REACHING KASHMIR Location : Jammu and Kashmir Main Ways to Commute : Air, Rail and Road Transport Hubs : Jammu, Anantnag, Kargil International Airport : Srinagar

Traveling To 'Paradise on Earth' – Jammu and Kashmir

Srinagar Jammu Gulmarg

Sonamarg Pahalgam Ladakh

Kargil Zanskar Patnitop

If there would not have been the place like Jammu and Kashmir on earth definitely it would have been difficult for one and all to imagine how the heavens look like. Thus Shahjahan has very appropriately used the term 'paradise on earth' to define the natures bestowed, land of Kashmir. And Europeans very proudly call this land the Switzerland of Asia. Plan a holiday to this state and you will find that it the only place that resembles the behisht (heaven) the most. The Dal Lake, hills, Mughal gardens, emerald water rivers and lush green forests are the primary attractions of this place. A visit to the Jammu and Kashmir state will be a lifetime experience.

Flying Over Snow Capped Mountains

It is a real pleasure to have an aerial view of the snow capped mountains of the valley in winters and during summers these mountains reflect the hues of greens. For all the three regions of the state – Jammu, Srinagar and Leh you can catch the Jet Airways and Indian Airlines flights from Delhi and there are weekly flights for Mumbai and other major Indian cities. The Jammu airport is 7 kilometers from the city center and can be reached within 35 minutes while the Srinagar airport is 14 kilometers from the city, but taxis are readily available from both the airports, pre – paid autos and state road transport operates a shuttle service. Jet Airways and Indian Airlines/ Alliance Air link the Leh city to the cities of Srinagar, Jammu, Chandigarh and Delhi. The flights are operated through out the year with increased frequency during the peak season. Leh airport is 7 kilometers from the city and you can hire a taxi to reach the city.

A special helicopter service operated by the Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd between Jammu and Sanjhichhat (en route to Katra – Vaishnodevi Shrine) offers the best opportunity to have an aerial view of the Mata Vaisnodevi's Durbar (shrine). From the Jammu airport the helicopter departs at 9-15 am ever day, make your booking prior, the visit and enjoy the elite service of the Pawan Hans.

Rail Transport – Makes Journey More Convenient

Jammu Tawi Railway station is the main rail head for the Jammu and Kashmir that links the state to Delhi through convenient overnight trains. The city has an excellent rail connection with major cities of the country by both the fast and super fast trains that connects it to distant places like Calcutta, Indore, Guwahati, Pune, Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmadabad, Gorakhpur, Mangalore and Bangalore. The railway station of Jammu Tawi is just five kilometers from the downtown area and the journey usually takes 25 – 30 minutes but make sure you start your journey a bit early as sometimes there may be a chance of traffic jam on the way. The newly opened Udhampur railway station is partially operational and will be the nearest railway station to Srinagar city.

Road Transport – A Window To Exploration

For the discern travelers visiting the valley by road is the best option to explore its virgin beauty. The national highway (NH 1 A) between Jammu and Srinagar is considered as the most beautiful and picturesque in the country. The Jammu region of the state is well accessible from all the cities and both the private and public transport is available from Delhi. The Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation, Delhi Transport Corporation and Haryana SRTC ply their buses between Jammu and Delhi. You can also catch the direct bus for Srinagar from the national capital. Jammu can be reached from Delhi via Jalandhar and the distance between the two points is 586 kilometers. Distance between Jammu to Srinagar is 293 kilometers that includes the India's largest Jawahar tunnel measuring 2.5 kilometers. To reach Leh you have to go through the Srinagar city, Sonamarg resort, Kargil city and then you can reach to Leh measuring 434 kilometers from Srinagar and 727 kilometers from Jammu.

Plus Says

All the travelers are supposed to stay at least a week in the valley of Kashmir to take time out for excursions to the nearby hill resorts and indulge in adventure like boating, trekking, hiking etc. Utmost care is needed when you are packing your bags, it is required to have layers of clothing that suits the 40 degree temperature of Jammu and 10 degree temperature in Leh. Carrying wind cheater, jersey and thick cotton clothes may be a wise idea. Taking your children along is quite safe and enjoy the holidays to this distant state along your family and cherish the memories through out your life.