Chandigarh to St Louis Flights

  About Chandigarh

Located on the west coast of British Columbia, Canada, is the gorgeous city of Vancouver. It is famously known to be one of the most densely populated cities in the country. Not just the population but even the ethnic diversity sets the city apart from the others. Vancouver has a plethora of gardens and parks, along with museums and galleries. The city has managed to find fame amid travellers in recent years. Owing to the landscape scenery and thriving food establishments, Vancouver has grown into becoming one of the most important cities in Canada. It is easy to connect flights to Vancouver as well.

Best time to visit Chandigarh

Vancouver is predominantly a cold city with temperatures barely exceeding 22 degree Celsius. However, the spring, summers and fall are pleasant in Vancouver, giving way to tourists. Since summer is the peak season in Vancouver, often you will find a plethora of tourists from around Canada to flock over for some fun. The city's thriving culture and lifestyle, topped with the slew of amazing festivals such as TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival, Vancouver Pride Parade & Festival, Vancouver Folk Music Festival and Bard on the Beach, further make people want to head to the city. With so many events and lovely weather to take in, the hotel prices and flight tickets also tend to get expensive. Plus, with the crowd, it might be difficult for you to enjoy a quiet and quaint environment. The cruise port also gets busy as the travellers need to be accommodated. However, the spring season will get your spirits high and your pockets happy. From March to May, the city turns lively as the cherry blossoms bloom and the whales pass through the Vancouver waters. It is a beautiful sight and certainly comes with great perks.

There are some fascinating events such as the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival and Vancouver International Dance Festival that take place during spring. It is certainly the kind you shouldn't miss as the streets turn carnivalesque. Autumn is just as favourable as spring as the city prepares for the winters. It is easier to book hotels in Vancouver during this season as people are departing from the summer fun, reducing the demand for the city. Just as the temperatures go down, even the hotel prices and flight ticket costs drop, making it easier for tourists with a strict budget to traverse. While the city folks continue with their fairs and events, a new wave of budge tourists come over to be entertained by what the city has to offer. The temperatures would require you to carry jackets and coats along with you. It can get super cold, especially if you're from a hot country and are not used to the drop in temperatures. The experience of autumn in Vancouver is just as beautiful with the city streets turning crimson red as maple leaves flood the streets.

Places to visit in Chandigarh

Life in Vancouver is on the outside and not indoors. The city bustles and brims with opportunities for tourists to engage in. The Stanley Park is one sweet place from where you can begin your Canadian tour. Granville Island is the one place that will give you trendy restaurants, theatres and alluring galleries. All you've got to do is to hitch up a ferry ride and ho to the island. Another lovely place to visit would be Queen Elizabeth Park, a famous outdoor attraction in Vancouver. Famously known as the Kitsiklano 'Kits' Beach, the stretch of shores finds itself in the lines of an LA or Venice beach, thanks to the pristine water it touches. Spanish Banks Beach is another thrilling spot that would make you happy, especially if the water is something you love. The city has far too many gardens so you will never be tired of the greenery around you. The VanDusen Botanical Garden also deserves to be visited as it is one of the pretty places. It's not just gardens and beaches though, the city also has Yaletown, a chic neighbourhood to indulge in some upscaled lifestyle.

Things to do in Chandigarh

One of the best things to do in Vancouver is easily the famous Capilano Suspension Bridge. It is 450 ft long, and 230 ft elevated from the ground that offers a stunning view of the river flowing under. It is quite thrilling and definitely poles apart from the feeling the gardens in Vancouver invoke. You can indulge in some leisure sightseeing and shopping at the Lonsdale Quay Market. Another fun thing to take up in Vancouver would be to indulge in a food tour. As the city does brim with a vast opportunity for lip-smacking food, you will not be disappointed with the establishments the city has. Sailing is another activity that you can take up in the city. It would be fun, and you will get to learn something new. Plus, for the outdoorsy kind, you can visit Grouse Mountain for some adventure fun.

Food and Restaurants in Chandigarh

Vancouver is nestled along the Pacific coast, making seafood as it's the staple food. In fact, much of their food has fish and other aquatic life as the base. That includes the classic fish and chips too, which is otherwise a London speciality. These can be found in the city's markets such as Granville Island. The place is ideal for you to explore their seafood delicacies. While Granville has some of the basic but delicious street meat, Yaletown upscales the whole experience, which would be ideal for you if you're on a romantic rendezvous. The setting at Yaletown is formal and posh. Some of the food establishments that you should visit during your trip are Rodney's Oyster House, Blue Water Cafe, to name a few. These are the best seafood restaurants in the city which you will surely like. You can also check out YEW Seafood + Bar, which is located at the Four Seasons Hotel in Vancouver. Their speciality includes Sidney Island venison and Qualicum Bag scallops. These are a big hit in the city, and something many would recommend.

A little away from Vancouver is Richmond (in British Columbia), where you'll find more seafood with wild salmon, tuna, mussels, crab and halibut too. What makes this place special is how the fish are fresh catch of the day which the fishermen get from the docks. These you can find at Steveston Village. Not just seafood but Vancouver also has its own version of Chinatown where you will find some of the best Asian dishes. In fact, you can also experience the little India that is settled in Vancouver. There is a Punjabi Market which is basically an Indo-Canadian neighbourhood located in the South Vancouver. Rest assured, all your cravings for Indian curries and delicacies shall be fulfilled here.

How to reach Chandigarh

There are no direct flights from Indian to Vancouver. However, the flight connectivity to Vancouver from India is exceptional. Canada, in general, receives a lot of tourists and potential residents from India. Due to this, the popularity of flights to this route is quite high. In fact, every second day, there are people travelling to Vancouver or other parts of Canada. Since there are no direct or nonstop flights to Vancouver from India, many airlines do have services to reach with layovers in other international cities. Airlines such as Delta Air Lines, Air France, Air Canada, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa, United Airlines, British Airways have some dedicated flights flying to Vancouver. As there are no direct flights, many have layovers in their origin countries. For example, Air France has flight connectivity to Vancouver from Paris, so there is a layover in the city. Similarly, other cities with layovers are in Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Newark, Istanbul, to name a few. The most popular route for flights to Vancouver is from Paris and Frankfurt. However, some of the flights need a second layover which either takes places in Montreal, Toronto or Newark.

To fly to Vancouver from India, you will require to apply for a transit visa. Since the international routes connecting Vancouver and India are from cities like Paris and Frankfurt, they require a transit visa from the passenger. To make things easier, the Canadian Embassy has allowed for online applications. All you need to do is fill up the application online and submit the same. The process is easier and less time-consuming. Besides, the status of the application is received promptly. The flight tickets to Vancouver are considerably on the expensive side. The distance is quite a lot and travelling through certain airlines is why the prices are steep. However, you can always find exceptional flight deals online. There are provisions of miles as well which enable the ticket prices to reduce. You can find cheap flight tickets to Vancouver online, especially if you book them well in advance. Simultaneously, you can make your hotel reservations too. Booking in advance always comes with its perks and booking your hotels in Vancouver will also be cheap if you do it beforehand.

  About St. Louis

Nestled along the sparkling Mississippi River in Missouri, is the beautiful city of St. Louis. The city is iconic in many ways as it has a rich history and also the cultural hub of the place. From barbecued meat to pubs playing blues, the city is lovely and was named after Louis IX of France.

Best time to visit St. Louis

Missouri's summers can be pretty hot and winters, just as cold. However, their spring and fall seasons are just perfect with balanced weather that attracts a lot of tourists. St. Louis enjoys great springs and autumns as the city turns into lovely foliage of orange. Although the two-season is quite short compared to winters and summers, spring and autumn's quaint vibe does good for the city of St. Louis. The city witnesses fall between September to October. During this time, the weathers transition from hot to cold, giving the city just the perfect setting for events and other activities. The autumn months actually open gateways to a plethora of events and festivals hosted by the city to entertain the locals as well as tourists. Events such as Big Muddy Blues Festival, Great Forest Park Balloon Race, Taste of St. Louis, Best of Missouri Market, Saint Louis Art Fair, LouFest, to name a few, are celebrated between September and October.

The hotel prices do get a little steep during autumn as the festivals bring in a lot of action in the tourism industry. Many tourists from within the state as well as from other states in the US, flock over to St. Louis to indulge in these events and celebrations. Hence, finding hotel reservations in St. Louis could get challenging. But if you do plan beforehand, you might not have to worry about these issues. November through March might not be a good time to visit St. Louis as the temperatures are quite unfavourable. However, do not miss their Mardi Gras celebrations which take place in March. It is the second-best in the country after New Orleans. You will also get a good deal on hotel bookings in St. Louis during this time. Besides, the month also sees a drop in temperatures as the city starts to make room for spring. Speaking of which, April and May are also a good time to visit the city as the weather is very tourist-friendly and the city rings in various interesting festivals that cater to audiences with multitudes of interests.

Places to visit in St. Louis

The city of St. Louis has a diverse range of places that you can visit. They start from beautiful museums to amazing parks. The first place that you can start with is the Gateway Arch. It is the pride of St. Louis as it takes tourists through the history of the city. Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis is another lovely structure that you would like to visit. It has a very neo-Byzantine Roman Catholic architecture. The Saint Louis Zoo is another lovely place where you can hang out and check out the plethora of wild animals such as sloths, tarantulas, gators, armadillos, penguins and more. The Saint Louis Art Museum is a good place to be marvelled by the art exhibits. There are over 34,000 works of artefacts that will amaze you. Saint Louis Science Centre is another fun place where you can revel in the exhibits of animals, skyscrapers, space and more. The Missouri Civil War Museum is an important place that you should visit as it retells the history of the Civil War and St. Louis' role in the conflict.

Things to do in St. Louis

The Forest Park of St. Louis gives New York City's Central Park a fierce competition for being a gigantic green estate. The place has many recreational activities such as fishing, museums, trekking trails and more. Since the garden is over 500 acres in area, there are too many things that can be done. Trekking, fishing, boating, a golf course, zoo, attending concerts, are some of the things that can be done in the park. You would not be bored here. In case it is all too much of work to do, you can simply lay on the grass and enjoy the St. Louis sun. Grant's Farm has historical significance as it was built by Civil War general Ulysses S. Grant. The farm has alpacas and more such cattle. The Missouri Botanical Garden is a fun place where you can check out the limestone cave as well as sit atop a treehouse. The place certainly stands tall as one of the attractions in the city. The Bush Stadium is very famous as you will get to experience St. Louisians cheer for their favourite baseball team. Indulging in the food culture of St. Louis is a must-try.

Food and restaurants in St. Louis

St. Louis is a multicultural haven with a vibrant and thriving food culture. From Bosnian delicacies to Italian treats, you will find many styles and cuisines of multiethnic backgrounds. In fact, it is actually recommended that you peruse through the Explore St. Louis Neighbourhoods page before stepping out for chow time. It would also help to ask around to get some good recommendations for food in the city. Because of its plethora of options, it is essential that you find the ideal establishment that works with your sensibilities. Since the city does have famous dishes including their own rendition of St. Louis-style barbeque and ribs, it would be nice to first list out what you want to eat and what your options are. You can start your food rendezvous in the city by opting for a classic deli sandwich from Blues City Deli. It is located in Benton Park and makes the most sumptuous and succulent sandwiches. You can also check out Adriana's on the Hill for variety in the sandwich business

Stacked STL also has a good recipe of American food that would cater to your gastronomical needs. To indulge in the classic St. Louis style food, including barbecued meat and ribs, Bogart's Smokehouse and Pappy's Smokehouse would be the best. They do know how to grill their meat and serve a generous spread. The city also has an interesting melange of Italian and Bosnian cuisine that has often caught the fancy of tourists. For a traditional Italian food rendezvous, you can visit Charlie Gitto's and Zia's on the Hill, both located in the Hill District. They are recognised for their exquisite ravioli with a twist of toast. The meat-filled pastas that are panfried make for a wholesome meal. The city's Bosnian food establishments are located five miles outside the centre. At the Grbic Restaurant & Events, you can sink your teeth in their celebrated grilled beef sausages and rolls. Other places that are a must-visit in St. Louis include Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, Gioia's Deli, Roberto's Trattoria and Chophouse, The Crossing and Eleven Eleven Mississippi.

How to reach St. Louis

St. Louis is much in the interiors of the United States and hence, requires some layovers and flight changes. There are no direct flights to St. Louis from India, and it requires a bunch of flight changes and even layovers with long durations. However, the good news is that flight connectivity to St. Louis from Indian cities is quite good. There are a bunch of airlines that offer services to connect Indian cities to St. Louis. Airlines such as Lufthansa, United Airlines, British Airways, Air France, Delta Air Lines, to name a few, have flights to St. Louis from India. The best part about these airlines is that they only have layovers and there is no change of flights required. The most popular route to St. Louis is from Germany. Many of these airlines have layovers in Munich and Frankfurt. Since the layovers are in European cities, they require Schengen transit visas. Applying for a transit visa is very easy as you need to get in touch with the embassy or fill up an online form. It is easy to get hold of a transit visa. Often the layovers in the European airports are quite long.

The flight duration to St. Louis from India is a little time-consuming as the city is in Central America. Due to this, airlines require a second layover in cities within the US. Domestic routes are used to connect flights to St. Louis. The flight duration is close to 26 hours, and the flight tickets are also quite expensive. Finding a cheap flight ticket to St. Louis would be the dream. However, due to the distance and the multiple layovers, the ticket prices to St. Louis from India are often very expensive. You could always opt for making advance booking of flights to St. Louis to be eligible for an online discount. It would be best to use this method as you will have plenty of time to find flights and deals too that would give you discounts on flights to St. Louis. You can also make your hotel reservations in St. Louis while booking flights. Combining the two might help you snag some decent deals online. You could also use up some miles, if you have been collecting them, as a trip to St. Louis could use some miles to save on money.

  About Chandigarh Airport

Chandigarh International Airport is a custom airport that also serves as a passenger airport to the Union Territory Chandigarh. Along with the city, the airport also serves Panchkula, Mohali and other cities in the states of Punjab, Haryana and a few southern districts of Himachal Pradesh. The airport runway is situated in the Union Territory of Chandigarh. In contrast, the international terminal falls on the south side of the runway, close to the village of Jhiurheri in Mohali, Punjab. The international airport has all its civil and commercial operations conducted from the civil enclave of the Indian Air Force Station. In the 1970s, the airport witnessed tremendous flight activity and operations from Indian Airlines. There were regular flights connecting Chandigarh to Delhi.

Following the construction of a new airport building in the civil enclave in 2011, all operations were diverted to the new terminal. This special air terminal was announced as a customs airport in 2011, giving it the international stature. Although it became an international airport, the terminal never witnessed international flight activities operate from its premise. In 2008, the Government of Punjab acquired a land area of 304.04 acres to construct the new international terminal. Over its completion in 2015 and a few Public Interest Litigation case hearings that took place at the Punjab High Court and Haryana High Court, the airport finally witnessed international flight activities from 2016. IndiGo and Air India Express became the first airlines to commence international flights to fly to Dubai and Sharjah from Chandigarh International Airport.

About Chandigarh Airport Terminal

The new international terminal came into existence in 2015 and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The new terminal has been built in an eco-friendly manner with several features validating the same. Larsen and Toubro constructed the airport's new terminal. The airport's interiors have an abundance of plants which gives a rather botanical garden feel. The earlier domestic terminal now caters to VIP flights and is also reserved for flying club. Meanwhile, the new terminal includes two link taxiways that connect to the terminal as well as the cargo complex. There are four aerobridges apron reserved for parking of four in contact, and eight remote parking stands for aircraft. The terminal is divided into two levels with the first level taking care of all departures while the ground level has arrivals. The first phase of the airport terminal has the capacity to handle about 1,600 passengers at a time with a parking space to accommodate 150 vehicles. Although the airport is not a greenfield airport, it does use the runway of the current Indian air force base. The departure section of the terminal has relevant facilities such as ATMs, WiFi and a duty-free shop. Much recently, the terminal's check-in counters have also been expanded from 24 to 26.

About airport authority

Chandigarh International Airport is jointly owned by the government of Punjab, the government of Haryana and the Airports Authority of India. In fact, they have formed a consortium as the airport's operations are handled by Chandigarh International Airport Limited. In the consortium, Airports Authority of India holds a maximum stake with 51 per cent equity while the Government of Punjab and Government of Haryana hold 24.5 per cent of shares respectively. Chandigarh International Airport Limited is responsible for all the management, maintenance and other such operations of the airport terminal. Ever since the airport's genesis, CHIAL has been working towards expanding the airport's premise and providing world-class facilities to attract more flights and passengers. After quite a lot of struggle with cases going up to the high courts of both the states, Chandigarh International Airport finally even received international flight operations. Currently, the airport caters to a slew of domestic airlines, some of them catering to Indian as well as international cities.

Facilities at the Chandigarh Airport

Food court - Chandigarh International Airport may not have a slew of fancy restaurants installed in its vicinity; it does have a dedicated food court. Passengers can avail lip-smacking dishes from the airport's food courts. They have local and globally recognised food joints available. From burgers to chole bhatures, you can find all kinds of cuisine.

Trolleys and wheelchairs – Trolleys and wheelchairs are available at the airport. While the trolleys can be found at every junction of the airport's arrivals and departure section, wheelchairs need prior intimation. You will need to speak with the airlines and inform them about the requirement for a wheelchair at the entrance of the airport's departure gates. Following the same, the airport will send trained staff to help out the passenger in need of the wheelchair.

Baggage – The baggage system and services at the Chandigarh International Airport include trolleys, baggage wrapping services, storage facilities and more. There are dedicated reclaim baggage conveyor belts located in the arrivals section from where passengers can get access to their checked luggage.

ATMs and currency exchange – As an international airport, Chandigarh International Airport has installed currency exchange booths in the arrivals section of its international terminal. International travellers can get their currencies exchanged and also make money transfers at the forex counters. Plus, there are ATM kiosks also available in the airport premise. Passengers can withdraw money if needed, especially if they are travelling within any liquid cash.

Medical facilities – The airport also has medical facilities available for emergency cases. It is essential to have medical experts on the airport campus at all times. Hence, the airport has ensured to keep a team of dedicated medical professionals. There are medical rooms also available at the airport. You can avail these services for free. There are pharmacies also available at the airport. They provide medicines as well as toiletries that you can purchase.

Child care room – Parents travelling with infants can avail the child care room facility. These rooms have been reserved for parents to help tend to their infant babies. Activities such as breastfeeding and changing diapers can be done in these rooms as it offers privacy. Simultaneously, the child can be put to sleep in the room while they wait for boarding. These rooms are kept well-sanitised.

Smoking zones – Chandigarh International Airport does not allow smoking in public. Hence, they have provided special smoking zones for passengers. These can be found at the departures and arrivals of both the domestic and international terminals. It is essential for passengers to adhere to these rules and smoke within the premise of the smoking lounge provided by the airport.

Special assistance – The airport caters to special assistance for disabled travellers. Prior intimation needs to be given to the airlines by the traveller if they wish to avail these services. You can also specify the requirements for the traveller to the airlines, and the airport will make the necessary accommodations for the same.

International SIMs – For travellers who are visiting Chandigarh and do not have a local SIM number, you can get hold of the same at the airport. There are dedicated counters at the arrivals section of the international terminal where counters have been installed to provide temporary SIMs. Mobile phones are also available, in case you need one.

Top airlines flying from the Chandigarh Airport

Chandigarh International Airport currently enables operations of seven domestic airlines and caters to connect two international destinations. Presently, the airlines that operate from Chandigarh International Airport are AirAsia India, Air India, Alliance Air, Air India Express, GoAir, IndiGo and Vistara. These airlines have excellent connectivity with various Indian cities along with designated international destinations. Chandigarh International Airport connects flights to cities such as Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Dharamshala, Pune, Jammu, Chennai, Kullu, Dubai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Srinagar, Ahmedabad, Bagdogra, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram, Patna and more.

How to reach Chandigarh Airport

By Bus

The new terminal of Chandigarh International Airport is close to 14 km away from the main city of Chandigarh. The city of Chandigarh has excellent bus transport facilities that help connect to various parts of Punjab, Haryana and parts of Himachal Pradesh too. Chandigarh Transport Undertaking has AC buses that operate from the main city to the airport's new terminal. The buses take Route 38 and 36 to reach Chandigarh International Airport. It is easily one of the most sought-after ways to reach Chandigarh International Airport. The ticket fare is also quite affordable and ideal for travellers. Besides, the buses have been designed in such a way that they offer a comfortable journey to the airport. The transport service also has a mobile app from where you can book tickets and get details about the bus schedules and routes to reach Chandigarh International Airport.

By Taxi cabs

Taxicab services are also present within the city to reach the Chandigarh International Airport. You can hail a taxi cab from anywhere around the city or the other surrounding states to reach Chandigarh International Airport. It might be challenging as you will need to communicate with the drivers and ensure that they don't make you pay an exorbitant amount for the journey to reach the Chandigarh International Airport.