Transportation in Ratlam

Situated in the Malwa region, the city of Ratlam is known for its historic monuments. Under the rule of King Ratan Singh the city was famously called Ratnapuri or the city of gems. While under the British Raj the city of Ratlam emerged as one of the important commercial hub in central India. The city of Ratlam is bestowed with the transport facility and connects all parts of the district with the main city. The transport system includes rail, buses, taxi, auto etc. The quality of ride differs with different mode of transportation. During pre independence when captain Borthwick founded the city in the year of 1829, the framework of transportation via roads was established. The railway system was introduced after the year 1872. With the increased urbanization the city of Ratlam has undergone extensive changes in terms of transportation network.

Road Network in Ratlam

Ratlam is a small region in northern part of Madhya Pradesh, but it has extensive road network and is connected to local and national highways. The national highway number 79 connects Ratlam with Indore and Neemuch. It is the four lane highway which originates from Chittorgarh and connects Ratlam. This highway is a part of the famous golden quadrilateral that connects the country. The highway number 79 connects the regions like Jaora, Malwasa, Namli directly while the highway is connected via other routes to Sailana, Bajna, Tal, Alot and Piploda indirectly. Apart from the highway there are several major roads in the Ratlam district that interconnects every region with each other. State highway number 31 and 32 connects the city of Ratlam with other states like Rajasthan and Gujarat. Several tourists prefer traveling via road to Ratlam due to the well constructed road network.

Bus Services in Ratlam

The bus transit system has become the lifeline of the city of Ratlam. The bus transportation includes the services by both public and private sector buses. The fleet of both private and public buses transports several passengers on daily basis. It is one the least expensive way to commute within the region. There are regular bus services for the tourists are available to travel within the city. From Bajna and Roadways Bus Stand in Ratlam you can catch buses for Mandu, Indore, Ujjain, Sailana etc. The tickets for the bus transportation can be purchased from any bus counter or directly from the bus conductor on the spot. The fares for bus transportation are fixed for public buses and are regulated by the state government. The minimum fare for a particular distance traveled by bus is generally Rs 5 while one can get a bus pass of Rs 100 to travel in the same route for the period of one month. But the fares for luxury private buses would be different and are regulated by private bus owners.

Shared Auto in Ratlam

In the city of Ratlam one can find several autos operating between both minimum and maximum distance destinations. These distances could be less than half a kilometers or could be more than 12 kilometers. In shared auto generally people tend to share the seats in order to share the commutation fare. If the distance to be covered is short then one needs to pay just Rs 5 to the auto driver. Few autos operate on metered based rates. In such cases one need to ensure that meter is switched on while commutation. The fares of the auto are generally higher during the night. If you are in hurry and do not to share the auto then pre paid auto is the best option. They might charge you more but the commutation would be relatively faster.

Railways in Ratlam

Ratlam junction comes under the western Indian railway. The divisional headquarter for the western Railway zone is Ratlam. Ratlam junction posses the important railway tracks to head toward Mumbai, Delhi, Ajmer and Khandwa. Ratlam junction is the first ever cleaning station for the trains passing through the region. Regular trains from Howrah, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and New Delhi are available to the railway station in Ratlam. Golden Temple Mail, Garbha Express, Mumbai Rajdhani and Adi Asansol Express are some of the main trains passing through this railway station.


The coaches of the trains running between long distances are halted in Ratlam junction and were cleaned via vacuum cleaners and HP cleaners. Due to the presence of important railway tracks in the region, Ratlam Junction is known to be the busiest railway junction in the country. Post independence Ratlam railway division was established in 15th August 1956 under the control of Indian railways. It possessed both meter gauge and board gauge section pre independence. The meter gauge section was being used since the year 1874 while the use of board gauge started in the year 1893. Ratlam division is popularly known for transportation of essential and industrial commodities like cement, caustic soda, clinker, sodium sulphate etc.

How to reach Ratlam ?

The city of Ratlam is well connected with all other regions within or outside the state of Madhya Pradesh. One can easily commute in to city via buses and rails. One can also fly down to the nearest airport i.e. Indore located at the distance of about111 kms and then can travel to the city of Ratlam via car or bus. Buses run by state government are the most common mode of transportation in the city. As the national highway connects Ratlam to golden quadrilateral thus one can travel to Ratlam via car or taxi. Some special trains like Rajdhani express passes through Ratlam Junction.

Travel and Transport become easy when the huge network of travel agencies, tour and travel Operators are taken into the account. There are many agencies that take care of transport facilities in the city. These agencies work day and night to make the transport of Ratlam better and smoother.