Getting There By Air:Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport (Dum Dum airport)Tel: (033) 2511 8787.
Website:
www.calcuttaairport.comDum Dum airport is about 18km (11 miles) northeast of the city. Snack bars, tourist information and currency exchange booths can be found in the terminals.
Kolkata is a major hub for domestic and international flights, and a good place to buy reasonably priced onward flights to other parts of Asia. It is served by a growing number
of international air carriers. Its domestic airport connects Kolkata to all major Indian cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru (Bangalore).
Taxi is the most convenient mode of transport from the airport, with tickets available from the pre-paid taxi booth in the arrivals hall. Alternatively, you could catch a taxi to the Dum Dum metro (train) station, located around 5km (3 miles) from the airport. Traffic jams mean you should allow two hours to get to the airport during the day; one hour at night.
Getting There By Road:Don’t consider traveling to or from Kolkata by car or by coach unless you have too much time on your hands and a tough constitution. Distances from other major cities are vast, roads are potentially pretty bad and driving conditions worse. If you insist on driving, hire a car and driver via a reputable dealer or good hotel and don’t drive yourself - any savings on the driver’s salary will be more than overtaken by the additional insurance. All in all, it is advisable to get the train or fly and hire a car locally when you arrive.
Some of the more useful long-distance bus services include Siliguri (12 hours) for onward travel to Darjeeling or Sikkim, from the Esplanade bus stand at the northern end of the Maidan. There are also daily buses to/from Puri and Bhubaneswar, also around 12 hours, leaving from the Babughat bus stand just north of Eden Gardens Road.
Getting There By Rail:Traveling by train is one of the delights of India, although for longer trips it is advisable to go first class and/or air conditioned. You can book tickets at major hotels and some travel agents (these invariably attract a booking fee), or directly from the central computerised booking office at 6 Fairlie Place, BBD Bagh (tel: (033) 2222 7282). Tourists can get tickets via the tourist quota; it gets crowded so start queuing early.
Trains are run by
Indian Railways (website:
www.indianrail.gov.in). If you plan to make many journeys, buy a copy of
Trains at a Glance (available at most station news stands and some city bookshops) and also see
www.seat61.com/India.htm for general information on train travel in the country. The
Indrail pass, available in many countries, gives you unlimited travel for a certain period (for further details see
www.indianrail.gov.in and click on the Information/International Tourist link).
There are two train stations in the city. Howrah Junction, south of Howrah Bridge (the new official spelling is Hoara Bridge) on the western side of the river, has the most connections to the rest of the country. Although just a few kilometers north of the BBD Bagh area of the city, allow plenty of time for your taxi to get to the station as traffic can be severely congested in this part of town. The journey along Howrah Bridge over the river (the busiest in the world) is an unforgettable sight. Sealdah Station, Bepin Behari Ganguly Street, just east of AJC Bose Road, connects the city with the northeast.
Getting Around:Distances within the city are generally too big to be able to cope here without transport, although many of the major sights are central and within walking distance.
Public TransportBuses are chaotic and can get terribly crowded. A better choice is the slow, trundling
trams which circle the city and include stops at Park Circus, Sealdah Railway Station and Howrah. The
Metro underground system has thankfully taken something of the congestion from the streets. The one track runs the length of the city, from Dum Dum train station (north) to Tollygunge (south) with stops including Kalighat, Park Street, Esplanade and Maidan. It is well run although often crowded (mainly during morning and evening rush hours), with segregated seats for men and women.
There are still some
hand-pulled rickshaws mainly in market areas and some around Sudder Street, although there is talk of eventually banning them altogether. Cycle-rickshaws operate in a few areas outside the city center.
Auto-rickshaws (motorized three-wheelers) operate short (often fixed) journeys in city areas (not in the center) and are cheaper than taxis; agree the fare before you zoom away and seek advice from locals as to what you should be paying before you get in.
TaxisTaxis run 24 hours; Kolkata taxi drivers are amongst the easiest to deal with in India and will almost always put on the meter (if not, ask). The driver should produce a chart at the end of the trip to convert the showing on older meters to current charges - older meters are four times the amount; newer ones are twice. Simply flag a taxi on the street or ask for one at your hotel.
Car HireHiring a car with driver can easily be arranged through hotels or travel agents; it is insane to attempt to drive yourself unless you’ve got solid experience here. As the reliability of car hire companies tends to change in Kolkata, it’s best to seek up-to-the-minute advice from your hotel, the tourist office, or a reputable travel agency.
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
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The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
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