Quick answer: From Chennai, most families fly to Delhi (about 2 hours 45 minutes) and start a 12-day road yatra from there, or connect onward to Dehradun and begin at Haridwar. By train, the daily Tamil Nadu Express takes about 32 hours to New Delhi. Plan about 14 days door to door by air or 17 by train. Many Tamil families time Badrinath darshan for Purattasi, in late September to mid-October.
Updated for the 2027 yatra season (facts checked October 2026)
Chennai is about 2,200 km from Delhi, and the Garhwal dhams are a full day’s drive beyond that. For Tamil families, the yatra also has a special Sri Vaishnava meaning: three of the 108 Divya Desams lie on the Badrinath road. This page explains how to travel from Chennai, how many days to keep, the best timing (including Purattasi), and how to manage food, language and the cold.
Chennai to the Char Dham: travel options
| Route | Journey | Yatra starts at | Total days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fly Chennai to Delhi | About 2 hours 45 minutes | Delhi (12 days) | About 14 |
| Fly to Dehradun with a connection | About 5 to 7 hours including the change | Haridwar (11 days) | About 13 to 14 |
| 12621 Tamil Nadu Express (daily) | About 32 hours to New Delhi | Delhi (12 days) | About 17 |
| 12433 Chennai Rajdhani (twice a week) | About 28 hours to Hazrat Nizamuddin | Delhi (12 days) | About 16 to 17 |
Flight times are approximate. Chennai does not appear among Dehradun airport’s current direct routes, so flying to Dehradun means a change, usually in Delhi. Check the latest schedules and train running days before booking.
Why Delhi is the usual gateway from Chennai
With no direct Chennai–Dehradun flight, the simplest plan is a morning flight to Delhi and our Char Dham Yatra from Delhi, which begins with a pickup in Delhi on Day 1 (ask us whether an airport pickup can be timed to your flight) and drives to Haridwar, about 220 km. This avoids a second flight and a late arrival. If you would rather fly the extra leg, take a connecting flight to Dehradun and join our Haridwar departure; just leave at least two to three hours between flights in Delhi.
Fly home to Chennai the morning after the yatra ends, not the same night. Day 12 is a long drive down to Delhi, and any landslide on Day 11 has a way of pushing it into the late evening.
Travelling by train
The daily Tamil Nadu Express from Chennai Central to New Delhi takes about 32 hours and remains the most dependable choice. The Chennai Rajdhani is a little faster, about 28 hours to Hazrat Nizamuddin, but runs only twice a week. A few trains a week from the Chennai side also run north via Saharanpur, about 59 km from Haridwar, but they take around 40 hours, run only on certain days and are less convenient for families.
Reservations open 60 days ahead. Seniors should ask for lower berths, and everyone should carry food for at least two meals. After a day and a half on the train, take a night’s rest in Delhi before Day 1 of the yatra.
Badrinath, Purattasi and the Divya Desams
For Sri Vaishnava families, the Badrinath road is special. Badrinath is counted among the 108 Divya Desams, and so is the Raghunath temple at Devprayag, known in Tamil tradition as Thirukandam (Kadinagar) and praised by the Alvars. Jyotirmath (Joshimath), Badrinath’s winter seat, is traditionally identified with the Divya Desam of Thiruppiruthi. All three are on the route of every road Char Dham yatra, so you can take darshan at each with a little planning.
Many Tamil families like to have Perumal darshan in Purattasi, the Tamil month that runs from about mid-September to mid-October. This is also one of the best times for the yatra itself: the monsoon has usually ended, roads are being repaired, and the views are clear. Tell us if you would like a Saturday in Purattasi at Badrinath, and we will try to arrange the itinerary around it. Our Divya Desham yatras cover the southern temples too.
When should Chennai families go?
- May and early June: Tamil Nadu’s summer vacation coincides with the opening weeks, so queues are long and rooms scarce. Book early.
- July and August: monsoon landslides in Uttarakhand. Avoid with elders.
- Mid-September to mid-October (Purattasi): clear, calm and ideal for Badrinath darshan. Nights are very cold at the dhams.
- Late October: Deepavali falls at the end of October 2027 (28–29 October by most calendars), and the dhams close around Bhai Dooj, so finish your darshan before then.
Badrinath’s 2027 opening day will be fixed on Basant Panchami, 11 February 2027, and Kedarnath’s follows on Mahashivratri, 6 March. For a Purattasi yatra the closing date matters too; it is traditionally announced on Vijayadashami, so leave some margin at the end of the season. See our best time for Char Dham guide.
Food, language and cold: tips for Tamil families
Food. Meals in the hills are north Indian vegetarian. Rice and curd are usually available, so curd rice is never far away, but sambar and rasam are not. Families commonly carry sambar and rasam powder, pickles, ready-to-eat pongal or upma, and instant coffee or a small filter. Ask the hotel for plain rice and dal and add your own podi.
Language. Hindi and Garhwali are spoken on the route. Tamil is rarely understood, and English only in hotels and among drivers to some extent. Our team briefs in English and Hindi. Keep an English-speaking family member with elders at all times, and give each senior a card listing their medicines and conditions in English.
Cold. Chennai is warm all year, so the cold is the biggest shock for Chennai yatris. In Purattasi, nights at Kedarnath and Badrinath drop below freezing. Carry thermal inners, a padded jacket, woollen cap, gloves, socks and a shawl for the temple. Buy them in Chennai or Delhi before the hills. See our packing list.
Altitude. From sea level to about 3,583 metres at Kedarnath is a big change. Get a medical check-up, walk daily for a month before leaving, and book a pony, palki or helicopter at Kedarnath for anyone who cannot climb. Our senior citizen guide explains warning signs.
What it costs
Because most Chennai families start in Delhi, the relevant price is our Delhi package: from ₹50,000 per person for 12 days, including the Delhi pickup, rooms, vegetarian breakfast and dinner, the vehicle for the whole route, permits and registration help. Air or rail fare from Chennai is not included, and neither are lunches, pony or palki, the shuttle jeep at Sonprayag, helicopter tickets, puja, insurance or GST. Registration itself is free; see our registration guide.
How we can help
For Chennai families we usually suggest starting in Delhi and plan the route so that Devprayag, Jyotirmath and Badrinath each get unhurried darshan, with Purattasi Saturdays where possible. Take the 12-day Char Dham Yatra from Delhi, or connect to Dehradun and begin with the 11-day yatra from Haridwar. If Badrinath alone is the wish and leave is short, our Badrinath Dham Yatra takes 4 days. See all Char Dham yatras. To plan your dates, use the enquiry form on this page or call/WhatsApp us (numbers on our Contact page).
Frequently asked questions
Is there a direct flight from Chennai to Dehradun?
Chennai is not among Dehradun airport’s current direct routes, so you would change planes, usually in Delhi. Most Chennai families find it simpler to fly to Delhi, about 2 hours 45 minutes, and start our 12-day yatra from Delhi; ask us whether the Day 1 pickup can be at the airport. Check current airline schedules, as routes change from season to season.
Which train is best from Chennai for the Char Dham Yatra?
The daily 12621 Tamil Nadu Express from Chennai Central to New Delhi, about 32 hours, is the most dependable. The 12433 Chennai Rajdhani is faster, about 28 hours to Hazrat Nizamuddin, but runs only twice a week. From Delhi, join a road yatra, or take the Shatabdi or Vande Bharat to Haridwar.
How many days do we need from Chennai?
Fourteen days is typical: a morning flight to Delhi on Day 1, our 12-day yatra from Delhi, and the flight home the next day. Going both ways by train pushes it to about 17. A mix, train one way and flight the other, lands at about 15 or 16. Since hill roads can be delayed, avoid a non-changeable ticket on the last day.
Can we have Badrinath darshan in Purattasi?
Yes. Purattasi runs from about mid-September to mid-October, when the Badrinath temple is open and the weather is usually clear after the monsoon. Tell us when you enquire if you would like to be at Badrinath on a particular Saturday, and we will plan the itinerary around it as far as roads and weather allow.
Which Divya Desams are on the Char Dham route?
Three Divya Desams lie on the Badrinath road: Badrinath itself, the Raghunath temple at Devprayag (Thirukandam), and Jyotirmath (Joshimath), traditionally identified with Thiruppiruthi. Every road Char Dham yatra passes through all three, so with a little planning you can take darshan at each on the way to or from Badrinath.
Will we get South Indian food on the yatra?
Very little beyond Rishikesh. Hill food is north Indian vegetarian, but plain rice and curd are usually available. Families carry sambar and rasam powder, pickles, ready-to-eat pongal or upma and coffee. A few restaurants in Haridwar and Rishikesh serve idli and dosa, which is a welcome treat on the first and last days.
How cold will it be for Chennai yatris?
Much colder than anything in Chennai. Even in May, nights at Kedarnath are near freezing, and in Purattasi they drop below zero at Kedarnath and Badrinath. Carry thermals, a padded jacket, woollen cap, gloves, warm socks and a shawl. Buy them before leaving Chennai or in Delhi, as choices in the hill towns are limited.