Route Guides
How to Reach Rishikesh from Mumbai: Flight, Train and Road
By Hem Tiwari · Published 23 October 2026
The short answer: fly. Mumbai to Rishikesh is about 1,700 km by road, but the nearest airport, Jolly Grant in Dehradun, is only about 20–25 km from Rishikesh, and direct Mumbai–Dehradun flights take around two and a half hours. Door to door, that's roughly four to five hours, against well over a day by train and two to three days by road.
We get a lot of riders from Mumbai and Pune, and almost all of them fly in and rent a bike here rather than bringing their own. Here's every option compared, so you can pick the one that fits your budget and time.
Mumbai to Rishikesh at a glance
| Option | Total time | Rough cost (one way) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fly to Dehradun (Jolly Grant), then taxi | 4–5 hrs | Flight plus about ₹1,000–1,500 taxi | Almost everyone |
| Fly to Delhi, then bus or train | 9–11 hrs | Flight plus ₹500–1,200 | When Dehradun fares are high |
| Train to Haridwar, then road | 30–40 hrs | ₹800–3,500 depending on class | Tight budgets, no rush |
| Drive or ride all the way | 2–3 days | Fuel, tolls, two hotel nights | Road-trippers only |
Costs are indicative and change with season and how early you book — check current fares before you plan around them.
By flight: the nearest airport to Rishikesh from Mumbai
The nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport (DED), Dehradun, about 20–25 km from Rishikesh — 35–45 minutes by road. Several airlines fly direct from Mumbai; the flight is around 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes. Fares are usually lowest when booked a few weeks out and climb sharply around Diwali, Christmas, May–June holidays and the Chardham opening in late April.
From the airport to Rishikesh:
- Prepaid taxi from the counter outside arrivals — the simplest option, roughly ₹1,000–1,500 depending on whether you're going to Ram Jhula, Tapovan or Laxman Jhula.
- App cabs work at Jolly Grant, though availability varies at night.
- Local bus or shared auto from the main road outside the airport toward Rishikesh — cheapest, but a hassle with luggage.
- Pick up a bike at the airport. If you're renting from us anyway, we can deliver it to Jolly Grant (₹1,000 delivery charge) so you ride straight out — see bike rental in Dehradun and Jolly Grant airport.
Via Delhi: when direct flights are expensive
Mumbai–Delhi has flights almost every hour, so it's often cheaper to fly to Delhi and do the last 240 km overland:
- Train: the morning Shatabdi from New Delhi reaches Haridwar in about 4.5 hours; Haridwar to Rishikesh is another 25 km (40 minutes by taxi or auto). Vande Bharat and other trains also run to Haridwar and Dehradun.
- Bus: Volvo and Uttarakhand Roadways buses leave from Kashmere Gate ISBT through the day and night, taking 6–7 hours to Rishikesh.
- Taxi: 5–6 hours, more on weekends when the Meerut–Haridwar stretch is busy.
Our Rishikesh–Delhi road guide covers this leg in detail, and if you'd like to start riding from Delhi itself, see renting a bike in Delhi to ride to Rishikesh.
By train: Mumbai to Rishikesh
There's no fast direct train. The usual approach is a long-distance train from Mumbai to Haridwar, then 25 km by road to Rishikesh. The daily Dehradun Express from Bandra Terminus runs via Haridwar but takes well over a day; a few faster weekly and bi-weekly trains also run from Mumbai to Haridwar or to Yog Nagari Rishikesh station, so check IRCTC for what runs on your date. Expect 30–40 hours in total.
Rishikesh has two stations — the old Rishikesh station in town and the newer Yog Nagari Rishikesh, which handles most long-distance trains. Both are a short auto or taxi ride from Ram Jhula and Tapovan.
The train only really makes sense if you're on a tight budget, have time to spare, or simply enjoy long rail journeys. For a one-week trip it eats two to three days you'd otherwise spend here.
By road: Mumbai to Rishikesh distance
Mumbai to Rishikesh is about 1,700 km by road — roughly 30 hours of driving. The usual route is NH48 north through Gujarat and Rajasthan (Surat, Vadodara, Udaipur, Jaipur) to Delhi, then NH334 via Meerut and Roorkee to Haridwar and Rishikesh. Most people split it into three days, with nights around Udaipur and Jaipur or Delhi. From elsewhere in Maharashtra the distance is similar: Pune is around 1,700 km too and Nagpur around 1,300 km.
Riding your own bike from Mumbai is a big undertaking — long, hot highway days before you even reach the hills. Most riders find it far better to fly in fresh and rent a bike in Rishikesh: a Royal Enfield or Himalayan with papers valid across Uttarakhand, ready for Chopta, Kedarnath or the Chardham. Current rates are on our bike rental price list.
Which option should you pick?
- Short trip (under a week): fly to Dehradun. Nothing else comes close.
- Dehradun fares too high: fly to Delhi, then the Shatabdi to Haridwar.
- Lowest cost, time to spare: train to Haridwar.
- Riding the Himalaya: fly in and rent locally, or join one of our guided bike tours that start in Rishikesh.
Once you're here, a scooty is the easiest way to get around town, and river rafting on the Ganga is the thing almost every first-time visitor from Mumbai wants to do. See our guide to the best time to visit Rishikesh before you book.
Frequently asked questions
What is the distance from Mumbai to Rishikesh?
About 1,700 km by road, via NH48 to Delhi and then NH334 through Meerut and Haridwar. Driving takes around 30 hours, usually split over two to three days.
Which is the nearest airport to Rishikesh from Mumbai?
Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun (DED), about 20–25 km from Rishikesh. Direct flights from Mumbai take around two and a half hours, and a taxi to Rishikesh takes 35–45 minutes.
Is there a direct train from Mumbai to Rishikesh?
A few weekly trains run to Haridwar or Yog Nagari Rishikesh, and the daily Dehradun Express from Bandra Terminus stops at Haridwar. All take 30 hours or more, so check IRCTC for current schedules.
How do I go from Mumbai to Rishikesh by flight?
Fly direct from Mumbai to Dehradun (Jolly Grant), then take a prepaid taxi or app cab to Rishikesh. If direct fares are high, fly to Delhi and take the Shatabdi to Haridwar or a bus to Rishikesh.
Can I rent a bike when I land at Dehradun airport?
Yes. We deliver bikes and scooties to Jolly Grant airport, so you can ride straight to Rishikesh or into the hills. Message us on WhatsApp with your flight time.