Zojila is open, and in summer you get one window to cross: light vehicles move from both sides until 1 PM, and heavy trucks take the afternoon. In winter, the pass that used to shut for five months now closes for a few weeks at most. Here's how the timings and closures work on the Srinagar–Leh highway, from J&K Traffic Police advisories and Border Roads Organisation (BRO) reporting, checked on 14 October 2026.
Quick Summary:
- Status: Open. Zojila (about 3,528 m) is the pass between Sonamarg and Drass on the Srinagar–Kargil–Leh highway.
- Summer timings: Light vehicles from both sides until 1 PM. Heavy vehicles from Sonamarg towards Kargil 12 noon to 5 PM (Traffic Police advisory, 3 August 2026). Timings are set day by day.
- Winter closures are short now: In 2025 the pass reopened on 1 April after just 32 days shut. In winter 2025–26 it stayed open past 13 January, a record.
- Sonamarg is all-weather: The Sonamarg (Z-Morh) tunnel, opened in January 2025, keeps the road to Sonamarg open in winter. The pass above it still depends on the snow.
- Bikes: Advisories name light motor vehicles and don't mention two-wheelers separately. Ride the light-vehicle window, and carry anti-skid chains if snow is forecast.
Verified by MileMarked · Last verified: October 2026
Sources: Kashmir Images on the 3 August 2026 advisory; Greater Kashmir on the 2025 reopening and on Zojila staying open in winter 2025–26 (13 Jan 2026). Checked 14 Oct 2026.
Is Zojila Pass open now?
Yes. Zojila is open for the 2026 season. On any given day, though, it can close for fresh snow, a landslide or an avalanche warning. The Traffic Police publish a daily advisory for the Srinagar–Sonamarg–Gumri road, including which vehicles can cross, from which side and until when.
How to check: Read the J&K Traffic Police advisory for the next day. Kashmir newspapers, including Greater Kashmir and Kashmir Images, regularly carry it. The police at Sonamarg can tell you the day's status before you start the climb.
Zojila timings: one window for light vehicles
A typical summer advisory, from 3 August 2026:
| Vehicles | Direction | Window |
|---|---|---|
| Light motor vehicles | Both sides | Until 1 PM |
| Heavy motor vehicles | Sonamarg → Kargil | 12 noon to 5 PM |
That's a single day's advisory, not a fixed rule. In bad weather, advisories often go one-way: light vehicles from one side only, or only up to a certain point. Read the advisory for your day, not last week's.
What it means on a bike:
- Leave Sonamarg early. You want to be climbing well before the 1 PM cut-off, not racing it. The trucks get the road in the afternoon, and the climb is narrow, rough and dusty when they're on it.
- Coming from Kargil, the same 1 PM cut-off applies, so leave Drass in the morning.
- Carry anti-skid chains if snow is forecast. The August advisory told all motorists to carry them.
What about bikes?
The advisories are written for "LMVs", light motor vehicles, and don't mention two-wheelers separately. Riders cross in the light-vehicle window. If an advisory restricts traffic to one direction or to certain vehicles, ask the police at Sonamarg before you start the climb.
When does Zojila close for winter?
It used to close for five months. It doesn't any more. Zojila traditionally shut by December and reopened between March and May, once BRO had cleared the snow. Recent winters have been very different:
- Winter 2024–25: snow from 27 February to 16 March, then 15 days of clearance. The pass reopened on 1 April 2025 after only 32 days closed, a record (Greater Kashmir).
- Winter 2025–26: Zojila stayed open past 13 January 2026, a new record. BRO's Project Vijayak kept it open through temperatures of minus 20°C, blizzards and avalanche risk (Greater Kashmir, 13 January 2026). Short closures after heavy snowfall followed.
Two things are behind the change: BRO's snow-clearance operation on the pass, and the Sonamarg (Z-Morh) tunnel, which opened in January 2025 and keeps the road to Sonamarg open all winter. The Zojila tunnel under the pass is still being built.
For a rider: the summer season, May to October, is still the time to ride Srinagar–Leh. A pass that's technically open in January is a road for trucks and locals between storms, not for a motorcycle trip.
Before you ride Srinagar–Leh
- Ladakh fees: you need the online green fee and related fees for Ladakh's protected circuits. See our Leh-Ladakh permits guide.
- Acclimatisation: the Srinagar side climbs more gently than Manali–Leh, but Leh's 48-hour rest rule still applies once you get there.
- Fuel: fill up before the climb from the Srinagar side, then again at Drass or Kargil.
- SIM: only postpaid connections from outside J&K and Ladakh work. Prepaid ones from other states don't.
MileMarked routes over Zojila: Srinagar to Leh and Delhi to Leh-Ladakh. Riding in through Kashmir? See our Mughal Road status guide. Prefer the Himachal side? Our Manali to Leh route covers it, and our bike prep guide for Ladakh applies to both.
📋 Complete Srinagar to Leh Itinerary on MileMarked This route has a verified day-by-day plan over Zojila, fuel stops and a packing checklist. Visit the Srinagar to Leh trip page on MileMarked to download the complete planning kit.
Zojila's timings change daily, and its winter behaviour is changing year to year. If something on this page is out of date, tell us. We re-check it every 90 days, and more often in winter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zojila Pass open today?
Zojila is open for the 2026 season, but it can close on any day for fresh snow, landslides or avalanche warnings. Check the J&K Traffic Police advisory for the Srinagar–Sonamarg–Gumri road the evening before you ride.
What are the Zojila Pass timings?
They're set daily. In a typical summer advisory (3 August 2026), light vehicles could cross from both sides until 1 PM, and heavy vehicles from Sonamarg towards Kargil between 12 noon and 5 PM. On a bike, plan to start the climb well before the 1 PM cut-off.
When does Zojila Pass close for winter?
It traditionally closed by December, but recent closures have been far shorter. In 2025 it reopened on 1 April after 32 days shut, and in winter 2025–26 it stayed open past 13 January, a record. Ride it in the summer season, May to October.
Can I ride a bike over Zojila?
Yes, in the light-vehicle window. Traffic advisories are written for light motor vehicles and don't list two-wheelers separately. Carry anti-skid chains if snow is forecast, and confirm the day's rules with the police at Sonamarg.
Do I need a permit to cross Zojila?
No permit is needed to cross Zojila itself. Once in Ladakh, Indian riders pay the online green fee and related fees for protected circuits such as Nubra and Pangong. Our Leh-Ladakh permits guide explains how.
