By air
Indian Airlines connects Calcutta with Mumbai, Delhi,
Chennai, Patna, Ahmedabad, Port Blair, Ranchi, Lucknow,
Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, Ban-
galore, Hyderabad, Nagpur, Silchar, Imphal, Guwahati,
Agartala, Bagdogra, Lilabari, Jorhat, Dibrugarh,
Shillong, Jamshedpur, Aizawl and Rourkela.
International carriers connect Calcutta with Rome,
London, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Dubai, New York,
Osaka, Moscow, Kathmandu and Dhaka.
By rail
Calcutta is connected on Eastern Railways with other
cities by the following trains: Delhi-Kalka Mail;
Howrah- Amritsar Mail; Mumbai Mail via Allahabad;
Poorva (New Delhi) Express via Patna/Gaya-Varanasi;
Rajdhani Express via Gaya/Patna. South Eastern
Railways with other cities in India by the following
trains: Madras Mail, Mumbai Mail via Nagpur; Gitanjali
(Mumbai) Express; Coromandel (Chennai) Express via
Cuttack; Tata Steel Express; Ranchi Hatia Express;
Puri Express via Cuttack. From Sealdah, Teesta-Torsa
Express; Darjeeling Mail; Kanchenjunga (New Jalpaiguri)
Express, Jammu Tawi Express.
Bus service
Calcutta is connected by an extensive network ot
national highways with major cities and towns of
tourist interest nearby.
Calcutta State Transport Corporation (CSTC) operates
buses to different places to Rampurhat via
Santiniketan or via Krishnanagar Berhampore to
Vishnupur via Kamarpukur - Jairambait or via
Tarakeswar, to Digha, to Bakreswar via Santiniketan,
to Namkhana (for Bakkhali) via Diamond Harbour. CSTC
Booking Office at Esplanade Bus Terminus Tel: 2481916.
Booking Office Tel: 2430706 (Es- planade), 3521687 (Ultadanga).
Getting around Calcutta
Bus services
State Buses
Operate between major important sectors within the
city. Minimum fare upto 5 km is Rs. 1.25. They ply
between from 5 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Private Buses
Connect all zones within the city. Most frequent and
usually overloaded during peak hours. Minimum fare
upto 5 km is Rs. 1.25 ranging to a maximum of Rs.
2.50. Also connects city to suburbs. Usually steel in
body colour with green borders.
Mini Buses
Connect fixed terminal throughout city. Minimum fare
upto 5 km is Rs. 1.60, to a maximum of Rs. 3.60.
Smaller than usual bus size, red in colour with yellow
border in between, having names of the two termini
written.
CTC
Connects city to suburbs during peak hours. Major
terminus at Esplanade, Golpark, Behala, BBD Bagh, etc.
Minimum fare Rs. 1.50, maximum Rs. 17, depending on
distance.
Circular Railway
Operates between Dum Dum in North junction to Princep
Ghat near Strand Road. During peak hours trains ply
every 15 minutes and hourly thereafter. Minimum fare
Rs. 2 to Rs. 5 maximum. Timing 5.10 a.m to 10 p.m.
Metre Taxi
Yellow top with black body : Can ply only
within Calcutta city limits. Generally Ambassadors and
Fiats. Maruti Vans also operating. Minimum fare upto 2
km Rs. 5 (displayed on metre) plus 60 per cent of
figure displayed.
Full Yellow : Can ply anywhere within West
Bengal including Calcutta city. Fare same as above..
Metro Railway
The Calcutta underground railway network connects Dum
Dum to Tollygunge, stations in between being Belgachia,
Shyambazar, Sovabazar, Girish Park, M.G. Road,
Central, Chandni Chowk, Esplanade, Park Street, Maidan,
Rabindra Sadan, Netaji Bhavan (Bhowanipore), J.D.
Park, Kalighat, Ravindra Sarovar. Minimum fare Rs. 2 (upto
6 stations) Max. fare Rs. 5. Timing: 7.15 a.m. to 9.40
p.m.
Launch Service
From Howrah to Armenian Ghat: 8 a.m to 8 p.m (15-
minute intervals). From Howrah to Fairlie Place: 8 a.m
to 8 p.m. (10-minute intervals). From Howrah to Chand
pal/ Babughat: 7.30 a.m to 8 p.m (l5-minute
intervals). From Howrah to Bagbazar: 8 a.m to 8 p.m.
(15-minute intervals).
Trams
Network throughout city with depots at Nonapukur,
Belgachia, Shyambazar, Rajabazar, Ballygunge, Behala,
Kalighat, Esplanade, Biddhanagar. Minimum fare Rs.
1.10 (upto 7 km Rs. 2.50) Timing: 4.30 a.m. to 1 I
p.m..
Three-Wheeler Taxi(Auto)
Plies between fixed destinations excluding Central
Calcutta. Operates on shuttle system carrying 4
passengers at a time. Fare ranges from Rs. 2 to Rs.
7.50, depending on distance. Major connecting areas
Hazra- Bondel Gate-Behala/Kidderpore-Ballygunge/Gariahat-
Tollygunge Metro station. Rashbehari-Behala-Gariahat/
Ballygunge-Manicktala-Kankurgachi-C.R. Avenue (Sovabazar
Metro station)-Salt Lake.
Hand - Pulled Rickshaw
Operates within select residential areas in North and
South Calcutta. No fixed rates, depending on distance.
Horse-drawn Carriages Used only for pleasure rides.
Usually found near Victoria Memorial and Maidan. No
fixed rates.
Long - Distance Buses
Terminus and booking centre at Esplanade. Bus services
for all long-distance stations within West Bengal.
Calcutta State Transport Corporation long-distance
enquiry: 2481916/271212; local booking: 2082401
North Bengal Transport Corporation booking
(Esplanade): 2430736 (5 a.m to 9.30 p.m). Connects:
Alipurduar, Babughat, Berhampur, Jalpaiguri, Jorai,
Krishnanagar, Siliguri, Suri, Coochbehar, etc.
South Bengal Transport Corporation Esplanade
booking: 2486259 (6 a.m to 7 p.m). Connects:
Digha, Haldia, Habra, Midnapur, Purulia, etc.
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