In this post I give you step by step information about reaching Mata Vaishno Devi Temple from Amritsar, Punjab. I along with my brother went to this holy place back in July 2019.
This is the best option, book an overnight bus and start your journey by the night in AC sleeper bus. I always use this mode of travel where possible. Therefore, for our journey, we booked an overnight bus from PayTM.
There is only one direct train from Amritsar station to Katra and it runs once in a week, on Monday. The train number is 19415, it departs from Amritsar at 23:40 pm and reaches Katra next morning at 6:50 am.
Apart from this, there are daily trains that can take you upto Jammu which is just 45 kms away from Katra. You may hop into any of these trains till Jammu and catch a bus for Katra.
You may want to carry an umbrella, raincoat or stick depending upon the weather. We went in rainy season, we ended up buying temporary raincoats that didn't serve the purpose 100% but still manageble.
Even after the removal of Article 370, the prepaid mobile services have still not been allowed in the region. I look forward to see this implementation in next few months.
This blog post covers everything you need to know about this famous temple of Hindu Goddess, right from reaching there to booking a hotel room or a stay with locals. Do read the complete article.
Reaching Vaishno Devi Temple
Katra, the suburb from where pilgrims start their 13 kms trekk to Vaishno Devi temple is 259 kms away from Amritsar. One can cover this distance in several ways and they are:
- Hire a taxi
- Book an overnight bus
- Board a train
How to reach Katra via Taxi:
If you are with family and want a comfy ride, Taxi is a great option, though the price of the taxi is going to be on a higher side.
Book a taxi from a local operator or just go ahead with Ola outstation. The price difference between the both is usually minor.
How to reach Vaishno Devi Temple via Overnight Bus:
This is the best option, book an overnight bus and start your journey by the night in AC sleeper bus. I always use this mode of travel where possible. Therefore, for our journey, we booked an overnight bus from PayTM.
You can use MakeMyTrip or Red Bus as well to book the overnight bus. We booked a sleeper coach for two, the total cost was ₹800, I used my PayTM first account and got ₹100 off :) The bus started at 10:30 pm, it dropped us at Katra bus stand at 5:30 am. It was truly a great ride, fell sleep for good 3-4 hours!
How to reach Vaishno Devi Temple Katra via train:
There is only one direct train from Amritsar station to Katra and it runs once in a week, on Monday. The train number is 19415, it departs from Amritsar at 23:40 pm and reaches Katra next morning at 6:50 am.
Apart from this, there are daily trains that can take you upto Jammu which is just 45 kms away from Katra. You may hop into any of these trains till Jammu and catch a bus for Katra.
How to start the Vaishno Devi Trekk
As I mentioned above, the total trekk is of 13 kms. One can cover this distance by foot or with the help of Pony, palki or pithu.
Before starting trekk, sure
please make sure to register yourself in Katra as the pilgrim. Get a registration slip and commence the journey.You may want to carry an umbrella, raincoat or stick depending upon the weather. We went in rainy season, we ended up buying temporary raincoats that didn't serve the purpose 100% but still manageble.
New Trekk Route via Tarakote
This new route via Tarakote was inaugurated by honorble Prime Minister shri Narendra Modi ji in May 2018. We used the same route.
On this route, at about 2.75 kms from Katra is 24X7 free langar, offered by shrine board. Pilgrims must go there and enjoy the Dogri cuisine they serve.
The new route takes you up to ardh kunwari, which is 7 kms from Katra. The path is really smooth, interlocking tiles are installed, no potholes at all. The best part is ponies are not allowed on this route :)
We captured some mesmerizing shots of the mountains, greenery and the suburb Katra on this route. Don't forget to watch this video
From Ardh Kunwari To Vaishno Devi Bhawan
The distance from Ardh Kunwari to Vaishno Devi Bhawan is 6 kms approx, you may take tempo from here go till bhawan (600 Meters behind). Or just keep on walking, stay strong and finish the trekk.
When you complete this second half of the trekk and reach near bhawan, the first thing you should do is, get yourself a locker from the cloak room. It is absolutely free, keep your electronic items, leather belts, wallets inside the locker.
Take a bath if you want to and stand in a queue for darshan. Depending upon the season, your queue may clear up in just an hour or it may take 5-6 hours.
If you have a postpaid sim, you don't have to bother, all the networks are available right from katra till bhawan. But, if you have a prepaid connection, your number won't work.When you complete this second half of the trekk and reach near bhawan, the first thing you should do is, get yourself a locker from the cloak room. It is absolutely free, keep your electronic items, leather belts, wallets inside the locker.
Take a bath if you want to and stand in a queue for darshan. Depending upon the season, your queue may clear up in just an hour or it may take 5-6 hours.
Vaishno Devi Ropeway
Ropeway project at Vaishno Devi temple has started and is just 500 meters away from the bhawan. The cost of the round trip from starting point to Bhairon mandir and back is just Rs. 100/person. This cable car is available every 8 minutes. Here's the video if you like to see how it operates:
Phone network at Vaishno Devi Temple
Even after the removal of Article 370, the prepaid mobile services have still not been allowed in the region. I look forward to see this implementation in next few months.
Conclusion
This is how you can reach mata Vaishno Devi temple via Amritsar. If you have any questions, go ahead and post in comments section, I will be quick to answer.
How to reach mata Vaishno Devi Temple From Amritsar?
Reviewed by Pankaj Sharma
on
9/11/2019
Rating:
Reviewed by Pankaj Sharma
on
9/11/2019
Rating:
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