Part Victorian holiday resort, part major tea-growing centre, Darjeeling straddles a ridge 2,200m up in the Himalayas and almost 600-km north of Kolkata. Its been more than 50 years since the British departed, still the town remains as popular as ever with holiday-makers from the plains, and promenades such as the Mall and the Chowrasta still burst with life.
How To Get There
Air:
The nearest airport to Darjeeling in Bagdogra, 100-km
south. ADGHC bus leaves the tourist lodge and club side
around 8 am each day to connect with flights; tickets for
the bus can be booked at the tourist bureau.
Rail:
The toy train runs to Siliguri and New Jalpaiguri,
weather and landslides permitting, but takes an
angst-inducing nine hours. Railway reservations for
selected mainline trains out of NJP can be made at
Darjeeling’s station a couple of days before departure.
They have tourist quotas for trains to Delhi, Kolkataa,
Bangalore, Cochin and Thiruvananthapuram.
Road:
Buses and minibuses run every thirty minutes or so to
Siliguri from the bus stand at the bazaar. Buses leave
for Mirik every thirty minutes. Two minibuses run each
day run to Gangtok and one minibus leaves every day for
Kalimpong. Although it’s possible to buy bus tickets for
Kathmandu, tourists still have to change buses at
Siliguri.
Local Transport:
Jeeps run to Gangtok, Siliguri, Mirik, Kalimpong and
Jorethang, and are the most efficient and comfortable way
to travel. Book in advance or just turn up at the jeep
stand. The Gangtok service runs frequently between 7.00
am and 2.00 pm. Private Taxis and Landrovers are also
available for local sightseeing purposes in and around
Darjeeling.
For Tourists:
Tourist Cars and Buses, Tourist mini coaches and Taxis
are available for transfer of passengers between
Darjeeling and Siliguri / New Jalpaiguri Junction /
Bagdogra, and also for sightseeing at fixed rates and may
be reserved through Tourist Bureau, Govt. of West Bengal,
Darjeeling.
DISTANCE FROM MAJOR CITIES
» Kalimpong: 51-km
» Siliguri-90 -km
» Mirik: 45 -km
» Gangtok -115-km


