Abohar
Introduction
Abohar is a city and municipal corporation in the Fazilka district of Punjab, lying southeast of Fazilka and close to the India–Pakistan border. If you are travelling through this part of Punjab, expect a working agricultural city rather than a tourist centre, with the border country shaping its setting.
The city and its suburbs are known above all for kinnow production: the Abohar belt alone accounts for a large share of Punjab's total kinnow output. Lahore in Pakistan lies to the west-northwest at a straight-line distance of roughly 156–157 km.
Getting around
Abohar has no airport, metro or tram, so getting around depends on roads and railways. The city centre is compact, and both the railway station and the bus terminal sit within a short distance of it — roughly a kilometre and a kilometre and a half respectively — so walking plus a rickshaw for the last stretch covers a lot of ground. For anything beyond the centre, or in the heat, shared and hired rickshaws and cabs are the sensible default.
- Cycle rickshaws — best for short, unhurried trips; widely available and inexpensive.
- Auto rickshaws — available on hire or shared; a practical step up for slightly longer cross-city journeys.
- Cabs — available for hire, useful when you want a direct trip or are carrying bags.
- Buses — the chief mode of transport within Abohar and to surrounding areas, run by the Punjab Roadways Transport Corporation alongside private and mini-bus operators from early morning until night.
For longer journeys, the railway station links Abohar to major cities in Punjab and elsewhere in India; if your trip needs a larger junction, Bathinda and Sri Ganganagar broaden your onward options. Bus routes reach Bathinda, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Malout, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Kotkapura, Patiala, Hoshiarpur, Hanumangarh, Ambala, Sri Ganganagar and the Haryana border area, with ordinary, semi-luxury, luxury, deluxe and AC tourist coach classes letting you trade cost against comfort. Two national highways, NH 10 (Fazilka–Delhi) and NH 15 (Pathankot–Samkhiyali), make the bus and taxi options practical. Since there is no airport, the nearest are Amritsar and the Sahnewal domestic airport at Ludhiana, both reached by taxi or bus — treat these as full road journeys and arrange the taxi in advance through a travel agent in Abohar or online. Carry small change for rickshaws and shared autos, book longer bus and rail journeys through travel agents or online rather than at the last minute, and ask the traffic police if you are unsure of directions or which mode to take.
Three days in Abohar
Day one begins in Abohar itself, in Punjab, India, a town close to the Pakistan border. Use cycle, auto or cabs to get around locally, and carry what you need for a day of wandering rather than planning around fixed stops. Buses from Bathinda, Sri Ganganagar, Malout and Hanumangarh connect Abohar to the wider region, so you can arrive and settle in without much fuss.
- Explore Abohar by cycle or auto
- Note onward bus links to Bathinda, Sri Ganganagar, Malout and Hanumangarh
Day two takes you to Fazilka, another Punjab town in the border belt. Buses and cabs are the practical ways to make the trip, and Punjab Roadways Transport Corporation services link the towns of the region. Keep the pace easy and let the day unfold between Abohar and Fazilka.
- Travel to Fazilka by bus or cab
- Return to Abohar for the night
Day three is for moving onward. Abohar sits within reach of Bathinda, Sri Ganganagar, Malout, Kotkapura, Hanumangarh and Samkhiyali by bus, while longer connections run to Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Chandigarh, Delhi, Ambala in Haryana, Pathankot and Sahnewal. AC and ordinary buses both serve these routes, so choose according to your comfort and carry your tickets and essentials with you.
- Onward buses to Bathinda, Sri Ganganagar, Malout, Kotkapura, Hanumangarh and Samkhiyali
- Longer routes toward Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Chandigarh, Delhi, Ambala, Pathankot and Sahnewal