subject: How To Reach- Kolkata To Darjeeling [print this page] Kolkata is the capital of the state of West Bengal. It is the third most populous city India and is located on the banks of Hooghly river. It is a major cultural, educational and commercial centre of India. The oldest functioning port in India is located in Kolkata and is known as the Port of Kolkata. The culture is diverse and is mainly dominated by drama, film, art, theatre and literature. Kolkata also has a significant role in the history of India. There are many historical monuments and buildings
in Kolkata. Many visitors come from different parts of the world to learn about its culture and history every year.
Darjeeling is located in the state of West Bengal in east India. It is a very popular tourist destination and is located in the Lesser Himalayas. It is situated at an altitude of 2050 m above sea level.
Darjeeling is alsom known for producing some of the best quality tea in India. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway or Toy Train has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. Darjeeling has pleasant climate throughout the year and is a popular summer retreat. Tea and tourism is the mainstay of the economy.
The total distance between Kolkata and Darjeeling (both in West Bengal) is 634 Km. It takes 8 hrs 50 minutes by road. Regular bus service connects Darjeeling and Kolkata while taxis can also be hired from Kolkata which costs anywhere between Rs 12,000 to Rs 17,000 (for a round trip). But a bus trip is generally recommended to the back packers and the adventure junkies only.
The closest airport to Darjeeling is Bagdogra near Siliguri at a distance of 96 Km which is well connected to Kolkata airport. From airport one can easily take taxis to Darjeeling which charges around Rs 1,200. Air India, the largest airline of India has flights from Kolkata - IC 721 (on Tu/Th/Sat) Jet Airways, a private airline, has flights from Kolkata 9W 617 (Daily). Spice Jet also operates flights from Kolkata & Delhi.
The nearest railway stations connecting Kolkata to Darjeeling are Siliguri Jn (SGUJ) and New Jalpaiguri. Many trains are available from Siliguri and New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling. One can rely on different modes of transportation from here to Darjeeling. Taxis are the most popular modes of transport here and are usually shared by three to four passengers.
Shared jeeps are another popular way of transportation and jeeps depart regularly, from several locations around town. They leave only when Jeep is full, and are a cheap, fast and reasonably comfortable way to get to Darjeeling. Shared jeep (carrying up to ten passengers) will charge around
Rs.150/ to Rs.200/ but it mostly depends on the time of travel.
