There are several ways of getting to Darjeeling: by Air, by Road,
by Train; or a combination of these modes of transport. The "gateways"
to Darjeeling are Bagdogra Airport; and NJP Railway Station (New
Jalpaiguri Railway Station). Both these terminus points are in close
proximity, at the foothills of Darjeeling, and almost equidistant
from Darjeeling.
Most foreign travellers fly into Bagdogra Airport from either Delhi
or Kolkata (Calcutta), on their way to Darjeeling. They hire taxis
at the airport to take them to Darjeeling. The road journey to Darjeeling
usually takes about 2.5 hours.
Some visitors arriving at Bagdogra by Air prefer to travel by
the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) to Darjeeling. This requires
that they go by taxi from Bagdogra Airport to NJP Railway Station,
a 45 minute road trip, from where they may take the train to Darjeeling
early the next day. An overnight stay at a local hotel is necessitated
because the flight arrival times at Bagdogra are not compatible
with the DHR travel schedule.
There are other travellers with leisure time at their disposal
or with a special interest in railways,
who
choose to take the overnight
train of the North-East Frontier Railway, from Kolkata to NJP Railway
Station. From there, the next morning, they take the Darjeeling
Himalayan Railway (the "Toy Train") from NJP Railway Station
to Darjeeling. Still others, who have travelled from Kolkata to
NJP Railway Station by train, hire a taxi to take them to Darjeeling.
The train journey from NJP Railway Station to Darjeeling takes approximately
7.5 hours; the taxi trip approximately 3 hours. Taxis are readily
available at the railway station.
To sum up: You can get
to Darjeeling by Air, by Road, or by Train.
By Air: Bagdogra Airport is 93 Km. (58 miles),
and 2.5 hours by road from Darjeeling. Bagdogra is 2 hours by air
from Delhi, and 50 minutes by air from Kolkata.
The following
airlines operate flights to and from Bagdogra, and allow on-line
bookings:
By Road: Darjeeling
is 2.5 hours by car from Bagdogra Airport, and is 3 hours from NJP
Railway Station. The road to Darjeeling offers breathtaking views
of earth, water and sky, as the car ascends from near sea-level
to an altitude of about 7,500 feet (2,286 Metres) at The Windamere
in Darjeeling, within sight of the rooftop of the world.
By Train: Visitors may also travel to Darjeeling
from the NJP Railway Station near Bagdogra, by the Darjeeling Himalayan
Railway (the "Toy Train"). This famous scenic journey
takes around 7.5 hours.
The Indian Railways
offer comprehensive reservation information, and an online booking
facility, on their website:
