- Distance from Katra
- 0 km
- Altitude
- 2,500 ft (about 762 m)
- Route
- Common to all routes
Distance and altitude as published by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.
Katra is where every Yatra begins. The Yatra Registration Counter near the main bus stand and YRC-II on Udhampur Road issue the free RFID Yatra Access Card, and Shrine Board guest houses, private hotels, banks and a hospital serve pilgrims.
From Katra the route leads to the Banganga check post, about 1.5 km from the main registration counter. The helipad for flights to Sanjichhat is also in Katra.
See the Katra town guide and Yatra registration.
Facilities
- Yatra registration
- Accommodation
- Cloak room
- Medical aid
- Bank / ATM
- Ponies / palkis / pithus
- Helipad
Getting here
By train to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra station, or by road from Jammu (about 50 km).
Tips
- Register only when you are ready to start — you must cross Banganga within six hours.
- Leave heavy luggage at a Shrine Board cloak room or your hotel.
- Hire ponies, palkis and pithus at the start of the journey; they are harder to find midway.
Timings, fares, rules and routes can change at short notice. Please confirm time-sensitive details with Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board or the relevant authority before you travel. Page last reviewed: 4 October 2026.