After the split of the state of Assam into Assam and Meghalaya, Shillong was declared the capital city of the newly formed state of Meghalaya. Standing at an altitude of about 1500 meter above sea level, Shillong is a home to numerous waterfalls and a dense forest area covers the amazing city.
The cheapest and most preferred way to reach Shillong is via railways and bus/shared taxis. The nearest railhead is Guwahati which is nearly 100 kms from the city. Guwahati is well-connected to major Indian cities (New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata etc.) via railways. For train bookings visit IRCTC.
Outside the Guwahati station, you can catch a bus/shared taxi for Shillong. The bus services are run by Assam State Transport Corporation(ASTC). The fare is around INR 80 and usually takes around 4 hours to reach Shillong.
Buses are generally very crowded. In order to avoid the same and reach Shillong quicker (approx. 2 hours), you can catch a shared taxi. The fare for SUV vehicle is around INR 200 and that of a midsize car is INR 300.
You can cover the must-visit places of Shillong in a day. But to experience more in the culture, food, and lifestyle of people, I would suggest staying for few more days.
To cover must visit places you can start from Umiam Lake and end at Elephant falls or vice versa.
Places to visit:
umiam lake
elephant falls
shillong peak
shillong golf course
Don Bosco centre for indigenious cultures
Police Bazar
Ward’s Lake
mona's blog 