Katra is the base for the yatra and where you arrive. The Indian Railways extended the line here in 2014, and there are now direct express trains from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and several other cities — the Vande Bharat Express from Delhi to Katra is the fastest at about 8 hours. The station is a short auto-rickshaw ride from the yatra start point.
By road, Jammu is the nearest major city, about 50 kilometres south. Frequent share-jeeps and buses make the run; the highway is well maintained but slow at weekends. Jammu Airport is the closest airport, with daily flights from Delhi, Mumbai, and Srinagar — from there, a taxi takes 2 to 3 hours.
Once in Katra, the only way up the mountain is on foot, by pony, by helicopter from Sanjichhat helipad, by battery-operated shuttle on parts of the trail, or by the cable car opened in 2024 between the main shrine and Bhairav Nath.