At 115 km and roughly 3.5 hours by road, Chandigarh to Shimla is one of North India's most rewarding weekend escapes. The drive itself is an experience — climbing steadily through the foothills on NH5, the temperature dropping a degree with every hundred metres of altitude gained, the plains dissolving into forested ridges.
Do this trip right and you return on Sunday evening genuinely refreshed — which is rarer and harder than it sounds.
Day 1: Drive & Arrive
Leave Chandigarh by 7 am to avoid city traffic and arrive in Kalka by 8 am. From here you have two choices: continue driving to Shimla (another 80 km on the winding NH22) or board the UNESCO-listed toy train for one of the most spectacular rail journeys in India.
The Toy Train Option
The Kalka-Shimla narrow-gauge railway, completed in 1903, climbs from 656 metres to 2,076 metres over 96 km through 102 tunnels, 18 stations, and 864 bridges. The rail journey takes 5–6 hours but is worth every minute. Book the Shivalik Deluxe Express or the Himalayan Queen for reserved seating.
If time is tight, drive to Solan or Kandaghat and board the train there — still a spectacular 2-hour stretch.
Afternoon in Shimla
Check in and eat lunch at a classic Shimla restaurant. Wake Up Café near the ISBT or Himani's on Mall Road are perennial favourites. After lunch, walk the Mall Road and the Ridge — window shop, people-watch, try roasted corn from a roadside vendor, and watch the colonial buildings do nothing in particular very beautifully.
For sunset, take the rope-and-wooden-plank Chair Car to Jakhu and watch the light leave the mountains.
Evening & Dinner
Shimla's evenings are best spent with a bowl of steaming momos or thukpa at one of the small Tibetan restaurants near the Scandal Point end of Mall Road. Alternatively, Fascination Restaurant on Mall Road does a reliable Punjabi menu with solid dal makhani and buttery naan.
Day 2: Kufri & Drive Back
Start early and drive to Kufri (16 km, 35 minutes from Shimla) for the views and, in winter, the snow activities. The Himalayan Nature Park here is a lovely addition — snow leopards, Himalayan bears, and musk deer can all be spotted on a quiet morning.
Head back to Shimla for a final lunch at a Mall Road dhaba, pick up some Himachali woollens or Himachal Tourism honey from the local cooperative shops, then begin the return journey to Chandigarh. Be off the hill roads by 3 pm to avoid evening traffic.
Packing List & Tips
- Carry layers — mornings and evenings are cold even in May and September
- Book Shimla hotels at least 2 weeks in advance; the good ones fill fast on weekends
- The toy train sells out quickly; book on the IRCTC website as soon as dates are fixed
- Carry cash — many Shimla shops and small restaurants are cash-only
- Check road conditions on the HRTC website before leaving if winter travel is planned
- Chandigarh to Shimla petrol costs: approximately 10 litres one way for a mid-sized car