Getting there
Srinagar to Leh by road: the Zoji La, distances, permits and when it’s open
Srinagar to Leh by road: 434 km via Sonamarg, the Zoji La and Kargil, when the pass closes, the Zojila tunnel, permits for Indians and foreigners, and fees.
The Srinagar–Leh highway is 434 km long and runs via Drass and Kargil, according to the Leh district administration; beyond Sonamarg it climbs over the Zoji La. Kargil is roughly halfway, 205 km from Srinagar and 230 km from Leh. The Zoji La is the hard part: heavy snow closed it for 32 days in 2025, but in winter 2025–26 the closures were short. Indian visitors don’t need an Inner Line Permit for Ladakh; foreigners need a permit for some areas beyond Leh.
In this guide6 sections
At a glance
- Distance
- 434 km Leh district administration
- Halfway
- Kargil: 205 km from Srinagar, 230 km from Leh
- Zoji La
- 3,567 m Kargil district; other sources differ
- Fotu La
- 4,192 m Kargil district; others give about 4,108 m
- Permit for Indians
- Not needed (Inner Line Permit dropped in 2021–22)
- Zojila tunnel
- Target: February 2028
The route
| Stage | Distance or height | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Srinagar to Sonamarg | 87 km | The Sonamarg tunnel, opened in January 2025, keeps Sonamarg reachable in winter, though snow can still close the road |
| Sonamarg to Baltal | 15 km | Baltal sits “at the foot of the Zojila” |
| Zoji La | 3,567 m | The pass into Ladakh; the road climbs from Baltal |
| Drass and Kargil | Kargil is 205 km from Srinagar | Roughly halfway to Leh |
| Namika La and Fotu La | 4,192 m (Fotu La) | Two passes on the Kargil–Leh stretch; Fotu La is the highest point of the road |
| Lamayuru | 115 km before Leh | Its monastery stands at 3,510 m |
| Leh | 230 km from Kargil | Plan 48 hours to acclimatise |
Distances: Leh, Kargil and Ganderbal district sites. Kargil’s site gives the pass heights; The Tribune put the Zoji La at 11,500 ft (about 3,505 m) in 2025, and Outlook Traveller the Fotu La at 13,479 ft (about 4,108 m). We found no official driving time for the whole route.
When is the road open?
Snow on the Zoji La decides it. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) clears and maintains the pass, with Project Beacon on the Kashmir side and Project Vijayak in Ladakh. Winter closures have shrunk from months to weeks:
| Winter | Closed | Reopened | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020–21 | 31 Dec 2020 | 19 Apr 2021 | About 110 |
| 2021–22 | 4 Jan 2022 | 19 Mar 2022 | About 73 |
| 2022–23 | 6 Jan 2023 | 16 Mar 2023 | 68 |
| 2023–24 | Mid-Feb 2024 | 20 Mar 2024 | 35 |
| 2024–25 | 27 Feb 2025 | 1 Apr 2025 | 32 |
| 2025–26 | No long closure | Short closures only | — |
Day counts as reported; counting from the dates can give one more. 2020–23 from BRO records, as reported by Kashmir Reader in January 2024; 2024 from Greater Kashmir, which reported a one-way reopening for light vehicles carrying essentials; 2025 from a PIB booklet of 19 January 2026 and The Tribune; 2025–26 from The Tribune, 18 May 2026.
In 2025–26 BRO kept the pass open through the winter “for the first time ever”, The Tribune reported, but snow and avalanches still shut it for days at a time:
- 2 Jan 2026Partly reopened for one-way passenger traffic after four days closed, Kashmir Life reported.
- 14 Mar 2026Reopened after five days closed by snow, according to Greater Kashmir; News On Air put it at six days.
- 19–23 Mar 2026Closed after heavy snow, then partly restored for light vehicles, Kashmir Life reported.
- 27 Mar 2026An avalanche between Zero Point and Minimarg killed seven people, Onmanorama reported, and the highway was shut, according to The Tribune.
- 26 Apr 2026Another avalanche, near Shaitani Nallah in the Drass sector, closed the road, IANS reported.
The Leh district site still says the road is open “from May to November/December”, but recent years show earlier openings and shorter closures. Check the day’s status with the J&K or Ladakh traffic police before you set out. On the Kashmir side, the Go Kashmir app’s place cards for Sonamarg, Baltal and the Zojila Pass show a 4-day forecast for the Sonamarg area.
The Zojila tunnel
A 13.153 km tunnel under the pass, between Baltal and Minimarg, broke through on 9 June 2026, when about 85% of the work was done, The Hitavada reported. The Ladakh administration’s target for completion is February 2028, according to its November 2025 review. Until then, the road goes over the top.
Permits and fees for Ladakh
- Indian citizens don’t need an Inner Line Permit: “The inner line permit is applicable only to foreign tourists,” says the official LAHDC Leh permit portal. Ladakh dropped the requirement for Indians visiting its protected areas in August 2021, Voice of Ladakh reported, and in January 2022 the tourism department said it no longer applied to Indian citizens anywhere in Ladakh, according to Voice of Ladakh.
- Foreign visitors need a Protected Area Permit for areas such as Pangong, Nubra, Khardung La and Tso Moriri, according to the portal. Citizens of Pakistan, Afghanistan and China apply through the Ministry of Home Affairs. A single permit for all of Ladakh was under review in August 2026 but “not implemented yet”, Outlook Traveller reported.
- Fees: visitors to Leh pay a fee that “includes the environmental fee (green fee), Red Cross Fund and wildlife fee”, according to the Leh district administration. A notice of 14 October 2021 from LAHDC Leh set the green fee at ₹400 a person, paid through the online portal; we couldn’t confirm the 2026 amounts, so check the portal.
Altitude
All tourists arriving in Leh must acclimatise for at least 48 hours before going higher, to places such as Khardung La and Pangong Lake, says the Leh district administration. The road itself reaches its highest point at the Fotu La, 4,192 m according to the Kargil district site.
Srinagar to Leh questions
Is the road from Srinagar to Leh open now?
It depends on snow at the Zoji La. In 2025–26 there was no long winter closure, but snow and avalanches shut it several times between January and April 2026. Check the traffic advisory on the day.
How far is Srinagar to Leh by road?
434 km, according to the Leh district administration, with Kargil roughly halfway.
Can you do Srinagar to Leh in one day?
We found no official driving time for the 434 km road. Kargil is roughly halfway, 205 km from Srinagar; the road crosses the Zoji La, Namika La and Fotu La; and Leh’s administration asks visitors to acclimatise for 48 hours, so allow plenty of time.
Do Indians need a permit for Ladakh?
No Inner Line Permit is needed. Visitors to Leh pay an environmental fee online.
When will the Zojila tunnel open?
The official target is February 2028. The tunnel broke through on 9 June 2026.
Sources
- Leh district administration, how to reach, updated 3 Jan 2025; Lamayuru, updated 4 Jan 2025; 48-hour acclimatisation, updated 6 Jun 2026; green fee, 10 Aug 2021.
- Kargil district administration, about the district, updated 10 Oct 2026.
- Ganderbal district administration, Sonamarg, updated 19 Jan 2023.
- Kashmir Reader, BRO kept the highway open for a record time, 28 Jan 2024.
- Press Information Bureau, Border Roads Organisation: Connecting Places, Connecting People, 19 Jan 2026.
- The Tribune, Zoji La opens after 32 days, 1 Apr 2025, and Project Beacon at 67, 18 May 2026.
- Kashmir Life, highway partly reopens, 2 Jan 2026, and Zojila axis partly restored, 23 Mar 2026.
- Greater Kashmir, Zojila reopens after five days, 15 Mar 2026.
- Onmanorama, avalanche deaths on the Srinagar–Leh highway, 27 Mar 2026; Ommcom News (IANS), highway closed after avalanche, 26 Apr 2026.
- The Hitavada, Zojila tunnel breakthrough, 10 Jun 2026; Ladakh administration, Zojila tunnel review, 21 Nov 2025.
- LAHDC Leh, permit portal and FAQ. Read 23 Oct 2026. Voice of Ladakh, no permit for Indian nationals, 7 Aug 2021. Outlook Traveller, Ladakh moves to simplify rules for foreign visitors, 29 Aug 2026. Voice of Ladakh, no ILP for Indian citizens across Ladakh, 20 Jan 2022. LAHDC Leh, green fee notice, 14 Oct 2021.
- Outlook Traveller, Great Drives: Srinagar to Leh. Read 23 Oct 2026. Greater Kashmir, Srinagar–Leh NH reopens after 35 days, 21 Mar 2024. The Tribune, avalanche-hit highway shut, 28 Mar 2026.
We write from published sources and do not claim personal visits. How we check facts.
Read next
Keep planning
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Weather & seasonsKashmir in winter: snow, cold, roads and what stays openBelow-freezing nights, snow on no fixed date, and the roads and flights that stop.
Getting thereJammu to Srinagar: train, road, bus or flight?Train in about 4 h 50 min, flights in 45 min, or 270–290 km of highway that closes after landslides and snow.
