Chota Nagpur Plateau · Central Highlands & Forest Belt
How to reach
By air
- Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi (IXR) — The region's main airport, about 7 km from the centre, with direct service to the major metros.
- Deoghar Airport (DGH) — Opened in 2022, principally for the Baidyanath pilgrimage traffic.
- Sonari Airport, Jamshedpur (IXW) — Limited service; most Jamshedpur traffic uses Ranchi or Kolkata.
By rail
- Ranchi (RNC) — The plateau's principal station, with Hatia (HTE) taking many of the long-distance departures.
- Tatanagar (TATA) — Jamshedpur's station, on the Howrah–Mumbai line and the gateway to Kolhan and Seraikela.
- Dhanbad (DHN) — On the Howrah–Delhi main line, for the Damodar trough and the northern uplands.
- Parasnath (PNME) — On the main line, and the railhead for Shikharji — the hill is visible from the platform.
- Jasidih (JSME) — For Deoghar and Baidyanath Dham.
- Bokaro Steel City (BKSC) — For the central plateau and Hazaribagh's eastern approach.
By road
The Grand Trunk Road (NH 19) runs along the plateau's northern rim through Barhi and DhanbadRanchi–Jamshedpur, the plateau's busiest internal corridorRanchi–Hazaribagh, climbing the plateau step through the Chatra and Ramgarh countryRanchi–Netarhat and on to Palamau, the western forest routeRanchi–Dumka and on into Santhal Pargana
By water
Ganga ferry crossings at Sahibganj, at the plateau's north-eastern foot
Getting around
Buses and shared vehicles radiate from Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Dhanbad and Dumka. Distances are short and slow — the plateau is stepped, and every road that changes level does so through a ghat section. For the falls and the painted villages, a hired car for the day is the only practical arrangement.
How to reach Chota Nagpur Plateau by air, rail, road and water, and how to get around once there. (9)