How To Reach Konark

Konark is a small but well known town located in the Puri district of Orissa. It is one of the most widely visited regions in this coastal state, and owes most of its popularity to the legendary Konark Sun Temple located in the heart of this city that contributes significantly to tourism in Orissa.

With a rich heritage that dates back to the 13^th century, the temple was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984, driving most of the tourist footfall within this region to Konark. With a steady influx of visitors to the town, travel accessibility has been made very convenient for all those who plan a trip to this part of Orissa. Read on to know more about some of the best ways to reach Konark.

The Biju Patnaik International Airport located in Bhubaneshwar is the nearest airspace from Konark. It is also the only international airport in Orissa, while being connected to other cities in the state through its domestic terminal as well. A number of regularly operating flights make flying into Bhubaneshwar a relatively convenient affair. Outside the airport, one can arrange road transport via public or private buses and cabs to reach Konark directly, which is located 64 km away from Bhubaneshwar.

With no railway station present in the city of Konark, the closest railheads from here are located in Puri and Bhubaneshwar, which are 35 km and 61 km away from Konark respectively. Both are linked to all main cities within Orissa and the rest of the country with a number of trains that run on a regular basis like Puri Express, Sampark Kranti Express, Rajdhani Express, Neelachal Express etc. 

Well connected with a good network of roads, Konark is most easily accessible from Bhubaneshwar and Puri; the route from Bhubaneshwar passes through the famous village of Pipli, which is a popular tourist spot. Traveling from Bhubaneshwar to Konark takes around 2 hours via road and from Puri it takes just over an hour. While the Orissa Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) runs public buses that are a cheap option to travel through the state, using the services of private buses and cabs may be a more convenient alternative.

Being a small yet popular tourist city, Konark has options with auto rickshaws and cycle rickshaws to take you sightseeing around the town. There are also local taxis available, but they are usually a costly option compared to the rickshaws. Nearby locations can also be explored on foot on a good weather day.