Haldwani and Kathgodam are twin towns in the Kumaon division of Uttarakhand, at the banks of the Gaula River.

Haldwani is the capital and the largest city of Kumaon. It is the gateway of Kumaon, as it is the starting point of many tourist circuits of the region.

Kathgodam, literally "timber depot", is blessed by the surrounding mountains.

Get in

Beautiful scenes of mountains in background at Kathgodam railway station

By plane

The nearest airport is in Pantnagar.

By train

1 Kathgodam  NR  is the last station to Kumaon and there are trains from different parts of India to Kathgodam, especially from Delhi and Moradabad.

15013 Ranikhet Express is a popular train from Delhi to Kathgodam which reaches very early morning (around 5 AM) at Kathgodam railway station.

13019 Bagh Express connects Kathgodam to Howrah, with halts in some important cities like Bandel, Asansol, Barauni, Muzaffarpur, Gorakhpur, Lucknow and Bareilly.

By road

Buses run on daily basis from cities like Delhi, and Lucknow. Tickets can be booked online in advance or at the counter.

Get around

Gaula River

See and do

There's nothing much to see in the twin towns, other than the panoramic views of the mountains with the Gaula River flowing by.

• 1 Gaula Barrage. This is a dam adjoining the railway station. Very peaceful. The dam houses a reservoir and is surrounded by mountains covered with trees. 

Go next

• Nainital, a very popular hill station in Kumaon, is 35 km from Kathgodam. Bhimtal, usually not as crowded as Nainital, is another very beautiful hill station nearby, just 23 km from Kathgodam. Taxis and buses to Nainital and Bhimtal are available throughout the day at the Kathgodam Railway Station.
• 2 Sattal (Seven Lakes) (Approximately one hour's drive away from Kathgodam). Set amongst dense forests of oak and pine trees, Sattal is one of the few unspoiled and unpolluted freshwater biomes in India. These lakes are a paradise for migratory birds. It is home to a few camps being operated mostly by local people catering to tourists looking for outdoor vacations. (updated Dec 2023)