Introduction

Ranchi is located on the Chotanagpur plateau, at a height of 2,140 feet above sea level.The entire area is generally covered with red soil. Extensive forests around Ranchi are composed mainly of sal, gambhar, asan, kend, simul and mahua. Bears, sambar, chital, nilgai and hares are found in the forests. Summer afternoons are hot but evenings and nights are cool and enjoyable(maximum 37 degrees centigrade, min 16 degrees centigrade). It is cool/cold in winter (maximum 22 degrees centigrade and minimum 8 degrees centigrade). Annual rainfall is 1530 mm.

Language

Languages spoken are Hindi, Urdu, Sadri, Oraon, Mundari and some dialects. English is not a common language but is well understood at most of the tourist spots. Even if it is not understood at a place, people are willing to help around with interpretation.

Connected by

By air

The Ranchi Airport (Code: IXR) is located in Hinoo. It is approximately 7 km from the city centre. The airport name is Bhagwan Birsa Munda Airport.

• Indian (previously Indian Airlines) operates a Mumbai-Delhi-Ranchi-Patna flight. Check Flight Schedule

Recently its ally (Alliance Air) has added another daily flight between Delhi - Ranchi - Bhubaneshwar.

• Air Deccan operates 2 daily flights from/to Kolkata. Check Flight Information

It also operates an Airbus 320 between New Delhi - Patna - Ranchi.

• Air Sahara operates flights from Delhi (S2 6163) and to Delhi (S2 6164) Check Flight Status . It also operates flights to Bangalore, Mumbai and Lucknow via Delhi.

• MDLR Airlines operates Chandigarh-Delhi-Ranchi-Kolkata flight.
• Jet Lite operates Mumbai-Ranchi-Mumbai Daily flight.

By rail

Ranchi is connected by rail to important places all over the country. Hatia is a station next to Ranchi and serves as terminus for many of the trains. Given below are some of the convenient trains. The first number is for the train from Ranchi and second for the train to Ranchi.

Daily trains: 8616/8615 Hatia Howrah Express, 8624/8623 Hatia Patna Express, 8622/8621 Hatia Patna Pataliputra Express, 8611/8612 Ranchi Garhwa Banaras Inter-City Express, 3352/3351 Dhanbad Bokaro Allepy Express, 8601/8602 Hatia Jammu Tawi Express, 5027/5028 Hatia Gorakhpur Mayurya Express, 8451/8452 Hatia Puri Tapaswini Express, 8608/8607 Ranchi Baidyanathdham Express.

Other trains: 2020/2019 Ranchi Howrah Shatabdi Express (no train on Sunday), 3304/3303 Hatia Dhanbad Inter-City Express (no train on Sunday), 2439/2440 Ranchi New Delhi Rajdhani Express (biweekly), 8603/8604 Hatia Delhi Jharkhand Swarna Jayanti Express (via Barkakhana) (triweekly), 8605/8606 Hatia Delhi Jharkhand Swarna Jayanti Express (via Gomoh) (triweekly), 8609/8610 Ranchi Lokmanya Tilak Express (weekly), 2812/2811 Hatia Lokmanya Tilak Express (weekly), 2835/2836 Ranchi Yeshwantpur Express (weekly), 3403/3404 Ranchi Bhagalpur Vananchal Express (via Andal) (triweekly) , 3405/3406 Ranchi Bhagalpur Vananchal Express (biweekly).

For timings etc. check with Indian Railways.

By road

Ranchi is well connected by a network of roads with all the neighbouring cities and towns. The distance to some important locations are as follows: Bokaro 110 km, Dhanbad 170 km, Jamshedpur 140 km, Chaibasa 130 km, Hazaribagh 100 km, Gaya 220 km, Patna 340 km, Barhi (on NH 2 Grand Trunk Road) 136 km, Rourkela 250 km, Kolkata 415 km. Bus connections are available for almost all cities and towns in the area.

Get around

Hired cars, autorickshaws and cycle rickshaws are available for local transportation. Ranchi like a number of other cities in North India, has a concept of share auto. The share autos operate along fixed routes and take in as many passengers as physically possible. Fares vary from Rs. 5 - 10 depending upon the route.

IMPORTANT PLACE

• Kanke Dam
• Dhurva Dam- on the outskirts of the city. It is a very good sunset point.
• Rock Garden(Closed)
• Tagore Hill- at Morabadi, about 5 km from the heart of the city, is about 300 ft. above its base.
• Ranchi Lake - excavated in 1842, it is centrally situated. The lake has boating facilities.
• Deer Park - 16 km on Ranchi-Khunti Road
• Birsa Zoological Park – about 14 km away.
• Pahari Mandir – In Ratu Road ,2 km away from main Road (Firayalal). It is very good place to see whole ranchi in one sight.

Buy

• Kashmir Vastralaya Collections (www.kvcollections.com)
• Firayalal
• Big Shop [www.bigshopranchi.com/]
• Vishal Mega Mart
• Rekha Electronic & Mobile [Mobiles & Accessories, World Space]
• Yashvi Enterprises [Mobiles & Accessories]

On Main Road

• Chinar, - it's preparation of non-veg is marvelous in Ranchi.
• Kaveri Restaurant, GEL Church Complex - Has a collection of North Indian and Chinese dishes. A meal for two would cost close to Rs. 300
• Krsna Hotel, GEL Church Complex - Very similar menu and prices as Kaveri
• Punjab Sweet House, Opposite GEL Church Complex - Marvelous collection of sweets and chaat items
• Birsa Vihar Birsa Complex,
• Dakshini, near Sujata Cinema Hall,M.G.Road.
• Food Plaza, opposite Gurudwara,M.G.Road, Telephone +91 651 314231
• Marwari Kalewalay, - It has many franchisee in Ranchi, Telephone +91 651 313185
• Maruti Watika, Telephone +91 651 200155
• Sudarshan Restaurant, Telephone +91 651 311670
• Anand Lighting - Famous for lighting & Chandeliers. +91651-2205745

Drink

• Hangul Bar & Restaurant, Hotel Chinar, Telephone +91 651 207780/81/82/83
• Ellora Bar & Restaurant
• Birsa D Bar & Restaurant, Birsa Chowk, Khuti Road
• Little Italy, Hotel Yuvraj, Doranda
• Chasm-e-sahi, Kanke Road, +91651-2231131

Stay safe

Do not be carried away by media coverage of stray incidents. Those desirous of travelling out of town, particularly at night, should check with local people, say the hotel management, about the law and order situation in a particular area. However, it is not advisable to venture out late in the evening/ night even in unknown localities of the city unless one is fully aware of that area.

Get out

• Hundru Falls – about 28 km from Ranchi, on Subarnarekha River, the water falls from a height of 320 feet.
• Jonha Falls - also known as Gautmadhara falls , about 18 km, it is approachable by road and from Gautamdhara railway staion on the Ranchi-Muri section.
• Dassam Falls - about 40 km on Ranchi Jamshedpur Road, near Taimara village, on Kanchi river, the water falls from a height of about 144 feet.
• Hirni Falls – about 90 km on the Ranchi Chakradharpur Road.
• Rajrappa Falls - about 65 km from Ranchi, also Chhinamasta temple. One has to go to Ramgarh (on the Ranchi-Hazaribagh Road) and then take the road to Bokaro. The falls are at the confluence of the river Damodar and Bhera.
• Netarhat – 144 km from Ranchi, the ‘Queen of Chotanagpur’ at a height of 3622 feet above sea level.