Mizoram travel guide 2026: the Inner Line Permit, the new train to Sairang, and where to go

How to apply online

1. Go to ilp.mizoram.gov.in and choose to apply for a temporary ILP.
2. Select Tourism as the type of visit.
3. Fill in your details as they appear on your ID, and give a local contact in Mizoram. Your hotel or tour operator is fine.
4. Upload a photo ID (voter ID, Aadhaar, PAN or passport), a recent passport-size photo, and proof that you are a tourist, such as a return ticket or itinerary.
5. Submit and keep the reference number. Verification usually takes about one working day, and you get an SMS when it is approved.
6. Pay the fee and download the pass.

Apply in the week before you travel. Applications open only about seven days before your date of entry, so you cannot do it months ahead.

Getting the permit on arrival

• At Lengpui airport, the security officer's counter issues temporary passes to arriving passengers.
• At Sairang station there is an ILP counter for train passengers. Hundreds of people can get off one train, so officials have started handing out paper forms to passengers, and the state has talked about a separate exit for passengers who need an ILP.
• If you come by road, the offices at Vairengte (from Silchar) and Bairabi can issue an ILP. Highway check gates cannot.
• Mizoram House offices in Kolkata, Guwahati, Shillong, Silchar and New Delhi issue permits before you travel.

Even if you plan to get it on arrival, keep your ID, two photos and your hotel's contact details in your hand luggage.

Rules for foreign travellers

From 2011 foreigners could visit Mizoram without a Protected Area Permit. In December 2024 the Ministry of Home Affairs brought the permit back for Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland. Apply for the PAP before you travel, through the e-FRRO portal or an Indian mission. Within 24 hours of arriving, register with the Superintendent of Police (CID/SB), Mizoram. Citizens of Afghanistan, China and Pakistan need prior approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Getting there

By train to Sairang

The Bairabi to Sairang line runs through a long series of tunnels and high bridges, and it opened on 13 September 2025. Sairang station is about 15 km from Aizawl. Trains run from there to Delhi (the Rajdhani Express to Anand Vihar), to Kolkata and Guwahati, and to Silchar on a slower passenger service. Check the current timetable, because these are not all daily.

By air to Lengpui

Lengpui airport is about 32 km from Aizawl, an hour to an hour and a half by road. There is a taxi counter outside arrivals, with fares set by the local taxi union, and state buses timed to the flights.

By road

The road from Silchar in Assam enters at Vairengte and climbs to Aizawl. It is a full day's drive, and the hills slow you down after rain.

Where to go

Aizawl

The capital is built along steep ridges, with houses stacked down the slopes. Aizawl drivers are famously patient. Traffic queues neatly and almost nobody honks, which comes as a shock if you have just come from any other Indian city. Bara Bazar is the main market, and Solomon's Temple on the edge of town is a well-known landmark. Two days here is enough for most people.

Reiek

Reiek is a hill about 30 km from Aizawl, with wide views over the ranges and a heritage village of traditional Mizo houses. It is an easy day trip.

Vantawng Falls

Vantawng, near Thenzawl in Serchhip district south of Aizawl, is one of the highest waterfalls in the state. Thenzawl is also known for its handloom weaving. Make it an overnight trip, or a long day out.

Champhai

Champhai is a broad valley of rice fields close to the Myanmar border, about six to seven hours east of Aizawl. It is warmer and flatter than the rest of the state. Give it two nights.

Further south

Phawngpui, the Blue Mountain, is the highest peak in Mizoram and a national park in Lawngtlai district, far to the south. Trekking there needs forest department permission. Dampa Tiger Reserve lies to the west. Both are for travellers with time and a taste for remote roads.

Festivals

Chapchar Kut, the spring festival, falls in March. Its best-known sight is Cheraw, the bamboo dance, in which dancers step between bamboo poles clapped together in rhythm. Book a few weeks ahead if you want to be in Aizawl for it.

Local things worth knowing

• Sunday is a day of rest. Almost everything closes, so use Sunday for a drive or a quiet day.
• Mizoram is a dry state under its 2019 prohibition law.
• Carry cash for the smaller towns, though UPI is common in Aizawl.
• Hill roads are slow, so plan on around 25 to 30 km an hour outside the city.

Best time to visit

October to March is the best time, with clear skies and mild days. March brings Chapchar Kut. The monsoon, roughly May to September, is heavy here, and landslides can close roads for a day or more.

Mizoram tours

Our Mizoram trips start in Aizawl, whether you fly into Lengpui or come by train to Sairang. The Aizawl & Reiek hills tour (4 days) and the Mizoram hills & culture explorer (6 days) both include Inner Line Permit assistance. If you want to combine states, look at the budget Tripura and Mizoram loop or the premium Tripura & Mizoram tour. Both start in Agartala, and the premium tour includes the Mizoram ILP. More on the state is on the Mizoram destination page.

A note on prices: the permit fees and fines in this guide are what the official sources listed when we wrote it in October 2026. Governments revise them without much warning, so check the official portal (ilp.mizoram.gov.in) for the current amount before you pay or travel.