The fastest direct train from Roorkee (RK) is the 22457 Anand Vihar Terminal-Dehradun Vande Bharat, leaving at 20:33 and reaching Dehradun (DDN) at 22:35 (2h 02m, 6 days a week, not Thursday). The 12017 New Delhi-Dehradun Shatabdi Express leaves RK at 10:51 and reaches DDN at 12:55 (2h 04m, daily); erail lists 7 direct trains in all.
NDA coaching for Roorkee students
Live and train in Dehradun, the home of the Indian Military Academy. Students from Roorkee join residential NDA, CDS and SSB batches with hostel and mess on campus.
For Roorkee families
Everything that changes when you join from Roorkee.
Local facts for families travelling to Dehradun: travel, exam centre and schools.
UTC lists Dehradun ISBT-Roorkee routes via Chutmalpur and via Haridwar. Service class (ordinary, AC or Volvo) and timings are not verified, so check utconline.uk.gov.in.
Roorkee is not a UPSC centre; the nearest NDA and CDS centre is Dehradun, about 54 km away in a straight line.
Nearest: Sainik School Kunjpura (Haryana), about 80 km in a straight line; within Uttarakhand the state's own school is Sainik School Ghorakhal.
RIMC's admission page says one vacancy per State is generally allotted, with up to two for larger States, and its visible text gives no Uttarakhand figure. From the December 2026 cycle applications are online through NTA (exams.nta.nic.in/RIMCEE/), the written test is held at NTA centres and the age window is 12½ to 14 years.
Roorkee Cantonment has been the headquarters of the Bengal Engineer Group (Bengal Sappers) since 1853, and the Bengal Engineer Group Regimental Centre is at Roorkee.
Sources & verification
Facts verified on October 6, 2026. Train times must be re-checked on IRCTC/NTES before travel; road distance and drive time are routing estimates.
- https://www.upsc.gov.in/sites/default/files/Notif-NDA-II-2026-Engl-200526.pdf
- https://www.upsc.gov.in/sites/default/files/Notif-CDS-II-2026-Engl-200526.pdf
- https://rimc.edu.in/admission.aspx
- https://rimc.edu.in/notice.aspx
- https://www.sainikschoolsociety.in/our-schools
- https://www.sainikschoolsociety.in/our-schools/new-schools
- https://router.project-osrm.org/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roorkee
- https://erail.in/rail/getTrains.aspx?Station_From=RK&Station_To=DDN&DataSource=0&Language=0&Cache=true
- https://utconline.uk.gov.in/route.aspx
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal_Engineer_Group
Admission
Four steps from enquiry to joining.
Counselling call
Tell us the class and the entry. We suggest the right batch and share the fee sheet on WhatsApp.
Campus visit or video tour
Visit the classrooms, hostel and mess, or ask for a live video tour if travelling is not possible yet.
Admission & documents
Fill the admission form, share the documents and pay the registration fee.
Joining day
Arrive in Dehradun; your room, kit list and timetable are ready on the first day.
Courses
What students from here join for.
National Defence Academy and Naval Academy (NDA and NA) Examination
For students after Class 12. Unmarried women can sit the same UPSC examination.
NDA Foundation Course with Class 11-12 schooling, hostel and mess
For students who have passed Class 10 and want schooling and NDA preparation in one programme.
NDA one-month crash course
A short revision batch for candidates who have already covered the syllabus.
Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination: IMA, INA, AFA and OTA
For graduates and final-year degree students. Women can apply for OTA.
CDS Foundation Course
A longer, foundation-style CDS programme for degree students who start early.
Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT)
For graduates aiming at commissioned entries in the Indian Air Force.
Services Selection Board (SSB) interview preparation
For candidates who have an SSB call-up or are close to one.
Army 10+2 Technical Entry Scheme (TES) and Navy 10+2 B.Tech Cadet Entry: SSB preparation
These entries are shortlisted on JEE (Main) marks, so the coaching here is the SSB.
Military Nursing Service (MNS) B.Sc Nursing entrance preparation
For women who want to join the B.Sc Nursing course of the Military Nursing Service.
Indian Maritime University Common Entrance Test (IMU-CET)
For Class 12 students aiming at IMU programmes and a career at sea.
Merchant Navy entrance preparation
For Class 12 students exploring Merchant Navy entries through IMU and shipping-sector routes.
Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) entrance preparation
For students in Class VII who want admission to Class VIII at RIMC, Dehradun.
All India Sainik Schools Entrance Examination (AISSEE) preparation
For students seeking Class VI or Class IX entry to a Sainik School.
Rashtriya Military Schools Common Entrance Test (RMS CET) preparation
For students aiming at Class VI or Class IX entry to a Rashtriya Military School.
Agniveer (Army, Navy, Air Force) and Coast Guard entry preparation
For Class 10 and Class 12 candidates aiming at Agniveer and Coast Guard entries.
Questions from Roorkee parents
Ask on WhatsAppHow long does the train take from Roorkee to Dehradun?
The Vande Bharat takes 2h 02m (20:33 to 22:35, six days a week, not Thursday) and the Shatabdi Express 2h 04m (10:51 to 12:55, daily).
Which buses run between Roorkee and Dehradun?
UTC lists Dehradun ISBT to Roorkee services via Chutmalpur and via Haridwar. The list carries no timings or service class, so check utconline.uk.gov.in.
Where would a Roorkee student take the NDA paper?
Roorkee is not a centre. The nearest NDA and CDS centre is Dehradun, about 54 km away in a straight line.
Is there a Sainik School near Roorkee?
Within Uttarakhand the school is Sainik School Ghorakhal. The nearest one by distance is Sainik School Kunjpura in Haryana, about 80 km away in a straight line.
Does the academy have separate hostels for girls?
Yes. The hostels for boys and girls are separate, and there is a mess. See the hostel and mess page for details.
Admissions
