Getting to Manipur.
One airport, two highways, one railhead-in-progress. Durations below are honest estimates for hill roads, not brochure numbers.
By air — the sensible way
Bir Tikendrajit International Airport, Imphal (IMF)is Manipur's only airport, about 8 km southwest of the city centre. Direct flights have typically operated from Kolkata, Guwahati and Delhi, with one-stop connections from most Indian metros. Schedules change seasonally — check when booking.
Airport → city: taxis and autos at arrivals
Typical fares to be verified — ask the prepaid/enquiry counter
By rail — almost, not yet
Manipur's operating railhead is Jiribam, on the Assam border with limited services. The Jiribam–Imphal line — including some of the world's tallest railway bridge engineering at Noney — is under construction. Until it opens, most rail travellers arrive at Dimapur (Nagaland) on the Guwahati line and continue to Imphal by road, or at Silchar for the NH-37 route.
By road — two highways in
NH-2 · via Dimapur — Kohima — Mao
Dimapur → Imphal ≈ 215 km · realistically a full day on hill road
The main corridor from the rest of India. Buses and shared vehicles run from Dimapur and Kohima; the Mao gate is the state entry point (carry your ILP).
NH-37 · via Silchar — Jiribam
Silchar → Imphal ≈ 255 km · long hill day, monsoon-sensitive
The western approach through the Barak valley. Prone to monsoon closures — check road alerts before travelling June–September.
From Guwahati
Guwahati → Imphal ≈ 500+ km via NH-2 · overnight or two-day journey
Long-distance buses operate; flying Guwahati → Imphal is short and usually the better use of a travel day.
Distances and durations are approximate and depend on road conditions. Verified fare-by-fare transport data is coming in the transport section.
Before you book: get your ILP sorted · pick the right month