Rishikesh is a small town in the northern state of Uttarakhand, India. Scenically located where the Ganges River comes down from the Himalayas, Rishikesh catapulted to Western fame when the Beatles dropped by for a visit to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s ashram now closed. The town is still known as the World Capital of Yoga.
Rishikesh is also the gateway to the Himalayas. The Northern Char Dham Yatra Four Shrines Sacred Journey ideally begins from Rishikesh.
Understand
The center of town where the train and bus stations can be found is of little interest to most travelers. Further north-east are two bridges spanning the Ganges, Ram Jhula and Lakshman Jhula. The main hubs of activity and interest are at the ends of these bridges.
Most accommodation and restaurants are in Lakshman Jhula, High Bank, and Swarg Ashram.
Get in
By plane
Rishikesh is about 15 km from Dehradun’s Jolly Grant Airport, a small, quiet and recently renovated airport handling four flights from Delhi. The runway is being extended and will possibly handle flights from other metros. At present, there are flights only from Delhi, although Jet Airways flies from Mumbai via Delhi too.
By car
Delhi airport to Rishikesh by car is a good option for a hassle-free traveling, especially for foreign tourists who are traveling to India for the first time. It’s a 6 to the 7-hour journey. Prices vary from US$85 for an air conditioned compact car to US$125 for an air conditioned SUV but rates are much higher if one gets these services from prepaid taxi booths at the airport.
By train
There are many trains from Delhi to Haridwar. Some of the better are Shatabadi Express, Jan Shatabdi, AC Special Express, Mussoorie Express. A quiet branch line connects Haridwar to Rishikesh, but there are only about three slow trains daily. Normally, it is better to take the train to Haridwar and continue by bus (45 min, ₹20), by taxi (30 min, ₹650) or by shared auto-rickshaw (40 min, ₹25). However, traveling by train is recommended in peak seasons or during a ‘Mela’ (fair) when bus routes are diverted in Haridwar whereas trains often run empty and the fares are low (just ₹4 for a passenger train service). You can take share rickshaws (vehicle brand name Vikram) towards Lakshman Jhula (₹15) from Rishikesh station. You will have to cross Ram Jhula to reach Swarg Ashram on the other side of the Ganges.
- Passenger Trains from Haridwar to Rishikesh (approximate travel time, 1 hour):
- Haridwar – Rishikesh 05:20
- Haridwar – Rishikesh 10:30
- Haridwar – Rishikesh 17:25
By bus
hi, Rishikesh is about 230 km away and is well connected with buses. A bus journey may take about 5-7 hours – depending on the traffic – and costs you about ₹130-₹350. An AC Bus will cost about ₹200-₹500. The right time to visit would be February, March, August-October. In July there is a festival called Savan where thousands of people flock to Rishikesh. Major roads are blocked and hotels are crowded. It is better to avoid traveling to Rishikesh during that time.
Sources – Wikipedia
