How to Reach Kuari Pass from Delhi

Planning the Kuari Pass trek from Delhi? The trailhead is about 500 km away, and there's no single bus, train or flight that takes you all the way. Every trekker makes the same two-part journey: Delhi to Rishikesh on the plains, then Rishikesh to Joshimath on the mountain road.

The first part is where you have real choices, and where most planning mistakes happen. People book a train that reaches Haridwar at noon, then find the morning pickup left hours ago. Others book the cheapest bus and arrive in Rishikesh at 3 AM with nowhere to wait.

This guide compares every way to get there, with door-to-door timings, so you reach the start on time and without a wasted night.

Delhi to Kuari Pass: The Route at a Glance

TrekYaari's Kuari Pass trek runs Joshimath to Joshimath. For the mountain leg there's an optional add-on: a pickup between 6:30 and 7:30 AM at 60s Cafe, Tapovan, Rishikesh, and a drop back there after the trek. Most of the options below are planned around that pickup.

Kuari Pass Trek from Delhi: Every Option Compared

The overnight bus wins for most people because it lines up with the morning pickup. You sleep through the plains, reach Rishikesh around dawn, have chai, and you're on the road to Joshimath by 7:30.

Delhi to Rishikesh by Bus

This is how most trekkers travel, and the option we recommend. Buses run day and night, but the overnight ones are the ones that matter for this trek.

Where buses leave from

•      ISBT Kashmere Gate. Uttarakhand Roadways (UTC) and many private operators. The main hub, on the Delhi Metro.

•      Anand Vihar ISBT. Convenient for East Delhi, Noida and Ghaziabad.

•      Majnu Ka Tila and Akshardham. Common pickup points for private Volvo and sleeper buses booked online.

Fares and timing

One-way fares run from about ₹230 on a basic UTC bus to around ₹1,650 for a private Volvo or AC sleeper. Book on the UTC website, redBus or zingbus. Fares rise on Friday nights, long weekends, Christmas, New Year and Holi, which is exactly when many Kuari Pass batches run, so book a few days ahead.

Pick a bus that leaves Delhi between 10 PM and 11:30 PM. It usually reaches Rishikesh between 4:30 and 6 AM. Buses that leave earlier in the evening can drop you at 2 or 3 AM, which in winter means a long, cold wait.

Most buses stop at the Rishikesh bus stand. Tapovan is about 8 km further up the road, a short auto or cab ride in the early morning.

Delhi to Rishikesh by Train

Trains are comfortable, but harder to fit around a morning pickup. Rishikesh has two stations, Rishikesh and Yog Nagari Rishikesh, but very few trains run there directly from Delhi. Most Delhi trains stop at Haridwar, about 25 km from Rishikesh, and continue to Dehradun.

The overnight option

The Mussoorie Express (14041) leaves Delhi Junction at 10:25 PM and reaches Haridwar at 5:50 AM, daily. From Haridwar to Tapovan is about 30 km, roughly an hour by cab. If the train runs on time, you'll make the pickup. If it runs late, you won't, so check the running status the night before and keep the team's number handy.

Going the day before

For a relaxed start, travel the day before and sleep in Rishikesh. The Vande Bharat Express (22457) leaves Anand Vihar at 5:50 PM and reaches Haridwar at 9:11 PM, which gets you to Rishikesh by about 10:30 PM. The Dehradun Shatabdi and Jan Shatabdi from New Delhi also stop at Haridwar and arrive earlier in the day. Check running days on IRCTC before you book.

Sleeper class from Delhi to Haridwar costs about ₹190 to ₹410 and 3AC about ₹520 to ₹1,125. Trains fill up fast in December, during school holidays and through the Char Dham season, so book early.

Delhi to Kuari Pass by Air

The nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun, a 30 to 60 minute taxi ride from Rishikesh depending on traffic and where you're staying. Delhi to Dehradun flights take about an hour, and several run every day.

Flying only shortens the easy part of the journey. You still need to be in Rishikesh by 6:30 AM, so fly in the day before. It makes most sense if you're coming from Mumbai, Bengaluru or another city with a direct flight to Dehradun.

Delhi to Kuari Pass by Road

Driving works well for a group of three or four. Delhi to Rishikesh is about 240 km via Meerut and Haridwar, around 6 to 7 hours depending on traffic leaving Delhi. Leave before 6 AM to beat it.

The hill road from Rishikesh to Joshimath is a different drive altogether, so plan it carefully:

•      Don't attempt Delhi to Joshimath in one day. Break the journey in Rishikesh.

•      Don't drive the hill section after dark. Landslide zones and sharp bends are hard to judge at night.

•      If you're not used to mountain roads, hire a local taxi from Rishikesh for this leg.

•      Ask your Joshimath hotel about parking for the five days you're on the trek.

For the towns along the way, bus times and stops on this leg, see our full Delhi to Joshimath travel guide.

Kuari Pass Trek from Rishikesh: The Joshimath Leg

If you're travelling alone or with one friend, the add-on is the easiest choice. There's no early bus to find and no changing jeeps halfway.

Three Door-to-Door Plans from Delhi

Plan 1: Overnight bus (the one most people pick)

Plan 2: Evening train the day before (the relaxed one)

Plan 3: Straight to Joshimath (for those not taking the pickup)

Some private sleeper buses run overnight from Delhi to Joshimath, leaving around 11:20 PM. It saves a change of vehicle, but it's a ride of 14 hours or more and costs much more than going via Rishikesh. One booking app listed it at around ₹3,800 when we checked. Before you book, confirm the Joshimath reporting time with the team and make sure the bus gets you there in time.

To see how these costs fit into your full budget, read what the whole trip costs from Delhi.

Getting Back to Delhi After the Trek

On the last day you walk down to Tugasi and drive back to Joshimath. If you've taken the Rishikesh add-on, ask the team for the expected drop time before you book your journey home. Buses from Rishikesh to Delhi run until late at night, so a night bus is usually the easiest connection.

Avoid tight onward plans, like a flight out of Delhi the same night. A landslide or a long jam on the hill road can easily add a few hours.

Travel Tips for the Delhi to Kuari Pass Journey

•      Plan around the Char Dham season. The Rishikesh to Joshimath road is also the road to Badrinath. From May, when the temple opens, traffic is heavy and buses fill early.

•      Keep a buffer day in winter. Heavy snow sometimes closes the road above Joshimath for a day.

•      Carry motion sickness tablets. The mountain road has hundreds of bends. Sit near the front and eat light.

•      Withdraw cash in Rishikesh. Joshimath has ATMs, but they're not always working.

•      Keep your tickets offline. Mobile signal comes and goes on the hill road.

Will there be a train to Joshimath soon? The Rishikesh to Karnaprayag railway line is under construction, and recent reports put completion around 2028 or later. Even then, Karnaprayag is about 80 km by road from Joshimath.

Planning Your Trip with TrekYaari

Once your travel is sorted, you can book the Kuari Pass Trek with batches from January to May and October to December. Every batch is led by a BMC or AMC certified trek leader, and the Rishikesh pickup and drop are there if you'd rather not handle the mountain leg yourself.

For what happens after you reach Joshimath, see the day-by-day plan once you reach Joshimath. And if Kuari Pass doesn't fit your dates, here are other good treks within reach of Delhi.

Conclusion

Getting to Kuari Pass from Delhi is simpler than it first looks: one easy leg on the plains and one long, beautiful leg into the mountains. For most people, an overnight bus to Rishikesh and a morning pickup to Joshimath is the smoothest plan. You sleep through the boring part and see the Ganga and the Alaknanda in daylight.

If you prefer trains, go the evening before and sleep in Rishikesh. If you're short on time, fly into Dehradun. Whatever you pick, be in Tapovan by 6:30 AM with your warm layers on top, and leave a little slack on the way home.