The yatra begins at the mountains’ edge: fly into Dehradun’s Jolly Grant Airport (DED), or take trains to the Haridwar, Rishikesh, Dehradun and Kotdwar rail heads, then commit to the road arc — the only way to the dhams themselves, governed by distance, altitude and an 8 PM–4 AM night-driving ban.
Checked 01 October 2026; airport/railhead basics are standard facts we’re still pinning to official citations, and the page says so.
The three ways in
| Mode | Gateway | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Air | Dehradun (DED) | Standard yatra gateway; heli Do-Dham packages use Dehradun-side helipads. Distances not independently verified — confirm at booking. |
| Rail | Haridwar (classic), Rishikesh, Dehradun, Kotdwar | Pick by yatra order — Haridwar suits the classic west-first arc |
| Road (from Delhi) | ~500+ km to Haridwar/Rishikesh | Trains beat driving this stretch |
The road arc (reported figures)
| Leg | Distance |
|---|---|
| Haridwar → Barkot (Yamunotri base) | ~220 km |
| Barkot → Uttarkashi | ~100 km |
| Uttarkashi → Gangotri (each way) | ~100 km |
| Uttarkashi → Guptkashi | ~220–230 km |
| Guptkashi → Gaurikund (Kedarnath trailhead) | ~30 km |
| Joshimath → Badrinath | ~48 km |
| Badrinath → Rishikesh | ~297 km |
The night-driving ban (8 PM–4 AM, reported) is the single most important scheduling fact — plan every day to end before dark.
Once the season opens
Registration counters at Haridwar, Rishikesh, Barkot, Sonprayag and Pandukeshwar handle walk-in registration (official); shared jeeps and buses feed the valleys from Rishikesh. During peak season the roads run one-way systems on peak days — the district advisories each week govern.
Frequently asked questions
Which airport for Char Dham?
Dehradun (DED) — the standard gateway.
Haridwar or Rishikesh as the start?
Haridwar for the classic order; Rishikesh for quieter nights and dawn starts. Both host registration counters (official).