How to Reach Nainital
By Rail:
Nainital is connected by a broad gauge railway line of North East Railways that terminates at Kathgodam, which is 35 km away. Other railway stations in the vicinity include Haldwani (40 km) and Lalkuwan (56 km).
The Ranikhet Express departs from Old Delhi railway station at 10:30 PM every day and arrives at Kathgodam at 5:05 AM. This train has extra coaches for Ramnagar and arrives there at 4:50 AM.
The Uttaranchal Sampark Kranti Express also runs between Kathgodam and Delhi. It departs from Kathgodam at 8:50 AM and arrives at Delhi at 3:20 PM. On the same day, it departs from Delhi at 4:00 PM and arrives at Kathgodam at 10:45 PM.
The Kathgodam New Delhi Shatabdi Express runs between Kathgodam and New Delhi Railway station every day except Thursday. It departs from New Delhi at 6:00 AM and arrives at Kathgodam at 11:10 AM. On the same day, it departs from Kathgodam at 3:15 PM and arrives at New Delhi at 9:05 PM.
The Bagh Express connects Kathgodam directly to Howrah via Lucknow.
The Kathgodam Dehradun Express runs daily between Kathgodam and Dehradun via Moradabad.
A weekly train called Garib Rath runs between Jammu Tawi, Kathgodam, and Kanpur. It departs from Jammu Tawi on Sunday, arrives at Kathgodam on Monday, travels to Kanpur and returns to Kathgodam on Tuesday, and finally departs from Kathgodam to Jammu Tawi in the evening.
Tourists arriving by rail can take taxis or buses from Kathgodam or Haldwani. Shared taxis are available at the Haldwani taxi stand, as well as at Kathgodam and Lalkuwan railway stations. Most of the buses start from the Haldwani roadways bus stand.
There is a computerized railway reservation counter located near the bus stand in Nainital, and similar facilities are available at Kathgodam, Haldwani, and Lalkuwan railway stations. For more information, please visit http://www.indianrail.gov.in.
By Road:
Nainital is easily accessible through National Highway No. 87, with regular bus services from Delhi, Agra, Dehradun, Haridwar, Lucknow, Kanpur, and Bareilly on a daily basis. In addition, luxury coaches are also available from Delhi to Nainital.
Here are the distances of some nearby cities from Nainital:
| City Name | Distance in KM |
|---|---|
| Almora | 64 |
| Pithoragarh | 186 |
| Ranikhet | 62 |
| Champawat | 160 |
| Kausani | 117 |
| Kathgodam | 34 |
| Haldwani | 40 |
| Lalkua | 60 |
| Ramnagar | 65 |
| Bareilly | 140 |
| Lucknow | 400 |
| Agra | 403 |
| Delhi | 310 |
| Dehradun | 300 |
| Haridwar | 245 |
| Badrinath | 334 |
Traffic rules on Mall Road:
The traffic rules on Mall Road restrict heavy traffic entry from 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM and 2:30 PM to 10:30 PM during May, June, and October. Light vehicles are prohibited from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM, while cycle rickshaws are not allowed from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
By Air
The nearest airport to Nainital is Pantnagar, which is located at a distance of 70 KM. Regular flights are available from Pantnagar to Delhi.