri Haridwar utarte hain. Wahan se bus ya taxi se Badrinath jaate hain. Rishikesh se Karnaprayag tak nayi rail line ban rahi hai.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Rishikesh and Yog Nagari Rishikesh are the nearest railway stations to Badrinath, about 295 km away by road. Haridwar Junction, about 320 km away, is the most practical railhead because it has many more trains from Delhi and other cities.
No. There’s no railway line to Badrinath. Take a train from Delhi to Haridwar, Rishikesh or Dehradun, then travel the remaining 295 to 340 km by bus or taxi. Most travellers break the road journey with an overnight halt at Srinagar or Rudraprayag.
The morning Dehradun Shatabdi and the Vande Bharat are best if you want to start driving into the hills the same day. The afternoon Jan Shatabdi suits travellers who want to sleep in Haridwar first, and the overnight Mussoorie Express saves a hotel night.
Badrinath is about 315 to 325 km from Haridwar railway station by road. The drive takes 10 to 12 hours through Rishikesh, Devprayag, Rudraprayag and Joshimath. Most travellers stop overnight on the way rather than driving it in one stretch.
Not all the way. You can travel by train to Haridwar, Rishikesh or Dehradun, but the last 295 to 340 km to Badrinath must be done by road or helicopter. The Rishikesh to Karnaprayag railway is under construction and will shorten the road journey once it opens.
The Rishikesh to Karnaprayag line is under construction, but there was no confirmed opening date as of 2026. When complete, it will run about 125 km with stations including Devprayag, Srinagar, Rudraprayag and Gauchar. Plan current trips on road connections from Rishikesh or Haridwar.
From Rishikesh, take a UTC or private bus to Badrinath. Most leave between about 4 am and 8 am and take 10 to 12 hours. Or hire a taxi for more flexibility. A one-way taxi costs roughly â‚ą6,200 to â‚ą13,000 depending on the vehicle.
Haridwar is usually better. It has more trains, more taxis and is closer to Rishikesh, where Badrinath buses start. Dehradun makes sense if you’re flying into Jolly Grant airport or catching a helicopter from Sahastradhara to Badrinath.
Plan two days. The train from Delhi to Haridwar takes about 4.5 to 6 hours, and the road from Haridwar to Badrinath takes another 10 to 12 hours. Splitting the road journey with a night at Srinagar or Rudraprayag is safer and more comfortable.
No, because there’s no Badrinath railway station. On IRCTC, book to Haridwar (HW), Rishikesh (RKSH), Yog Nagari Rishikesh (YNRK) or Dehradun (DDN). Then arrange a bus or taxi for the road journey to Badrinath.
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Arrive by train, rest in Badrinath
Hotel Royal Badri is on the main road near the Badrinath bus stand, the stop where the buses from Rishikesh arrive, and about 900 m from the temple. See Hotel Royal Badri or WhatsApp +91 87960 35148 with your train details and we’ll help you plan the drive up.
