How to Reach Gaya

Gaya is one of the most renowned spiritual destinations for both Hindu as well as Buddhist population and is home to many renowned temples and stupas of great religious import. Also, Gaya is one of the most-visited cultural destinations of the country. The city of Gaya falls within the state of Bihar and is easily accessible via road, air and rail transport. The city of Gaya is well connected with the rest of India through these major transportation modes. Bodhgaya airport and Bodhgaya railway station are the major airport and railhead in the city respectively. If you are journeying to Gaya from adjacent towns or cities of Bihar, you board public or private buses to make you reach Gaya in a hassle-free way. Read on to learn in details about how to reach Gaya:

By Air

If you wish to travel to Gaya by air, you have to take a flight to Bodhgaya airport from the airport in your home city or state. The airport is located at a distance of 10kms from Bodhgaya city centre and is well linked through flights from all major cities of the country as well as some destinations of the world. Flights service is offered by top Airlines operators such as Air India, Myanmar Airways, Golden Myanmar Airlines, Druk Air. These airlines connect the city of Gaya to cities like Delhi, Yangon, Paro and Kathmandu. After you have reached the Bodhgaya aerodrome by flight, proceed to Gaya city centre by means of taxi or cab.

By Rail

Gaya Railway Station connects Gaya to all major railway stations across India. An extensive and robust railway network links Gaya to all major cities like Patna, Ranchi, Delhi etc. via the rail transport. A special express train known by the name of Mahabodhi Express runs between Gaya and New Delhi conveying tourists to Gaya through a 16hrs train journey. Once, you have reached Gaya railway station, you need to avail an auto rickshaw or taxi to reach Gaya city center. If you are planning to hire auto rickshaw, make sure to bargain as prices charged from tourists often tend to be inflated price.

By Road

Gaya has a network of well-maintained roads and both private and state buses run under the jurisdiction of Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation, ply on these roads regularly. Road transportation is the most affordable mode of transportation to reach Gaya. G.T Road links Gaya to all other major cities of North India. Buses to Gaya are available each day at regular time gaps from all major cities such as Patna, Hazaribagh, Ranchi, Raurkela, Jamshedpur, Kolkata, Nalanda, Rajgir, Varanasi, Kathmandu. From Patna you can reach Gaya by availing the SH 69 or NH 83 route and it takes about 3-4hrs approximately to reach Gaya across a distance of nearly 145kms. Even taxis and cabs ply on these roads but the journey may prove to be time consuming.