Now, take a bus from New Delhi to Leh, world’s highest motorable road

For travellers who are fond of long bus journeys, the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) has resumed the bus service on the world’s highest motorable route between Leh and Delhi from its Keylong depot on June 8. The bus service was suspended in September 2022 due to onset of winter.

The bus was flagged off from Keylong at 5.30 am with 30 passengers onboard. The bus plies on the Delhi-Manali-Sarchu-Leh road and takes 33 hours to complete the 1,026-km journey with an overnight halt at Keylong. The one-way fare for Leh to Delhi travel is Rs 1,740. An online booking facility is also available on the HRTC website.

Also read: Srinagar-Leh highway reopened in record time for traffic

“As Manali-Leh highway has been restored for heavy vehicles, we have resumed the Leh-Delhi bus services till the highway closes again when winter sets in,” said Anchit Sharma, Regional Manager of the HRTC Keylong depot. “Three drivers and two conductors are on duty during the 30-hour Leh-Delhi journey. On departure from Leh, the first driver takes the bus to Keylong. The second one drives it from Keylong to Sundernagar while the third driver takes it from Sundernagar to Delhi,” he added.

A map tracing the route of Delhi-Leh bus service.

The route, which is the longest of HRTC, covering a distance of about 1,026 km, is also the most treacherous as it winds through five high mountain passes — Rohtang La (3,978 mts), Baralacha La (4,850 mts), Nakee La (4,739 mts), Lachulung La (5,065 mts) and Tanglang La (5,328 mts).

Last year, the bus service resumed on June 15. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) had restored the Manali-Leh highway to traffic last month. However, two-way traffic resumed on it from June 1 only. Started in 2016 by the then transport minister GS Bali, the bus route is quite popular among the backpackers and solo travellers for it enables them to cover a journey at very low cost.