How To Reach Imphal

Imphal, one of the famous tourist destinations in India, boasts of strong culture and rich tradition. Lush greenery, pleasant climate and tourism attractions like Govindajee Temple, Women's market or Ima Keithel, Manipur Zoological Gardens, War Cemeteries, etc. lures the visitors time and again to visit this place. The tall jackfruit and pine tree surrounding this small city adds further charm to this city. Adding to its attractions is the endangered Brow-antlered Deer (sangai), which is one of the biggest USP's of this place. The colorful bazaars boast of some valuable products that are worth buying like the traditional Manipuri attires, hand-woven shawls, handicrafts and many other souvenirs. What is equally interesting is the mouth-watering Imphal cuisine that uses generous doses of aromatic spices and herbs. Tourists don't need to worry about accommodation since this place is lined with numerous budget-friendly as well as deluxe hotels. To know about the ways of getting to Imphal, read the article further.

Traveling To Imphal

By Air
Imphal Tulihal airport, located 8 km south from the city center, is connected directly to the key cities of Kolkata, Delhi and Guwahati. There are also daily direct flights from Guwahati, Agartala, Dimapur, Aizawl, Silchar and Kolkata. This airport offers regional commercial airline service as well as charter service and general aviation. Some of the major airlines operating from Imphal on a daily/weekly basis are Air India, Air India-IC, Go Air, Go Business, IndiGo, Jet Airways Konnect, Jet Airways, JetLite, Kingfisher Red, Kingfisher and SpiceJet. On your arrival at the Tulihal airport, you can hire taxis or cabs that will take you in and around the city.

By Rail
There is no direct rail service to Imphal. Instead, tourists can rely on Dimapur railway station, which is the nearest railhead to Imphal. Located at a distance of 215 km, one can easily reach Imphal from Dimapur railway station by a taxi or a bus that will take you to the city in approximately 8 hours time. Apart from this, there is also an additional railhead in Jiribam. This small Manipur town is situated 225 kms away from Imphal and is well connected to the city by road transportation.

By Road
Imphal has an excellent network of roads and thus travelling to the city by bus is never a problem. If you are in Imphal airport, then catch a tourist or local bus, taxi or a cab that will take you to Imphal. To reach the city from surrounding areas like Manipur, Dimapur, Nagaland, Itanagar, Agartala, Aizwal, Shillong or Kohima, board the Nagaland and Manipuri state buses that ply regularly. These comfortable buses are very frequent and the cost of per seat ranges anywhere between Rs 75 to Rs 250. It takes exactly eight hours to reach Imphal from Dimapur.

Local Transportation
You can hire jeeps, cycle rickshaws and auto rickshaws or travel by city buses to go around sightseeing in Imphal. Most of the people here opt for auto rickshaws that do not run on meter. Unlike in metro cities where you need to shell out heavy bucks to travel in autos, in Imphal an auto rickshaw travel ride is cheap and the fare can be negotiated beforehand. Enthusiastic nomads can explore the streets of Imphal by foot.