Kolkata
Kolkata is at the eastern end of the Grand Trunk Rd (NH2). Many city centre roads become one way or change direction from 1400 to 2100 so expect tortuous detours.
Air
Enquiries T033-2511 8787. The spacious terminals are well organized if not state-of-the-art. There is adequate seating in the departure lounge as well as a few shops, drink dispenser and clean toilets. A Reservation counter for rail (same-day travel only) and one for hotels are in the Arrivals hall. There are money changers at the exit of the International terminal.
For transport to town, pre-paid taxis (office closes at 2200) to the city centre cost about Rs 250 (deluxe cars, Rs 500-650). From the city centre to the airport costs the same or less if you bargain. The public bus is not recommended for arrival as it’s a 400 m walk across the car park and under the flyover to the road. The nearest Metro station is at Dum Dum (Rs 6 to city centre); auto-rickshaws to the metro cost about Rs 60. Transit passengers with onward flights may use the Airport Rest Rooms (some a/c, doubles, dorm, all good value).
Domestic
For schedules and prices it’s best to visit a 3rd-party booking site such as http://www.yatra.com or http://www.makemytrip.com. Airlines include: Air India, 50 Chowringhee Rd T033-2282 2356, airport T033-2248 2354. Indian Airlines, 39 Chittaranjan Av, T033- 2211 0810, Reservations T1407/033-2211 6869 and Hotel Hindusthan International, T033-2247 6606, airport T033-2511 9721. Jet Airways, 18D Park St, T033-3989 3333, airport T033-2511 9894. Indigo, T033-4003 6208, www.go indigo.com; Kingfisher, T1800-180 0101, http://www.flykingfisher.com; and Spicejet, T1800-180 3333, http://www.spicejet.com.
International
Airlines include: Biman Bangladesh, airport, T033-2511 8772. Cathay Pacific, 1 Middleton St, T033-2288 4312. Druk Air, 51 Tivoli Court, 1A Ballygunge Circular Rd T033-2240 2419. Emirates, Trinity Tower, 83 Topsia Rd Sth, T033-4009 9555. Gulf Air, 230A AJC Bose Rd, T033-4006 3741, airport T033-2511 1612. KLM, 1 Middleton St, T033-2283 0151. Kuwait Airways, 230A AJC Bose Rd, T033-2240 3575. Lufthansa, Tower 2, 8A, Millennium City, DN62, Sec V, Salt Lake, T033-4002 4200. Singapore Airlines, Tower 2, 9A, Millennium City, DN-62, Sector V, Salt Lake, T033 2367 5417. Thai Airways, 229 AJC Bose Rd, 8th floor, T033-2283 8865.
Bicycle
Bike hire is not easy; ask at your hotel if a staff bike is free. Spares are sold along Bentinck St, north of Chowringhee.
Bus
Local
State transport services run throughout the city and suburbs from 0500-2030; usually overcrowded after 0830, but very cheap (minimum Rs 4 on big blue buses) and a good way to get around. Maroon minibuses (little more expensive, minimum Rs 5) cover major routes. South Bengal minibuses are bigger and will often stop on request.
Long distance
An extensive hub and spoke bus operation from Kolkata allows cheap travel within West Bengal and beyond, but long bus journeys in this region are gruelling as roads are generally terrible, and are a last resort when trains are full. The tourist office, 3/2 BBD Bagh, has timetables. Advance bookings at computerized office of Kolkata State Transport Corp (STC), Esplanade, T033-2248 1916. Kolkata STC: to Balurghat; Digha; Farakka; Mayapur; Jalpaiguri; Cooch Behar; Malda; Siliguri; 12 hrs; Bankura; Bishnupur; and Purulia. More comfortable a/c buses to Siliguri depart from Esplanade, Rs 550-700. Orissa & Bihar STC, Babu Ghat: to Bokaro; Dhaka, Gaya, Puri, 11 hrs. Bhutan Govt, Phuntsholing via Siliguri, 1900, 16 hrs.
To Bangladesh
Private buses to Dhaka) can be booked from numerous agencies on Marquis St, from where they also depart.
Ferry
Local
To cross the Hugli, between Haora station and Babu Ghat, Rs 4, except Sun. During festivals a ferry goes from Babu Ghat to Belur Math, 1 hr.
Long distance
Shipping Corp of India, 1st floor, 13 Strand Rd (enter from Hare St), T033-2248 4921 (recorded information T033-2248 5420), 1000-1300 (for tickets), 1400-1745 (information only), operates a steamer to Port Blair in the Andamans. Some 3 or 4 sailings a month (66 hrs), Rs 1961 to Rs 7631 one way. For tickets go 4 days in advance, and be there by 0830; huge queue for ‘bunk class’.
Metro
The Metro is usually clean, efficient and punctual. The 16.5-km route from Dum Dum to Tollygunge runs 0700-2145, Sun 1400-2145, every 7-15 mins; fare Rs 4-8. Note that trains are sometimes longer than the platforms. There are women-only sections interspersed throughout the train.
Rickshaw
Hand-pulled rickshaws are used by the local people especially along the narrow congested lanes. Auto-rickshaws operate outside the city centre, especially as shuttle service to/from Metro stations along set routes. Auto-rickshaws from Sealdah station to Sudder St cost about Rs 60.
Taxi
Car hire with driver: Everett, 4 Government Pl North, T033-2248 7038; Gainwell, 8 Ho Chi Minh Sarani, T033-2454 5010; Mercury, 46 JL Nehru Rd, T033-2244 8377. Tourist taxis from India Tourism and WBTDC offices. Local taxis are yellow. Ambassadors: insist on the meter, then use conversion chart to calculate correct fare.
Train
Kolkata is served by 2 railway stations, Haora (Howrah is still used on timetables) and Sealdah. Haora station has a separate complex for platforms 18-21. Enquiries, Haora, T033-2638 7412/3542, ‘New’ Complex, T033-2660 2217, Sealdah, T033-2350 3535. Reservation, T138 (computerized). Foreign tourist quota is sold at both stations until 1400, at which point tickets go on general sale. Railway reservations, 6 Fairlie Place, BBD Bagh; 0800-1300, 1330-2000, Sun 0800-1400 (best to go early). At Fairlie Place, tourists are automatically told to go to the Foreign Tourist Counter to get Foreign Tourist Quota. It usually takes at least 30 mins. You will need to show your passport and an encashment or ATM receipt as well as the completed form. You can pay in US dollars, sterling or euros, but expect a poor exchange rate.
Trains listed depart from Haora (H), unless marked ‘(S)‘ for Sealdah (timings change every Apr and Oct). To Allahabad: see New Delhi. Agra Fort: Jodhpur Exp 2307, 2330, 20 hrs. Bhubaneswar: Dhauli Exp 2821, 0600, 7 hrs; Falaknuma Exp 2703, 0725, 6½ hrs; Howrah Puri Exp 2837, 2335, 7 hrs. Chennai: Coromandel Exp 2841, 1450, 26½ hrs; Howrah Chennai Mail 2839, 2345, 28 hrs. Mumbai (CST): Gitanjali Exp 2860, 1400, 31½ hrs (via Nagpur, 17½ hrs); Howrah Mumbai Mail 2810, 2015, 33 hrs (via Nagpur, 18 hrs); Howrah Mumbai Mail 2321, 2200, 37½ hrs (via Gaya, 7½ hrs). Mumbai (Lokmanya Tilak): Jnaneswari SD Exp 2102, 2255 (Mon, Wed, Thu, Sun), 31 hrs (via Nagpur, 17½ hrs). Nagpur: See Mumbai trains plus Howrah Ahmedabad Exp 2834, 2355, 19 hrs. New Delhi via Gaya and Allahabad: Rajdhani Exp 2301, 1645 (except Sun), 17 hrs; Rajdhani Exp 2305, 1405 (Sun), 20 hrs, via Patna; (S) Rajdhani Exp 2313, 1640 (daily), 18 hrs. New Jalpaiguri (NJP): (S) Kanchenjunga Exp 5657, 0645, 11½ hrs; (S) Darjeeling Mail 2343, 2205, 10 hrs; Kamrup Exp 5959, 1735, 12½ hrs. Puri: Jagannath Exp 8409, 1900, 9½ hrs; Howrah Puri Exp 2837, 2235, 9 hrs. Ranchi: Howrah Hatia Exp 8615, 2220, 9 hrs; Howrah Shatabdi Exp 2019, 0605 (except Sun), 7 hrs.
To Bangladesh
It is now possible to travel direct to Dhaka on the newly revived Moitree Express, Sat and Sun 0710, from Kolkata (Chitpur) Terminal, 13 hrs, stops only at the border for customs and immigration.
Tram
Kolkata is the only Indian city to run a tram network. 0430-2300. 2nd-class carriage Rs 3.50-4, front ‘1st class’ Rs 4-4.50, but no discernible difference. Many trams originate at Esplanade depot and it’s a great way to see the city – ride route 1 to Belgachia through the heart of North Kolkata’s heritage, or Route 26 (from the Gariahat depot in the south) all the way to Howrah, via Sealdah and College St.
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