To visit the Holy Shrine of Vaishno Devi, pilgrims have to travel to Katra town which is at a distance of 50 km from the city of Jammu. Katra is the base camp for the 13-km trek to the Holy Cave of Vaishno Devi. Katra is well connected to Jammu. Jammu state is well connected to major destinations of the country by air, rail, and road.
The nearest airport to Vaishno Devi is Jammu Airport. Jammu airport is well connected to major cities of India like Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad. It’s easy to get a cab from Jammu airport to Katra as regular taxi and cab services are available.
Numerous passenger trains ply from various parts of the country to Katra via Jammu. Indian Railways has also introduced special trains for the comfort of the Yatris during the peak season. Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Railway Station is the nearest railway station to Vaishno Devi.
Now journey to Jammu from Delhi has become easy as many superfast trains ply on this route. Pilgrims can reach Jammu/Katra from Delhi overnight. One can also deboard at Jammu and board a bus to Katra.
Regular bus services from all major North Indian cities are available for Jammu as well as Katra as NH 1A passes through Jammu towards Srinagar. If you are traveling by road, either through public or own transport, you can take the by-pass from Kunjwani, around 10 kms off Jammu. Further head straight to Katra (base camp for the trek to Vaishno Devi).
Many standard and deluxe buses of various State Road Transport Corporations along with private operators connect Jammu with important North Indian cities and towns.
The trek trail to Vaishno Devi is a smooth paved path with gentle ascent. On the way you will be blessed with mesmerizing vistas of nature. The duration of the yatra depends on your speed, the crowd and weather. On the route one can find different colorful shops selling religious souvenirs and spiritual music. Adhkuari is the mid point. Before Adhkuwari, inderprastha is located from where the routes get diverted into two routes:
Old route-It passes through Adhkuwari reaches Bhairav Ghatia and ascend down to Holy Bhawan.
Alternative Route or New Route-New route is 5.5km shorter then the old route. No palkies are allowed on this route only electric rickshaws run on this route.
At a short distance from Adhkuari is the Sajhi Chhat plateau which is the resting point. From here the holy shrine is located at a distance of two-and-a-half km.