Manali to Leh bus service is offered by Himachal Roads Transport Corporation in summer and monsoon season. The bus starts from Delhi and reaches Leh in about 32 to 36 hours. The Delhi to Leh bus service is considered the longest bus route in the country at such an altitude.
Tourists can avail this bus service from Delhi, Chandigarh, Kullu, Manali or Keylong.
The HRTC bus to Leh (Ladakh) can be booked online or from any HRTC booking counter.
Manali-Leh bus service time: Generally from June to September. (The service started from 15th May in 2022)
Distance covered by Delhi-Leh bus: 1,026 KM (via Atal Tunnel)
Bus fare from Delhi to Leh: Rs 1,740/-
Time taken by bus: 32 to 36 hours
Bus time from Keylong: 5 AM
Bus time from Leh to Manali: 3 AM
Major stoppage: Chandigarh, Mandi, Kullu, Manali, Keylong
NOTE: Manali to Leh bus service has been suspended in September 2023. The service will resume in summer season in 2024.
Manali-Leh bus service restarts after nine months
Updated on June 09, 2023
Country’s longest and highest altitude bus service that connects Delhi with Leh via Himachal Pradesh’s tourist resort Manali and Keylong via Atal tunnel has restarted after remaining closed for nine months due to closure of the route with snowfall, officials told media on Friday.
One-way fare for the 1,026-km long route is Rs 1,736, which includes a night’s halt at Keylong, the headquarters of Lahaul-Spiti district. Three drivers will ply the bus with two conductors onboard at different timings of a 30-hour long journey.
The state-run Himachal Road Transport Corp (HRTC) bus leaves Delhi at 3.45 p.m. After stopping at Keylong the next day, it will leave for Leh. The HRTC is running this special bus to promote tourism.
“The response of tourists, especially the foreigners, is quite good on the Delhi-Leh route. A passenger can even get online booking between Keylong and Delhi routes. However, Keylong to Leh tickets are sold on the counter in Keylong,” media was quoted as saying.
The bus crosses four high mountain passes in the cold deserts of Himachal and Ladakh — Baralacha Pass (16,020 feet), akeela pass (15,540ft), Lachulung pass (16,616ft) and Taglangla pass (17,582ft).
As Atal tunnel has bypassed Rohtang pass, the distance between Delhi and Leh has reduced by 46km and travel time has been reduced by three hours.
Manali-Leh bus service starts after eight months
Updated on May 15, 2022
The bus service on the world’s highest, longest and one of the most dangerous routes from Delhi to Leh (Ladakh) resumed on Sunday with 17 passengers travelling in season’s first bus that left Keylong for Leh.
The Himachal Roads Transport Corporation (HRTC) Keylong depot runs the only bus service to connect national capital Delhi with the union territory of Ladakh via Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh and Himachal. The bus will cross over three major mountain passes above the altitude of over 16,000ft. While taxi fare from Delhi to Leh is over 35,000, the bus fare is fixed at just Rs 1,740 per seat.
The distance of 1,026km is covered in nearly 30 hours by Delhi-Manali-Leh bus. The bus will take small halts at Chandigarh, Kullu and Manali and a major halt at Keylong. The bus will start at 5am from Keylong and will reach Leh in the late evening after covering a distance of 365km. The bus generally remains fully occupied and people with limited budgets desperately wait for Manali Leh bus service to start every summer season. On Sunday, the bus had only 17 passengers who were given a warm welcome at Keylong bus stand by the officials from HRTC and administration.
The HRTC regional manager Mangal Chand Manepa told the discoverlehladakh.in the seasonal bus service to Leh was flagged off by Keylong SDM Priya Nagta on Sunday morning. “The bus had 17 passengers on the first day. Last year the bus service had started on July 1 but this time we are starting it one-and-half month in advance to provide better services to the public, especially tourists. Passengers will have to pay just Rs 1,740. Bus will leave Keylong for Leh at 5am and return from Leh to Manali at 3am,” he said.
The HRTC’s Delhi-Leh route being one of the longest routes achieving a maximum altitude of 17,582ft at Taglangla pass in Ladakh has been entered into the Limca Book of Records.
Starting its journey from Delhi at altitude of about 700ft, the bus will pass through Manali (6,800ft), Atal tunnel (10,000ft), Keylong (10,100ft), Baralacha pass (16,052ft), Sarchu (14,000ft), Nakeela pass (15,540ft), Lachulung pass (16,616ft) and Taglangla pass (17,582ft) and end its journey at 11,500ft in Leh.
The bus stops at some major places and attractions for meal breaks and to facilitate passengers to click photos. HRTC, especially Keylong depot drivers, are known for their amazing driving skills on the narrow and steep hill roads while taking care of the passengers’ safety. The bus will negotiate through hundreds of hairpin bends, high mountain passes, deep valleys and vast plateaus. The seasonal bus service stops in September after which the road closes due to winter snowfall. Last year the bus service was stopped on September 15.
Fearing snowfall, Delhi-Leh bus service shut
Updated on September 22, 2021
The Delhi-Keylong-Leh bus service, the longest and the highest bus route in the country, has been suspended permanently for this season as snowfall is posing threat to the passengers.
According to officials, they wanted to keep this service operational as late as possible but snowfall at Taglang-la, Baralacha-la and other high passes is making the adventurous journey full of risk. The service will now resume in May next year. Himachal Roads Transport Corporation (HRTC) being the only bus service provider on this route, the passengers will have to hire a taxi to travel on this route.
The bus service to Spiti via 15,000ft high Kunzum pass will continue even as the pass has received light snow two times in a month. The bus service keeps people of Spiti connected with Lahaul and Manali. Bus on this route will remain operational till mid October. HRTC will continue to offer services on many other high altitude routes including Sach pass till mid October.
HRTC regional manager at Keylong Mangal Chand Manepa said, “The bus service to Leh has been suspended keeping in view the safety of the passengers. The bus service passes through high mountain passes with average altitude of the road ranging from 14,000 ft to 17,000ft. The region is receiving fresh snow. We cannot take risk of bus filled with passengers getting stranded. Also, the temperature has dipped too low. The service will now resume next season.”
Manepa added that buses will continue to ply some of the high altitude routes including Keylong-Kunzum-Kaza at least till October 15. “The extended monsoon season this year has made weather conditions unpredictable. It can snow heavily anytime. We are keeping an eye on the situation. We plan to continue the bus service on other higher routes till mid-October or until road conditions remain safe for driving. The service will be discontinued after snowfall,” Manepa said.
The higher peaks of Himachal are receiving fresh snow as monsoon is active in the state. However, the Manali-Leh highway remained open for light vehicles. Police have advised travellers to remain vigilant and not to take risk of driving in case of snowfall or bad weather conditions.
Delhi-Leh bus service to resume after 21 months from July 1
Updated on June 29, 2021
After remaining suspended for more than 21 months due to Covid-19 pandemic and snowfall, the longest, highest, and most dangerous bus service in the country will resume from Thursday as Himachal government has resumed inter-state bus movement from July 1. While electric bus service between Manali and Keylong is successfully running, tourists can also enjoy luxury bus ride from Delhi to Keylong from Thursday.
The Himachal Roads Transport Corporation (HRTC) Keylong depot runs the only bus service connecting national capital Delhi with the union territory of Ladakh. The 1,026 km-long bus trip crossing three major mountain passes above 16,000 ft will take nearly 30-35 hours to complete the journey. Passengers will have to pay a fare of just Rs 1,548. As taxi fare on this route remains close to Rs 35,000, the bus will bring relief to budget passengers and tourists.
The bus will go through Manali, Atal tunnel, Keylong, Baralacha pass (16,052ft), Nakeela pass (15,540ft), Lachulung pass (16,616ft) and Taglangla pass (17,582ft) and end its journey at 11,500ft in Leh. The bus will be at a maximum altitude of 17,582ft at Tanglangla pass of Ladakh. On Thursday, the first bus will leave for Leh from Keylong, the direct bus from Delhi will start from Friday.
HRTC regional manager at Keylong Mangal Chand Manepa was quoted as saying that the bus will have small halts and meal breaks at some places including Mandi, Kullu, Manali, and Keylong. “The route is challenging but our drivers are the best in the country. People eagerly wait for us to announce this day as our service is reliable and cheaper. The bus will negotiate hundreds of hairpin bends, high mountains, and deep valleys. The seasonal bus service stops in September when snowfall blocks the highway,” media quotes him.
Meanwhile, HRTC is starting its Volvo bus service between Delhi and Keylong from July 1. Taking luxury buses to tribal Lahaul valley was not possible until Atal tunnel was built. Tourists and local residents can now directly board the Volvo bus from Delhi to Keylong along Manali-Leh highway.
The electric bus service is also running between Manali and Keylong in Lahaul for a few weeks now. The bus is plying the high altitude roads without a problem. The Famous Chandratal lake of the state, which is connected by a narrow dirt road, will also get bus service from Manali very soon as after conducting a successful trial run, the officials have requested PWD to maintain some dangerous and damaged spots. Once road conditions are improved, the bus service will start for the first time.
Tourists who wish to travel to Leh bus can now take a direct ordinary bus from Delhi or Manali or can take Volvo bus up to Keylong and then an ordinary bus from Keylong to Leh.
Delhi-Manali-Leh bus service to resume from April 15
Updated on April 5, 2021
The longest and highest bus route of the country connecting national capital with Leh in UT of Ladakh after traversing many high mountain passes will come alive after a gap of one-and-half year from April 15.
The Himachal Roads Transport Corporation (HRTC) will conduct trial run of a bus on daunting Manali-Leh highway on April 15. If trial goes successful, the regular bus service will be started immediately. This will be the first time that Ladakh will be reconnected by bus service in April. Not just it is one of the highest roads in the world but it is also one of the most dangerous roads of the world. Only Keylong depot of the HRTC, which runs its buses in difficult terrains of Lahaul and Spiti valleys, dares to give service on this road.
A bus will start from Delhi in the evening and will reach Kullu in the early morning. After a short break, the bus will leave for Keylong. From Keylong, after change of driver, the bus will go on an adventurous and thrilling journey through four high mountain passes, many deep valleys and over a hundred hairpin bends.
Earlier buses used to take nearly 36 hours of time to cover the distance of 1,072km. Now that Atal tunnel has bypassed Rohtang pass and reduced the distance from Manali to Leh by 46km, the total distance of 1,026km from Delhi to Leh will be covered in 30 to 33 hours. The bus fare of this journey will be little more than Rs 1,600 per passenger.
The bus will start its journey from Delhi of 709ft from Delhi, it will cross Baralacha pass (16,052ft), Nakeela pass (15,540ft), Lachulung pass (16,616ft) and Taglangla pass (17,582ft) and end its journey at 11,500ft in Leh. The bus will be at a maximum altitude of 17,582ft at Taglangla pass of Ladakh.
HRTC regional manager at Keylong Mangal Chand Manepa said a trial run of the bus is scheduled for April 15. “We are observing the movement of the vehicles on Manali-Leh road. Everything looks fine. We are still working on it. We have to work on the timing of the bus as well. The bus should leave Keylong early in morning so that it reaches Leh on time in the evening. Hopefully, everything will go right and as planned,” he said.
Generally, HRTC bus service on Delhi-Leh road starts in June, and service is stopped in September. Last year the service remained completely suspended due to Covid-19 pandemic. The service is sometimes suspended due to landslides, flash floods and snowfall. Besides bus, hiring an expensive taxi is the only mode of transport to Ladakh from Delhi or Manali.
According to sources, HRTC may run luxury Volvo bus service on Delhi-Keylong route via Atal tunnel this summer season. HRTC was also exploring the possibility of luxury bus service to Leh but a few stretches of the road, which are in poor condition, were the main hurdle at present which are not worth plying for low floor luxury buses.
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