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Kolkata Travel Guide
Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) is the capital of West Bengal and the second largest city in India (after Mumbai). If Bangalore is the Seattle of India, then Kolkata is the sub-contintent's New York. It is an 'in your face' city that shocks and charms the unsuspecting visitor. Abject poverty and filth mix inexplicably with crumbling British Raj-era gems, sprawling gardens and historical colleges. Long known as the cultural capital of India, Kolkata continues to spawn generations of poets, writers, film producers and Nobel Peace Prize winners. If your visit only allows for a visit of one or two of India's metropolitan cities, then definitely consider placing Kolkata on your itinerary. Love it or hate it, you definitely won't forget the city on the Hooghly.
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Highlights
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Background
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Getting Here
By plane
By train
By car
By bus
By boat
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Getting Around
By taxi
Kolkata just wouldn't look the same without the plethora of yellow painted ambassador taxis that clog its many roads. They're easily available and relatively cheap, and will usually use their meters! (Though most are outdated so expect to be shown a conversion chart at the end which will double or triple the meter reading).
By metro
Metro Railway, Kolkata was the first underground rail in India, yet it still has only a single route connecting the north and south of the city, from Dumdum to Tollygunge (work is in progress on the extension to Garia). It is the cleanest, most reliable, least crowded and most efficient of all the transportation Kolkata has to offer. Trains run every 10-15 minutes and at Rs 4-8 it's very economical.
Stops include Esplanade (for Chowringhee), Park Street, Maidan (for Victoria Memorial and Planetarium), Rabindra Sadan and Kalighat.
By tram
Calcutta Tramways is the only tram service in all of India. Though decommissioned in some part of the city, electric trams are still one of the means of traveling between places within the city. They move slow on the laid tracks in traffic jammed streets, but they are environment friendly (no emission). Check their site for routes and schedules.
By train
The electrified suburban rail network of the SER and the ER is extensive and includes the Circular Rail.
By bus
The city has an extensive bus network (possibly the most exhaustive in the whole of India), and this is the cheapest, though not always the most comfortable means of transport. Among the buses that ply the city streets, the deluxe buses run by CSTC (Calcutta State Transport Corporation), CTC (Calcutta Tramways Company) and WBSTC (West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation) are probably the better option. A/C buses are also available to select destinations from near the airport.
By auto-rickshaw
Shared auto-rickshaws are available from different points. They travel in fixed routes and the fare is fixed. They are supposed to take four persons, three in the back seat and one sharing the driver's seat!
By rickshaw
Long the world's only major metropolis where human-pulled rickshaws were still a major form of transport, a complete ban was finally imposed in November 2006 - but with 35,000 union members who are unlikely to disappear overnight they're still a pretty common sight, especially around Chowringee.
Hiring a car
Privately owned rental car places are available throughout the city. Rates depend on the make, model, size and comfort level of the car. Agreements are flexible, for example, cars can be rented even for couple of hours at an hourly rate. Most rental cars are accompanied with a driver from the rental agency. Here are contacts of a few rental car agents:
- Travel Cars, +91 33 2249 4970 Queens Mansion, Garage No. 8, Park Street.
- Time Cabs, +91 33 2247 9574 13, Camac Street.
- Wenz, +91 33 227 8926, Oberoi Grand Hotel.
- Diamond Tours & Travels,+91 98 3138 1911, 30,Jadunath Dey Rd.(opp: Indian Airlines House), Kolkata -12
