How to reach Dehradun from Delhi: road, rail, bus or air

By car: the Delhi–Dehradun Expressway

This is how most people drive up now. The corridor starts near Akshardham in east Delhi and runs through Ghaziabad, Baghpat, Baraut, Shamli and Saharanpur, then crosses the Shivaliks on a 12 km elevated wildlife corridor over the Rajaji forest, with a 370 m tunnel near the Daat Kali temple. You come down into Dehradun at Asharodi, at the southern edge of the city.

PIB’s preview of the inauguration said the corridor would cut the trip from over six hours to around two and a half. That is the road time. Getting out of Delhi and across Dehradun adds to it, especially on a Friday evening, so plan on more.

A few things we tell friends driving up:

• Keep to the speed limit on the boards. UP Police ran a speed drive on its expressways on 26 and 28 October 2026 and fined 1,289 vehicles on the Delhi–Dehradun Expressway alone.
• Take the last stretch slowly. In October 2026, India Today reported four or five crashes in a month on the Asharodi stretch at the Dehradun end. Police were still looking into the cause.
• Fill up before you join. When the road was new, NDTV found the wayside fuel stations and rest stops weren’t all running yet. Things may have changed, but don’t count on a stop you haven’t seen.
• Have FASTag set up and topped up. There are several toll plazas on the corridor. We could not find one official NHAI figure for the whole Delhi–Dehradun toll, so look up plaza-wise rates for your vehicle on NHAI’s Rajmargyatra app before you go. If you drive national highways often, the Annual Pass in the box above may be worth a look.
• After heavy rain, look for NHAI notices before you set off. The July 2026 cave-in came after one night of rain. Our guide to checking roads and weather lists where to look.

The old route via Meerut and Muzaffarnagar

Before the expressway, the usual drive went through Meerut, Muzaffarnagar and Roorkee, then north through Chhutmalpur and Biharigarh to Dehradun, or round via Haridwar. It still works, and it is useful if you’re coming from Meerut or want to stop in Haridwar on the way. Expect the “over six hours” that PIB gave for the trip before the corridor, and more in traffic.

One sign of how much traffic has moved: in October 2026 the Times of India reported that the roadside stalls at Biharigarh, a pakora-and-tea stop on the old Saharanpur–Dehradun road for decades, had lost most of their passing trade to the expressway, which now crosses the market on a flyover.

By train: Shatabdi, Vande Bharat and others

The train is the calmest way up, and Dehradun station is in the middle of the city. These are the daytime trains people use most. We haven’t listed times, because they change; check each one on NTES and book on IRCTC.

Trains on this line go via Saharanpur, Roorkee and Haridwar. In winter, plan for fog. IMD’s report on Dehradun’s climate notes that dense, prolonged fog in this season disrupts road, rail and air traffic, so check your train’s running status on NTES on the morning you travel.

By bus: UTC from Kashmere Gate and Anand Vihar

Uttarakhand Transport Corporation (UTC), the state roadways, runs buses from both of Delhi’s big interstate terminals to Dehradun ISBT. You can see routes and book seats on UTC Online.

• From ISBT Kashmere Gate. UTC’s route list has several Kashmere Gate–Dehradun ISBT routes, including one marked as running via the expressway (“Saharanpur Tapri EXW”), and others via Roorkee, Haridwar and Meerut.
• From Anand Vihar ISBT. UTC lists a Dehradun ISBT–Noida route via Anand Vihar, which suits east Delhi, Noida and Ghaziabad.

Check the route on UTC’s route page when you book, since the “via” decides how long the ride takes.

By air: Delhi to Jolly Grant

Dehradun’s airport is Jolly Grant (code DED). The Airports Authority of India puts it about 25 km south-east of the city. The flight itself is short, but add getting to Delhi’s airport, check-in and the road in from Jolly Grant before you compare it with the train. Flying makes most sense if you’re connecting through Delhi from somewhere else. Look up current flights on the airlines’ own sites.

Starting from Noida, Ghaziabad or Gurugram

From Noida

By car, most people head for the expressway’s Delhi end near Akshardham, which is close to the Noida border. By bus, UTC’s list includes a Dehradun ISBT–Delhi Kashmere Gate route via Noida Sector 62, and the Anand Vihar route that goes on to Noida. By train, Anand Vihar Terminal, where the Vande Bharat starts, is usually quicker to reach than New Delhi.

From Ghaziabad

The expressway passes through Ghaziabad district, and it meets the Eastern Peripheral Expressway near Khekra, so you can avoid the city entirely. UTC also lists a Dehradun ISBT–Noida route via Mohan Nagar. Anand Vihar is the nearest big station and bus terminal.

From Gurugram

Gurugram is the longest start. Rather than crossing Delhi, one option is to take the peripheral expressways (KMP and then the Eastern Peripheral) round to the Khekra junction and join there. Check your map app that morning, as the better way changes with traffic. UTC lists Dehradun ISBT–Gurgaon routes too, via Noida Sector 62 and via Roorkee.

Our advice for the drive

• Start early, but not in fog. On a clear day, an early start gets you out of Delhi before the city traffic builds. From mid-November to January, wait for the fog to lift instead of setting off in the dark. Check-in is from 2 pm, so there is nothing to gain from racing the fog.
• Think about Friday evening. That is when weekend traffic leaves Delhi, so travelling on another day or earlier in the day usually means a calmer drive.
• Message us when you set off from Delhi, with a rough arrival time. We live ten minutes away and meet you at the gate, and there’s parking in the courtyard.
• Bringing your dog? Dogs are welcome; just tell us beforehand.
• Plan the hills for another day. After the drive, an evening in is better than heading straight up to Mussoorie. Leave that for the next morning.

If you’re still choosing where to stay, see the house and check your dates. It’s two bedrooms, sleeps 4 adults, and has a full kitchen for the first evening after a long drive.

Sources: PIB (14 April 2026): PM inaugurates Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor; PIB (13 April 2026): PM to visit Uttarakhand and UP; PIB (2 July 2026): NHAI clarification on cave-in at Km 55+480; PIB (22 July 2026): FASTag Annual Pass; IHMCL: National Highway Helpline 1033; NHAI Rajmargyatra: plaza-wise toll rates; NDTV (21 April 2026): wayside amenities at launch; DD India (29 October 2026): Operation Safe Speed; India Today (18 October 2026): crashes on the Asharodi stretch; Times of India (11 October 2026): Biharigarh and the old highway; Delhi–Dehradun Expressway, Wikipedia (route and junctions); Dehradun Shatabdi Express, Wikipedia (train numbers); NTES: train running status; UTC Online: routes; Airports Authority of India eAIP: VIDN Dehradun; IMD climatological table, New Delhi Safdarjung (1991–2020); IMD: Climate of Dehra Dun.