Trains
Punjab has India's densest train network. The Shatabdi Express family connects Amritsar-Ludhiana-Chandigarh and onward to Delhi, chair car $10-15, executive $22. Book on the IRCTC website or app 60-120 days ahead; foreign-tourist quota seats are usually available closer to travel. Slower Intercity Expresses cost $3-5 and are fine for daytime rides under 3 hours. Avoid overnight passenger trains between cities under 5 hours apart — the Shatabdi is faster.
Cars and drivers
A car with driver costs $40-55/day plus $8-10 for the driver's overnight allowance. Book through your hotel, MakeMyTrip Ground, or local firms like Punjab Taxi Service. Toyota Innova is the standard for 4 passengers, Etios for 2-3. Uber and Ola work well in Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Chandigarh for short hops ($2-6) but rarely for intercity. Self-drive rentals via Zoomcar exist in Chandigarh only.
Auto-rickshaws and city buses
Auto-rickshaws swarm every city. Amritsar and Ludhiana drivers rarely use meters — negotiate first, $1-3 for anything within the old city, $3-6 for longer runs. Chandigarh CTU buses are cheap ($0.15 flat) and well-organized. Amritsar has a limited BRT network. Cycle rickshaws still work in Amritsar's walled city; $1 is fair for a short lift.
What to skip
Skip long-distance state buses unless you’re on a tight budget — they’re slow, uncomfortable, and not much cheaper than 3AC trains. Skip flights within Punjab; the state is small and driving/training is faster door-to-door. Skip motorbike rentals for tourists unless you already ride in India — Punjab's highways are fast and unforgiving.
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