Puri is in the state of Odisha and is one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites in India. It is also called the “Temple Town” because of the Jagannath Temple, which is amongst the most famous pilgrimage sites for Hindus. The Markandeshwar Shiva Temple, as well as Konark Sun Temple, are one of India’s oldest temples in Orissa.
The best places to visit in Puri are many beaches such as Konark, Baleshwar, Swargadwar, and Baliharachandi, among others. The Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary has sandy beaches, cashew plantations and orchards of Casuarina trees. It is the habitat of Blackbuck and Olive Ridley Sea Turtles that nest on the beaches. The Sudarshan Crafts Museum of Puri has traditional sculptures, residential facilities, a Japanese-style Buddhist temple, library, and workshop.
Chilika Wildlife Sanctuary is a habitat to various migratory birds as well as 225 aquatic sanctuaries with fish species. Sunrise and sunset are beautiful sights to gaze.
If you wish to travel to Puri by train, then you can book your tickets to Puri railway station or the nearest railway station to Puri, Khurda railway station (KUR).
Best Time to Visit Puri
With a more or less pleasant climate all year round, Jagannath Puri is crowded with people all the year except for extreme summers (April-June). The ideal months for a tour to Puri are between October and February when neither intense heat nor high humidity is present to hinder your outdoor planning.
Winters (December-February) are cold, but good times to enjoy the serene beaches and visit temples. If you wish to visit Puri during Rath Yatra, you can plan a trip to Puri between June and July.
How To Reach Puri by Train, Air, and Road
Reach Puri by Train
Puri is a terminal on the East Coast Railway and has direct express and superfast trains to Mumbai, Kolkata, Okha, New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Tirupati and the like. Some of the major trains are Jagannath Express, Kolkata (Howrah) Puri Howrah Express, and Purushottam Express. The major railway station from Jagannath Puri Temple is Khurda road junction. It is 44 km from Puri.
Station Code of the Khurda railway station: KUR
Reach Puri by Air
Puri does not have an airport. The nearest airports to Puri are Bhubaneswar Airport located 53 km away and Visakhapatnam Airport in Andhra Pradesh, which is 368 km away. Bhubaneswar Airport or Biju Patnaik Airport services airlines like Air India, IndiGo and Jet Airways. It connects many cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Port Blair, Bangalore and Hyderabad. It is linked to Abu Dhabi, Singapore, and Beijing through Etihad Airways and Emirates Airlines.
Puri’s Nearest Airport: The nearest airport to Puri is Bhubaneswar Airport located 53 km away.
Reach Puri by Road
There are daily buses to Puri from other cities. Bus categories operating include Sleeper/Seater, AC, Air Suspension Sleeper/Seater with LCD, Air Suspension Sleeper/Semi-Sleeper and Volvo AC buses from different locations of India. Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) is a prime transport company. There are also many private buses available to enter Puri.
You can book a cab to reach Puri. Auto rickshaws are available to explore all over town. Mobile app-based cab services like Uber and Ola are also popular here.
Journey Suggestion: Roads are in a reasonably decent condition, although some congestion in traffic is expected, particularly during the peak tourist season.
Nearest Railway Stations to Jagannath Puri
The nearest railway station to Puri is Puri Railway station, located just 3.33 km from the Jagannath Puri temple. Apart from that, there are many railway stations near Jagannath Puri temple so that pilgrims can reach this place with ease.
1. Puri Railway Station (PURI)
Located in the city of Puri, Odisha, Puri railway station is the terminal train station. East Coast Railway Zone operates it. Puri station falls under the Khurda road division.
Station code of the Puri railway station: PURI
Important trains halting at Puri station are:
- Puri Src Spl (08010)
- Shatabdi Express (12278)
- Puri Yesvantpur Garib Rath (22883)
- Duronto Express (22202)
- Purushottam Express (12801)
Related: Food Delivery in Train at Puri Junction
2. Sakhi Gopal Railway Station (SIL)
Sakhigopal railway station falls under East Coast Railway Zone, located in Sakhigopal district of Odisha. The distance between Jagannath Puri temple and Sakhi Gopal railway station is only 16 km which makes it a famous station for pilgrims. There are around 108 trains which stop here so that pilgrims can visit Puri temple.
Station code of the Sakhi Gopal railway station: SIL
Some of the trains that stop at Sakhi Gopal Station are:
- Guwahati Puri Express (15640)
- Sri Jagannath Express (18409)
- Howrah Puri Express (12837)
- B Nath Dham Express (18450)
- Kalingautkalexpress (18478)
3. Khurda Road Junction Railway Station (KUR)
Khurda Road railway station falls under the East Coast Railway zone of Indian railways. It is located 41 km from the Jagannath Puri temple. There are several trains which stop at Khurda Road Junction from where you can visit Jagannath Puri temple by bus or taxi.
Station code of the Khurda Road railway station: KUR
Some of the trains that halt at Khurda Road station are:
- Vskp Tata Spl (08516)
- Puri Digha Express (22878)
- Jaynagar Darbhanga Puri Express (18420)
- Patna Express (22643)
- Santragachi Chennai Central Jansadharan (02807)
Puri Sightseeing: Places to Visit in Puri
1. Sri Jagannath Puri Temple
Jagannath Puri Temple is located in the sacred town of Puri. It was built in the 11th century by King Indradyumna. This glorious temple is the habitat of Lord Jagannath, who is a form of Lord Vishnu. It is the prominent pilgrimage place for the Hindus and is part of the holy Char Dham Yatra with Badrinath, Dwarka and Rameshwaram.
2. Chilika Lake
Chilika Lake is Asia’s biggest inland saltwater lake, a heaven on earth for bird watchers and lovers of nature. The pear-shaped lake is lined with a few small islands, and along its shore, it has fisheries and salt pans. Chilika Lake is also home to the world’s most welcoming habitats, which ensures that here you can observe a plethora of flora and fauna. The lake offers an eccentric view of a plethora of aquatic charms, varying from white-bellied sea eagles to flamingos and golden plovers to sandpiper, in all exquisite hues and colours.
3. Puri Beach
With the variety of birds from native to migratory, the captivating lake also offers beautiful views of sunrise and sunset. Attractions such as Bird Island, Breakfast Island and Honeymoon Island are also the best tourist attractions in Puri. The excellent and inexpensive lodges available here are an additional cherry to this already fabulous cake. Visit this enchanting lake to enjoy a day in the company of nature and witness tranquilly like never before.
Puri Beach is included in the best coastlines of East India, verging the Bay of Bengal and is positioned at a distance of 35 km from the Sun Temple. The location is perfect for holidaymakers looking for some solitude, with the sun sparkling on the turquoise water of the beach.
4. Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra
Jagannath Rath Yatra is the most awaited festival in Orissa. The festival is celebrated both in Orissa and around the country. The Rath Yatra is devoted to Lord Jagannath, i.e. Lord Krishna, Goddess Subhadra (his sister) and Lord Balabhadra (his elder brother ). It is often known as Gundicha Yatra, Dasavatara, Chariot Festival or Navadina Yatra. It is celebrated in June or July every year. The Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra is followed by 4-5 lakh pilgrims every year. Indians and foreigners flock in large numbers to watch idols in the chariot. It is believed that those who get a sight of the idols will have a prosperous year ahead.
Also Read: Top 10 Indian Pilgrimages Sites
5. Narendra Tank
Narendra Tank is indeed one of the largest tanks in Odisha. It is thought to have been established in the 15th century. This tank is considered sacred and has numerous small and huge temples around it. There’s an island in the centre of the lake with a small temple named Chandana Mandapa.
Jagannath Puri Train Connectivity with Other Major and Popular Stations
NJP To Puri Trains/New Jalpaiguri to Pune Trains
- GHY BNC EXPRESS (02510)
- KYQ PURI EXPRESS (15644)
- KYQ PURI EXPRESS (15640)
Howrah to Puri Trains
- SHATABDI EXPRESS (12277)
- Dhauli Express (12821)
- Sri Jagannath Express (18409)
- Hwh Puri Express -12837
- Sealdah – Puri Duronto Express (22201)
Delhi to Puri Train
- Neelachal Express (12876)
- Nandan Kanan Express (12816)
- Purushottam Express (12802)
- Kalinga Utkal Express (18478)
Ahmedabad to Puri By Train
- Adi Puri Express (12844)
- Gandhidham Puri Gimb Puri Express (12993)
- Okha Puri Express (18402)
- Adi Puri Express (18406)
Related: Food delivery in Adi Puri Express
Restaurants And Local Food in Puri
In Puri, you can easily find a variety of foods. Puri offers a variety of cuisines to all kinds of tourists: vegetarian, non-vegetarian, seafood-lovers, local food lovers and so on. Khichdi, Malpua, Dalma, Abadha, Chenna Poda, Santula, Pitha are some of the famous vegetarian dishes of Puri. A non-vegetarian lover can also try Chungdi Malai and Macha Chenncheda seafood dishes which are also famous across the town of Puri.
Dalma and Wildgrass restaurant are among the best eateries in Puri that serve delicious food.
Passengers can also order food in trains using RailRestro Train Food App and website.