Rishikesh sits 25 km north of Haridwar and 42 km northeast of Dehradun, both of which are better connected by rail and air. The nearest large airport is Jolly Grant Airport at Dehradun (DED), 35 km away, with connections to Delhi, Mumbai, and several other Indian cities. Haridwar has the best rail connections — numerous trains from Delhi (the Jan Shatabdi Express is fast and comfortable), and onward buses or taxis to Rishikesh.
From Haridwar, buses and shared autos to Rishikesh run frequently throughout the day (30–45 minutes). From Delhi, direct buses to Rishikesh run from Kashmere Gate ISBT (around 5–6 hours). Many visitors arrive by overnight sleeper bus from Delhi or by a combination of train to Haridwar and onward connection.