Introduction
Katra city is home to one of the most significant religious places for Hindus – Shri Mata Vaishno Devi. Because of this, lakhs of people visit this city each year.
If you are planning a trip to Katra, here are the most important things to take note of:
How do I travel to Katra?
Here are the three ways you can get to Katra:
By Train:
There was a time when trains from other parts of India would take pilgrims till Jammu town, which is located 15 km away from Katra.
Nowadays, Katra has a fully functioning railway station, and lots of trains from all major routes of India reach here.
You can book tickets on the IRCTC website, as well as other train booking platforms. Trains in India are a cheap and convenient travel option. However, the level of comfort and reliability are not always of similar quality.
Trains can sometimes be delayed. Also, if there is some kind of emergency it can be a bit inconvenient to stop the train and travel to a nearby hospital or clinic, especially if the train is passing through a rural area.
There is also the issue of flexibility. For example, you may have to book a ticket several days or weeks in advance which takes us to the second way to reach Katra, the road.
By road:
Buses are a very similar option to trains, providing some of the same benefits and drawbacks. Lots of buses from Delhi and other major cities, especially in North India, travel to Katra.
With buses, there is a lot of flexibility In terms of how much time you have for booking. However, you cannot stop a bus whenever you want to, which can sometimes be inconvenient.
That leaves cars as the most convenient option, letting you stop whenever you want and giving a more personal experience.
In case you are traveling from North India, you may be tempted to get the car serviced, and jet off on a weekend hill adventure to this holy City.
If you want to avoid the stress and have a relaxed journey, taxis take away all the hassle of travelling and give you more time to enjoy with family or friends.
At Singh cabs, We have taxis running everyday, from Jammu to Katra and back.
By air:
Katra does not have any airport, which means you will first have to fly to Jammu Airport. This is more convenient if you are located far away or are short on time.
Best thing is, travelling from Jammu Airport to Katra is very easy as there are cab companies like Singh Cabs (yours truly) who can take you from the airport to Katra.
What is the best month to visit Katra?
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine and Katra are open to pilgrims throughout the year as there is no snowfall, or risk of landslides. The road from Jammu to Katra is also very scenic.
However the best time to visit Katra is from spring To Autumn, i.e, from March to October. During these months the weather is pleasant. Hence you will not feel too much strain while going up to Vaishno Devi.
It is also much easier for big family groups especially if you have older people or children with you. If you prefer winters however or if you want to travel further to different parts of Jammu and Kashmir such as Srinagar, the winter months are also a fun time to enjoy this holy site.
Are mobiles allowed in Katra?
In the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir only postpaid connections from other states can work as per official government regulations.
This means that if you are travelling to Katra and you have a prepaid SIM, you will not be able to connect. If you have a postpaid SIM, there is no problem taking any calls or using the internet on your phone.
If you are going to be staying at a hotel in Katra, you probably will have Wi-Fi in the hotel where you can connect to the internet in case you need to talk to someone in the family or just surf the internet.
How many days are ideal for a Katra trip?
Ideally speaking you should have around 4 to 5 days for a trip to Katra. It means that you are taking 2 days to climb Vaishno Devi, do the Darshan and climb down. After that there are several beautiful places nearby where you can visit.
If you like the mountains you can go to Sanasar lake which has amazing scenes or you can also go to Jhajjar Kotli, which is an amazing family picnic spot.
You can go through our list of the best places to visit in Katra.
Where is the closest place to Katra where I can find snow?
The hill station of Patnitop, which gets full snowfall in the winter months is not only popular with people who visit Vaishno Devi.
Even the locals from Jammu and other nearby places also love going to Patnitop with friends or family to see the snow capped peaks of the Himalayas.
As it is only around 120 km away from Katra you can do it there easily within 3 hours by car or four hours by bus.
Patnitop apart from its amazing locations is great for taking pictures, having picnics or eating the famous kaladi kulcha of Jammu and Kashmir.
