Best Places to Visit Near Rishikesh Railway Station

Rishikesh actually has two railway stations, and knowing which one your train uses matters more than any sightseeing tip. The old, small Rishikesh station (RKSH) sits close to town but has limited services. The newer Yog Nagari Rishikesh station (YNRK), built to take the load off it, has far more trains and is a few kilometres further out. Most travellers, though, still arrive via Haridwar (HW), the big junction 25 km away, and taxi the rest of the way.

Which station will your train use

Getting from the station to the ghats

From either Rishikesh station, Triveni Ghat, the town's main bathing ghat and the site of the evening Ganga aarti, is a short auto ride away, generally under fifteen minutes. Laxman Jhula and Ram Jhula, the two suspension bridges everyone photographs, sit further north along the river and take closer to 25-30 minutes from either station by road, since the direct riverside path isn't vehicle-accessible the whole way. Prepaid autos are available outside both stations, and it's worth agreeing the fare before getting in since meters aren't standard here.

A single day from the station

If you only have a day, this order avoids doubling back. Start at Triveni Ghat in the morning, when it's quieter and the light on the river is best for photos. Move north to Ram Jhula and the Parmarth Niketan ashram area, then continue to Laxman Jhula, the older of the two bridges, closed to crossing since 2019 on safety grounds, and cross instead on Bajrang Setu, the new glass-floored suspension bridge built beside it as its replacement, before exploring the lanes around it selling everything from prayer flags to Himalayan salt. If you have energy left, the Beatles Ashram, the overgrown former Chaurasi Kutia meditation centre where the Beatles famously stayed in 1968, is a short walk from the main road and now doubles as an open-air gallery of graffiti art.

Beyond a single day

Rishikesh is India's white-water rafting hub, and a half-day rafting trip on the Ganga, typically starting upstream near Shivpuri or Brahmpuri and ending around Rishikesh town, is the most popular add-on for a longer stay. The town is also a major centre for yoga and meditation retreats, with ashrams ranging from single-day drop-in classes to multi-week residential courses. If you have an extra day, Neelkanth Mahadev Temple, a steep but manageable climb or drive into the hills above town, is a good half-day out with views back down over the valley.

Best time of year

October to March is the most comfortable season, with cool mornings and clear skies for the walk between the two bridges. Rafting season runs roughly September to June, pausing during the monsoon months of July and August when the river runs high and fast. Summer, April through June, gets hot in the valley itself even though Rishikesh sits at the foothills of the Himalayas.

Trains that connect to Rishikesh

The SGNR RKSH Express (14815) and a handful of passenger services run directly into Rishikesh station, while Yog Nagari Rishikesh sees more traffic, including trains from further afield. Haridwar remains the best-connected option for long-distance travel, with direct services like the Dehradun Shatabdi passing through, followed by a short taxi or bus ride into Rishikesh. Check live running status before you leave, delays of thirty to sixty minutes aren't unusual on hill-approach routes, especially in winter fog.

Food to try

Rishikesh is strictly vegetarian and alcohol-free within the town limits, which shapes the food scene in a good way for anyone interested in North Indian and Himalayan vegetarian cooking. Look for thalis at the small cafes lining the lanes near Ram Jhula, fresh Himalayan apple and pear juice from roadside stalls in season, and the German bakery cafes that have become a Rishikesh institution, serving banana pancakes and cinnamon rolls to the yoga crowd since long before that was a common thing to find in small Indian towns.

Where to stay

Ashram accommodation near Ram Jhula suits anyone doing a yoga or meditation course and wants river-facing simplicity. For a more standard hotel stay, the Tapovan area across the river from Laxman Jhula has a wider range of guesthouses and mid-range hotels, most within easy walking distance of the bridge. If you're mainly there for rafting, several camps operate further upstream toward Shivpuri and Kaudiyala, useful if multi-day rafting and camping is the main point of the trip rather than the town itself.

Getting around once you're there

Rishikesh town itself is walkable once you're near the ghats, and the stretch between Ram Jhula and Laxman Jhula is best done on foot along the river where paths allow, both for the views and because road traffic on the narrow lanes gets congested. Autos and cycle-rickshaws cover the rest. If you're staying further out near an ashram or rafting camp, most offer their own pickup from the station or from Dehradun's Jolly Grant airport for a fee.