How to Reach Nagaland from Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Guwahati (2026)

Short answer: For Hornbill Festival 2026 (1 to 10 December at the Naga Heritage Village, Kisama, near Kohima), most visitors fly or take a train to Dimapur, then continue by road to Kohima and on to Kisama. Guwahati is the main hub if you cannot get a seat into Dimapur. Apply for your ILP before you travel. Check current flight and train schedules with the airline or IRCTC; we do not list fares or timings here.

Key takeaways

• Festival: Hornbill Festival 2026 is listed by the Directorate of Tourism, Nagaland for 1 to 10 December 2026 at Kisama Heritage Village near Kohima.
• Main gateways: Dimapur Airport is Nagaland's only civil airport. Dimapur also has the state's main railway station on the North East Frontier Railway line.
• From Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Mumbai: fly to Dimapur where a connection exists, or fly or train to Guwahati and continue by road or a connecting flight or train into Dimapur. Confirm seats on the airline or IRCTC.
• From Guwahati: trains and night buses link Guwahati with Dimapur and Kohima; a road drive to Kohima is described as about 8 to 9 hours — start in daylight.
• Dimapur to Kohima / Kisama: taxis and Nagaland State Transport buses run Dimapur–Kohima; Kisama is a short hop beyond Kohima. See our How to reach Kisama guide.
• Permits: Indian visitors who are not indigenous inhabitants need an ILP. Foreign visitors need a PAP (via e-FRRO) and a foreign tourist ILP. Details: ILP and PAP explained.

Last checked: 14 October 2026. By Editor, Hornbill AI Studio.

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Why this guide

If you are planning Hornbill for the first time, the question is usually the same: how do I get from a big city to Kohima and Kisama without guessing? This page answers that with official sources only. We leave out fares, flight times and named trains that we could not confirm on an official page today. For the wider plan — stay, packing and festival basics — use our Hornbill Festival 2026 first-timer guide. For when to visit outside December, see Best time to visit Nagaland.

Hornbill Festival 2026: where you are going

Entry points into Nagaland

Dimapur Airport

The Airports Authority of India describes Dimapur Airport (IATA: DMU) as the gateway and the only civil airport in Nagaland. It sits at 3rd Mile on NH 29 (formerly NH 39). Nagaland Tourism says Dimapur has direct flights to Kolkata, with connections from other Indian airports including Delhi. The Kohima district site also lists Delhi and Kolkata among cities linked to Dimapur Airport.

Check current schedules and seats with the airline. We do not publish flight times or fares here.

Dimapur railway station

Nagaland Tourism states that Dimapur has a railway station on the main line of the North East Frontier Railway, and that it is well connected to Guwahati, which in turn has trains from most major Indian cities. The Kohima district website adds that Dimapur's railway links include Guwahati, Kolkata, New Delhi, Chennai, Jorhat and Dibrugarh.

Dimapur district notes that the main station (DMV) sits in the heart of town, next to the old NST bus stand, with a taxi stand on Railway Station Road for onward travel toward Kohima.

We do not name individual trains here. Search Dimapur on IRCTC or the railway app and confirm the running day before you book. There is no verified passenger rail service into Kohima itself on the official pages we checked for this article — treat Dimapur as the rail head.

Guwahati as a hub

If Dimapur flights are full or expensive in festival week, Guwahati is the usual fallback. From Guwahati you can:

• Take a train toward Dimapur (confirm on IRCTC).
• Take a night bus toward Dimapur or Kohima (Nagaland Tourism and Dimapur district both mention night buses linking Guwahati with Dimapur and Kohima).
• Drive or hire a car for the Guwahati–Kohima road journey, which Tourism Nagaland describes as about 8 to 9 hours. Start and finish in daylight where you can.

Road: NH 29 Dimapur–Kohima

The Dimapur–Kohima corridor is NH 29 (older references call it NH 39). NHIDCL lists ongoing and completed four-laning packages on this corridor. Expect road works and festival traffic; allow extra time in early December. Shared and full taxis leave from the Dimapur taxi stand beside the railway station. Kohima district lists Nagaland State Road Transport buses plus private buses and taxis on the same route.

Routes from each city (general)

Schedules change. Treat these as route patterns, not bookings.

From Delhi

• Air: look for a flight into Dimapur, or fly to Guwahati and connect by air, train or road. Tourism Nagaland notes connections from Delhi into Dimapur's network; Kohima district also lists Delhi among cities linked to Dimapur Airport.
• Rail: trains from the Delhi area toward the Northeast that serve Dimapur appear on IRCTC — confirm the train, day and halt yourself. Guwahati is an easy intermediate stop if you prefer a shorter overnight into Dimapur.
• Then: Dimapur → Kohima by taxi or bus → Kisama.

From Kolkata

• Air: Nagaland Tourism states that Dimapur has direct flights to Kolkata. That is often the simplest air option for East India travellers. Confirm with the airline.
• Rail: Kohima district lists Kolkata among cities connected by rail to Dimapur. Book only after checking IRCTC.
• Then: same Dimapur → Kohima → Kisama road leg.

From Bengaluru

• Air: there is no official Tourism Nagaland claim of a nonstop Bengaluru–Dimapur flight on the pages we fetched. Plan on a connection via Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati or another hub into Dimapur, or fly to Guwahati and continue by train or road. Check the airline.
• Rail: long-distance trains toward Guwahati or Dimapur may appear on IRCTC depending on the season. Confirm the route and running days; do not assume a daily through service.
• Then: Dimapur or Guwahati onward as above.

From Mumbai

• Air: same pattern as Bengaluru — expect a connecting flight into Dimapur or Guwahati. Confirm with the airline.
• Rail: search IRCTC for services that reach Guwahati or Dimapur; many journeys involve a change. Confirm before you travel.
• Then: Dimapur → Kohima → Kisama, or Guwahati road/train into Dimapur first.

From Guwahati

• Train to Dimapur: Tourism Nagaland describes Dimapur as well connected by rail to Guwahati. Check IRCTC for the latest list.
• Road to Kohima: night buses are mentioned by Tourism Nagaland and Dimapur district; a full-day drive is about 8 to 9 hours. Prefer daylight on hill stretches.
• Air: some travellers use a short hop Guwahati–Dimapur when seats exist — again, check the airline.

Permits before you travel

ILP for Indian visitors

The official ILP FAQ states that the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873 requires anyone who is not an indigenous inhabitant of Nagaland — Indian or foreign — to obtain an Inner Line Permit to enter for a limited period. Domestic tourist ILPs are applied online at ilp.nagaland.gov.in. Tourists do not need a guarantor, but they must give a local contact.

Apply a few days ahead, especially near festival week. Step-by-step detail: Nagaland ILP guide for Hornbill Festival 2026 and the fuller ILP and PAP explained.

PAP for foreign visitors

Nagaland Tourism directs foreign visitors to apply for a Protected Area Permit (PAP) through the government's e-FRRO portal, and Dimapur district notes that foreigners must obtain PAP mandatorily (online only; no physical PAP). Foreign visitors also need a foreign tourist ILP. Rules can change — check e-FRRO and the ILP portal before you book.

Dimapur to Kohima and Kisama

1. Arrive at Dimapur Airport or Dimapur railway station.
2. Take a shared or full taxi, or an NST / private bus, to Kohima (roughly 74 km per the Kohima district site).
3. From Kohima, continue about 10 to 12 km to Kisama for the Hornbill arena.

Fuller notes, including what we could and could not verify on fares and shuttles: How to reach Kisama from Dimapur and Kohima.

What to confirm locally

• Current flight seats and timings with the airline
• Train name, number and running day on IRCTC
• Taxi or bus fare for Dimapur–Kohima on the day you travel
• Road conditions on NH 29 in early December
• Festival-week traffic and any temporary vehicle rules at Kisama

Related reading

• Hornbill Festival 2026: a first-timer's planning guide
• How to reach Kisama (Hornbill Festival venue)
• Nagaland permits: ILP for Indians, PAP for foreigners
• Nagaland ILP guide for Hornbill Festival 2026
• Best time to visit Nagaland: month-by-month (2026)

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Drawn from public sources, written and checked with AI assistance. Spot a mistake? Tell us at hornbillaistudio@gmail.com.