How to Reach Katra

Once you have selected your preferred way for How to Reach Vaishno Devi and landed in the holy city of Jammu; then your next stoppage for Mata Bhawan would be Katra. The distance between Jammu and Katra is about 50 Km. Katra serves as a base camp in the journey towards Maa Vaishno Devi. As the Bhawan of Mata Vaishno Devi is in the hills of the Trikuta Mountain, thus most of the devotees rests and stay at Katra before commencing their onward journey for Vaishno Bhawan.

Roadway from Jammu to Katra

Devotees using airways or railways have to break up their journey at Jammu and use roadways to reach Katra; whereas those pilgrims who are travelling by road can move straight to Katra. At present there is no railway connection between Jammu and Katra, but the work is in progress. With the blessings of Maa Vaishno Devi travelers will soon gain the experience of rail from Jammu to Katra. 


How to reach Katra

A large number of options are available if you are planning to move further towards Katra. If you are tight with your budget then the best option is the ordinary bus service, but for the high class tourists, luxurious buses are also available. One can catch buses each 15 minutes from both Government and Private Service providers. 

Winding roads of Jammu to Katra

As the roadway from Jammu to Katra is carved through a hill and the travelling time in buses is approximately 2 hours, so travelers may experience nausea and vomiting. If you have such problems then it is advisable to take private Taxis for Katra. The Taxi Stand is nearby the Bus Stand, located at the Jammu Tawi Railway Station. 
Taxis normally take less than 1.5 hours to reach Katra from Jammu.

Devotees who are using the roadways towards Jammu and don't want to halt there, have an option to head straight for Katra. The National Highway No. 1A has a two way diversion approximately 35 Km. from Jammu. The place is called Domel and you can take one of the diversions for Srinagar while the other takes you to the base camp Katra. 



Jammu to Katra Fare 

The official fare from Jammu to katra is revised regularly and one should first inquire about it before commencing the journey. The fare of buses is low as compared to the taxis, but you can't neglect the Time Factor and Convenience being provided while travelling through taxis. (One can hire taxis from Jammu to Katra starting from Rs 300 and the bus tickets can be availed for Rs 50 per seat) *

* The fares mentioned above are just for information and not the official rate, rather it is according to the personal experience of the blogger. It is worth to remember that fares are liable to change as per the official rules therein. 

Tips to Remember

If you are travelling alone and can compromise with the convenience and the time factor, for reaching Katra from Jammu then buses are best to opt for. Those willing to enjoy the beauty of Katra can travel through taxis, as it will give you the option to pause in the way and take the memorable snaps. 

On the other hand if you are alone and want to a take taxi then search for someone who can share the fare with you. This option should be taken with caution as you are on a tour and strangers can be harmful. So it is highly advised that share a taxi with only known persons and not with the strangers. 





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