Understanding Mohali's Layout
Mohali, officially Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, is a planned city that sits immediately south-west of Chandigarh and forms part of the Chandigarh Capital Region. The two cities are contiguous, separated only by the administrative boundary between Punjab and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, so getting around Mohali often means moving between the two as if they were one urban area.
The city was conceived as an extension of Chandigarh's sector-based design, and its earliest neighbourhoods are known as Phases rather than sectors. This matters for a visitor because addresses may be given either way: Phase 1 corresponds to Sector 55, Phase 2 to Sector 56, and so on through Phase 10 and Sector 64. Some sectors, including 48, 51, 52, 54, 56, 61 and 63, are shared between Chandigarh and Mohali. If you understand that a "phase" and a "sector" can refer to the same place, you will find it much easier to navigate.
Getting Around the City
Mohali is a spread-out, low-density city, and most visitors rely on a mix of buses, auto-rickshaws and app-based taxis rather than on a single dominant mode of transport. The city is not built around a dense pedestrian core, so walking works well within a sector or phase but is less practical for crossing the city.
Metro and Tram
Based on the available information, Mohali does not have its own metro or tram network. Visitors should plan on road-based transport and rail for longer journeys rather than expecting a metro system within the city.
Buses and Public Transport
- Mohali Bus Stand is the city's main bus terminal, located in Sector 8 (Phase 3). Government and private bus operators run services from here to destinations across Punjab and beyond.
- Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) provides bus connectivity within Mohali and links it with the rest of the region.
- Two major Chandigarh bus stands — Sector 43 and Sector 17 — are close to Mohali and are useful alternatives for regional and long-distance routes.
- Auto-rickshaws ply throughout the city and are a common way to cover short and medium distances.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Auto-rickshaws are widely available across Mohali, and several third-party transport options operate in the city as well. For visitors, this means you can generally arrange a ride on the spot or through a private operator rather than depending on a single company. Because Mohali and Chandigarh run into each other, trips that cross the boundary between the two are routine.
Rail
Mohali Railway Station, also known as Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar station, connects the city with a number of important destinations and is the practical rail option for reaching Mohali by train. Sources describe its location differently — one places it in Phase 9, another in Industrial Area, Phase 11 — so it is worth confirming the exact address before you set out.
Walkability
Mohali's sector-and-phase grid makes individual neighbourhoods reasonably easy to walk around, and the planned layout means blocks follow a fairly regular pattern. However, the city is large and its attractions and commercial areas are spread across many sectors and phases, so walking is best treated as a way to get around a single area rather than as a means of crossing town. For anything beyond a short local trip, plan on a bus, auto-rickshaw or taxi.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Mohali's international airport is an extension of Chandigarh International Airport and handles both international and domestic services. It sits within the Mohali area, and GMADA developed the Aerocity district as part of the expansion around Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport. Roads have been built specifically to create links between Mohali and the airport, which improves its connectivity with the city.
Because the airport lies within Mohali rather than at a distance from it, the onward journey into the city is a relatively straightforward road trip. Auto-rickshaws, taxis and third-party transport operators are the practical options for reaching your accommodation, and the same road links that connect the airport to Mohali also connect it onward to Chandigarh.
Practical Tips for Visitors
- Check whether an address is given as a phase or a sector — they refer to the same grid, and knowing the pairing saves confusion.
- Use the Mohali Bus Stand in Sector 8 (Phase 3) for regional bus departures, and consider Chandigarh's Sector 43 and Sector 17 bus stands for additional routes.
- Expect auto-rickshaws and third-party transport to be your most flexible options for short trips.
- Plan on road transport for airport transfers, since the airport is connected to the city by purpose-built road links.
- Treat Mohali and Chandigarh as a single area when planning journeys — the boundary between them is administrative rather than a real barrier to movement.