The main gateway into Jammu and Kashmir is Srinagar Airport, which has frequent domestic flights from Delhi, Mumbai, and other major Indian cities. IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet, and Go Air all operate services to Srinagar. Flying is by far the quickest option — road access into the Valley involves long mountain drives through military checkpoints.
Jammu city in the south serves as the second air gateway, connected to Delhi and several other cities. Jammu Tawi is the main railway station, connected to Delhi (around 10 hours), Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and other major cities — trains are a comfortable way to arrive. From Jammu, buses and shared taxis run the 290 km highway to Srinagar via the Jawahar Tunnel — allow 8 hours and expect delays at security checkpoints.
For Ladakh, Leh has its own airport with flights from Delhi (one hour, spectacular Himalayan views en route). The two overland routes into Leh are the Manali–Leh Highway (open roughly June to October, 490 km, two days) and the Srinagar–Kargil–Leh road (open similar months, 434 km). Both cross passes above 5,000 m and require acclimatisation precautions.
Foreign visitors should check current permit requirements for restricted zones near the Pakistan and China borders. Inner Line Permits for parts of Ladakh are obtained locally.