Chandigarh serves as a gateway to the states of
Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu &
Kashmir. Situated in the foothills of the
Shiwalik range, a few minutes is all it takes to
reach Kalka and then onto all the hillspots in
the Simla hills. Chandigarh is also a take-off
point for Kullu Manali as well as Jammu &
Kashmir.
Summers sizzle under the hot sun and temperatures
rise to around 44 degrees C. On the other hand,
winters are most pleasant and can be quite cold
with the mercury dipping to 2 degrees C. Heavy
woollens and jackets are recommended for winters
and airy cottons for summers, more so when the
humidity sets in after the rains. The yearly
rainfall is around 110 cm.
Visits to the city should be planned around Oct
and between Feb to March in order to enjoy
unhindered sightseeing.
An airport 11 km from downtown connects
Chandigarh by air. Indian Airlines connects
Chandigarh with Leh (60 min, subject to clear
weather). Other private airlines also connect
Chandigarh to other parts of the country.  An extensive
network of trains connect Chandigarh to other
parts of the country. The twice-daily air
conditioned Shatabadi Express to Delhi is
extremely efficient with regard to timings and
speed. Food served on the train is included in
the fare. There is only one service on Sundays.
Other important trains include Kalka Mail to
Calcutta (Howrah) and a number of long-distance
trains to all parts of the country. The city
booking office is at ISBT, Sector 17 (Tel:
91-0172-544382). The Railway Station is 8 km from
downtown Chandigarh. Retiring Rooms and several
other facilities are available, coinciding with
the arrival and departure of trains.
Chandigarh
is best connected by road and buses are an
important form of transportation. Services from
various states connect with Chandigarh - Haryana
Roadways (Tel: 91-0172-544014), Punjab Roadways
(Tel: 91-0172-544023), Himachal Road Transport
Corporation (Tel: 91-0172-544015) Delhi Transport
Corporation and Chandigarh Transport Undertaking
(Tel: 91-0172-544005).
Air-conditioned services are available to Delhi
by Haryana Roadways and Punjab Roadways. Deluxe
services are scheduled for Delhi, Jaipur,
Amritsar, Shimla and Manali. Ordinary buses ply
to various destinations in many states including
Delhi, Jammu, Katra (for Vaishno Devi),
Dharamsala, Chamba, Dehra Dun, Rishikesh and
Haridwar. Reservations can be made in advance for
many services of Haryana Roadways (6 am - 11:45
am, 1:15 pm - 8 pm) Tel: 91-0172-544041 Punjab
Roadways (6 am - 11:45 am, 1:15 pm 8 pm) Tel:
91-0172-544023 and Himachal Roadways (9am - 1pm,
2pm - 4pm) Tel: 91-0172-544015
|
