In short, the best way to go to Itanagar from Guwahati is by train at Rs. 225 – 1330 and bus at Rs. 620-660. You can also go from Guwahati to Itanagar by helicopter service and by hiring private taxis. In this article, we will provide you a very detailed way to travel to Itanagar from Guwahati in every possible ways, which one is the best to go to Itanagar from Guwahati and why is it the best? Which one is the worst and why it is the worst? Read full to know more in detail.
What is the distance from Guwahati to Itanagar?
According to Google, distance between Guwahati to Itanagar is 327km. This number can be different based on different roads you take as well as the mode of transportation you opt. For example, if you choose to enter Arunachal Pradesh via Banderdawa, you can add some extra 60-80km.
Guwahati to Itanagar bus fare
The bus fare for Guwahati to Itanagar depends on which type of bus you are choosing. Non AC bus price is Rs.620 and Rs. 650 for AC buses offered by network travels and many other providers. The seating on the non AC buses is 2-1 while the ac is 2-2. It will take about 8-12 hrs. You can book your ticket from redbus and goibibo. You can book ticket offline from ISBT or Guwahati Paltan Bazar. There are buses from early morning to around 9-10 am from Guwahati to Itanagar offered by the Assam state transport corporation (ASTC). The prices are little cheaper (max Rs.10-20). If you are planning for a return journey, the process is same. You can easily book your tickets in online by following the link above. If you are confused about pickup points, remember ISBT and for 100% your bus will be there.
The road conditions are pretty good in most part of the journey. But, you may experience some bumps where there are construction works going on. You can expect some landslides and broken roads once you entered the hilly road of Arunachal Pradesh specially in the monsoon season. I used to see the roads as like rivers when there is heavy raining. But there is no high danger and it is safe to travel there in bus. In fact, it is at only 2015 the Naharlagun railway station started functioning. Before that all the travels are by bus only.
Since we are talking about traveling from Guwahati, you might want to know what is Northeast India famous for? Even if you think you know some famous things, you may want to check my list where I have posted in detail about this. Click the link below to check it now.
What is North East India Famous For? 20 Things You Must Know
Why is railway the best option to travel Itanagar from Guwahati?
Well based on my experience, the train fare is the cheapest option out of all the other options (unless you are traveling in 2nd tier ac or upper classes). The travel time is less than other options. The detail train fare for Guwahati to Itanagar are listed below (as of Feb, 2020):
- Donyi Polo Express Sleeper Class: Rs. 225
- Donyi Polo Express 3rd AC Class: Rs. 600
- Donyi Polo Express 2nd AC Class: Rs. 820
- Donyi Polo Express 1st AC Class: Rs. 1330
- Shatabdi Express: Rs. 880
The ticket demand is generally high but not super high. If you are travelling in festive season then you might want to book the tickets a little earlier. The prices above don’t include card fees and extra charges. The train is more neat and clean generally as compared to other Indian trains and there will be less disturbance and less chance of baggage lost.
The Donyi Polo Express departs from Guwahati Railway station at 09:20pm and will reach at around 04:55am in the early morning at Naharlagun railway station. The Shatabdi Express departs at 03:20pm and will reach at 09:20pm. Remember the Naharlagun railway station is not the main Itanagar even though it is a part of the capital complex. You will need to go to the Itangar city via city bus or using private taxis.
How to reach Itanagar from Naharlagun Railway station?
This paragraph is very important for those traveling first time. READ carefully. The local transport from the Naharlagun railway station is not good and there are only two buses available for the whole train :(. So, as soon as you reach the Naharlagun railway station you have to run and get checked for ILP and run towards bus. Once you reach the bus, ask which one is the bus to Itanagar or you can travel towards Naharlagun main town or up to Banderdawa which is the border area with Assam. You may find the busy bus a little bit intimidating and overwhelming. So, if you are in a group, it will be better if you take a private taxi.
You can always travel with the private taxis and the price is very very high. The average fare for private taxi from Naharlagun railway station to Itanagar is Rs. 500-750. The railway station is in isolated place from the main roads and there is low public transport. In case you missed all the private taxis and buses, your only option remains – waving your hands for a lift from the locals. Locals understand it and they will give you a lift and it is quite common there.
If you are taking the share taxis from the Naharlagun town, then you might want to sit in the front seat. The road to Itanagar from Naharlagun is all hilly and there are lots of curves. The exhaust from the taxi is curled back to the back seats so, you will fee uncomfortable while on the road. Sitting on the front seat will prevent all these troubles.
How to get ILP pass to enter Arunachal Pradesh Itanagar?
First of all, getting ILP is very easy and you can get it via online or you can apply in various applications centres located all over the country. I wouldn’t mention the offline application centers but they are usually the DC of the main region like Guwahati, Delhi, Kolkata, etc. But you can easily apply for Inner Line Permit for Arunachal Pradesh by following the link below:
The site is very simple, all you need to do is fill up the details and pay a fee of a minimum of Rs. 120 including the processing fee and you will get the ILP within 4 working days. You will need to upload an identification document like PAN card, Passport, Voter ID or any other valid ID.
Helicopter service for Guwahati to Itanagar
Helicopter service is available from Guwahati International Airport to Naharlagun Helipad. There is no online booking facility. You have to go the airport or helipad to book the tickets. The ticket price ranges from Rs. 3500 to Rs. 6000. There is no operational airport in Itanagar so there is commercial airline services available at this moment.
The helicopter service is highly dependent based on the VIP movement and weather conditions. So, suddenly your booking might get cancelled if some VIP is traveling for some reason. That is why it is not recommended to travel Guwahati to Itanagar via helicopeter.
What is the Guwahati – Itanagar taxi fare?
The reserved taxi fare for Guwahati to Itanagar is around Rs. This is preferable if you are traveling in a group and share the fares. If not then the train or the bus is best. To my best knowledge, there is no option to rent a car from Guwahati. If any of you have any ideas or offer such services then kindly contact me or comment down below. Beware of the high speed cars and big trucks since most of the transport trucks travels in night and accident in this road is common for small cars. If you feel the driver is having a nap while driving, do not hesitate to offer you as driver for some time and let him sleep.
Conclusion
Ok, we have extensively discussed on how to travel to Itanagar from Guwahati by various mode of transportation including bus, train, helicopter and reserved taxis. If you have any questions regarding this, do not hesitate to ping an email or comment down below.
