Meghalaya sits in Northeast India, tucked between Assam and Bangladesh. The state has no major railway station, and most travellers enter through Guwahati in Assam before continuing by road.
Shillong is roughly 100 km from Guwahati, so the last part of the journey usually takes place by taxi, shared cab or bus.
If you’re planning a trip to Shillong, Cherrapunji, Dawki, Mawlynnong or the Garo Hills, here’s how each option works.
Reaching Meghalaya by flight
Flying is the easiest option if you’re coming from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata or another distant city.
Fly to Guwahati
For most travellers, Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati is the practical gateway to Meghalaya.
From the airport, you can continue to Shillong by:
- Private taxi
- App-based cab, where available
- Shared taxi
- Bus
- Rental car with driver
The road journey from Guwahati to Shillong usually takes around 3 to 4 hours, depending on traffic, weather and where you start in Guwahati.
The airport is also useful if you’re heading deeper into Meghalaya. You can travel from Guwahati towards Cherrapunji, Dawki, Jowai, Tura and other parts of the state by road.
Fly to Shillong
Shillong Airport, also known as Umroi Airport, is much closer to Shillong. It’s around 30 km from the city.
The catch is flight availability. Shillong Airport has a smaller runway and limited commercial service compared with Guwahati. Airports Authority of India currently lists Barapani, Shillong Airport, with restricted operating hours, while expansion work is planned for the airport.
So check your exact travel date before booking around Shillong Airport.
For most visitors, Guwahati remains the safer choice because it gives you more flight options and a much wider choice of onward transport.
Reaching Meghalaya by train
Here’s where Meghalaya gets interesting.
You can’t take a train directly to Shillong. Guwahati is the main railway gateway for travellers heading to Meghalaya.
Guwahati Railway Station has trains connecting it with major Indian cities, including Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and several cities across North India.
Once you reach Guwahati, continue to Shillong by road.
A typical train journey looks like this:
Your city → Guwahati Railway Station → taxi/bus → Shillong
If you’re travelling on a tight budget, this can be one of the most sensible ways to reach Meghalaya.
You can also use Guwahati as your starting point for trips towards Cherrapunji, Dawki and other destinations.
For Garo Hills, the same principle applies. Meghalaya government information lists Guwahati as the nearest railhead for places such as Williamnagar and Tura, with road connections continuing into the state.
Reaching Meghalaya by bus
Buses are useful if you’re already in Assam or nearby parts of Northeast India.
The most common route for tourists is:
Guwahati → Shillong
You can find government and private bus services, along with shared transport and taxis.
Meghalaya Transport Corporation is the state’s government transport corporation, and Meghalaya has been expanding its public bus network through the Chief Minister’s Regional Transport Scheme.
Travel times depend heavily on traffic and weather. Give yourself around 3 to 4 hours for Guwahati to Shillong rather than planning your day around an exact arrival time.
For other parts of Meghalaya, bus connections vary.
Tura, for example, has regular road connections with Guwahati and Shillong. The Meghalaya government lists both day and night bus services between Tura and Guwahati.
Reaching Meghalaya by car
For a Meghalaya trip, a car can be the most convenient choice.
You can hire a taxi from Guwahati and travel directly to Shillong. This saves you from changing vehicles and gives you more freedom once you start exploring.
It’s especially useful if your itinerary includes several places.
A common route looks like:
Guwahati → Shillong → Cherrapunji → Dawki → Mawlynnong → Shillong
You can also reverse the route depending on your arrival and departure plans.
Driving your own car
You can drive into Meghalaya from Assam.
The roads from Guwahati towards Shillong are well-used by tourists and local traffic, but hill driving takes longer than the distance on a map suggests.
Rain can slow things down considerably. Meghalaya gets heavy rainfall, particularly around Cherrapunji and Mawsynram, so keep extra time in your itinerary during the monsoon.
Fuel stations become less frequent once you’re travelling through more remote areas. Fill up before heading into long stretches of the hills.
Guwahati to Shillong by taxi
For first-time visitors, this is probably the easiest road transfer.
You can hire a private taxi from Guwahati Airport or arrange a pickup in advance.
Shared taxis are another common choice. They usually cost less than a private car, though you’ll have less control over departure time and stops.
If you’re travelling with 3 or 4 people, compare the total shared-taxi cost with a private cab. The private car can make more sense once the fare is split between several travellers.
How to reach Cherrapunji
Cherrapunji, officially known as Sohra, doesn’t have an airport or railway station.
The usual route is:
Guwahati → Shillong → Sohra
You can stay in Shillong and make a day trip to Sohra, or travel directly from Shillong and spend a few nights there.
A private car is particularly useful if you want to stop at places such as Elephant Falls, Shillong Peak, Mawkdok Dympep Valley and other viewpoints along the way.
How to reach Dawki
Dawki lies close to the Bangladesh border in West Jaintia Hills.
The usual tourist route is:
Guwahati → Shillong → Mawlynnong → Dawki
You can also travel from Shillong directly to Dawki.
A private taxi works well here because the journey involves several sightseeing stops. If you’re planning to visit Mawlynnong on the same day, having your own vehicle gives you much more flexibility.
How to reach Mawlynnong
Mawlynnong is also reached by road.
Most travellers approach it from Shillong, often combining the visit with Dawki.
A practical route is:
Shillong → Mawlynnong → Dawki → Shillong
You can arrange a taxi for the full day or include these places in a longer Meghalaya road trip.
How to reach Garo Hills
The Garo Hills are on the western side of Meghalaya, so the journey looks quite different from a Shillong trip.
Tura is the main town and an important base for exploring the region.
From Guwahati, you can travel to Tura by bus, taxi or private car. The Meghalaya government lists regular day and night bus services between Guwahati and Tura.
Tura is around 220 km from Guwahati by road, according to the Meghalaya government portal.
There are also road connections between Tura and Shillong, although the distance is much longer than the Guwahati-Shillong route.
Which option should you choose?
It depends on where you’re starting and how you want to travel.
If you’re coming from another part of India:
Fly to Guwahati, then take a taxi or bus to Shillong.
If you’re travelling on a budget:
Take a train to Guwahati and continue by shared taxi or bus.
If you’re travelling with family:
A private taxi from Guwahati is usually the easiest option.
If you’re doing a Meghalaya road trip:
Hire a car with a driver. You’ll have more freedom to stop at viewpoints, waterfalls and small villages.
If you’re already in Assam:
Bus, shared taxi or your own car can make more sense than flying.
Best route for a first Meghalaya trip
For a first visit, I’d keep it simple.
Fly or take a train to Guwahati, spend as little time there as your schedule allows, then head to Shillong by road.
From Shillong, build your trip around Sohra, Dawki and Mawlynnong. If you’ve got more time, continue towards Jowai or explore the Garo Hills.
The road is part of the Meghalaya experience. Give yourself enough time for it, especially during the rainy season.
And check your transport timings a day before travelling. Mountain weather, road conditions and local schedules can change, and Meghalaya has enough scenery to make a rushed journey a bad bargain.
