NJP or Bagdogra to Gangtok, Darjeeling and Kalimpong

Almost every trip to Sikkim, Darjeeling and Kalimpong starts at one of three places on the plains of North Bengal. New Jalpaiguri (NJP) is the main railway station, with trains from Kolkata, Delhi and Guwahati, about 6 km from the centre of Siliguri. Bagdogra airport (IXB), about 14 km from Siliguri, has flights from Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bengaluru and other cities. Siliguri itself, the city between them, is where most shared jeeps and buses leave from.

Pakyong airport in Sikkim, about 30 km from Gangtok, has had irregular commercial flights. Do not plan around it unless a flight is confirmed for your dates. Check current status before you travel.

From any of the three gateways you have four choices: a shared jeep, a bus, a reserved car, or for Darjeeling the toy train. Which is best depends on your group size, your arrival time and how much luggage you carry.

The table gives indicative fares from Siliguri. Prepaid counters at NJP and Bagdogra quote fixed fares for reserved cars, which sit at or a little above these figures; a reserved car from Bagdogra to Gangtok, for example, costs about ₹4,000–5,500. Fares rise in peak weeks and when detours are in use.

Shared jeeps, usually Mahindra Boleros, Tata Sumos and similar, are how local people travel in the hills. You buy a seat, the jeep leaves when it is full, and it drops you at the town's main stand. For Darjeeling and Mirik, jeeps leave from the stands near the Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Terminus on Hill Cart Road and from NJP. For Gangtok and Kalimpong, jeeps leave from Siliguri through the morning and early afternoon.

Most jeeps take ten passengers or more, and the back seats are cramped on long climbs. If you can, buy the two front seats beside the driver, which some travellers do by paying for an extra seat. Luggage goes on the roof under a tarpaulin, so keep valuables and a warm layer with you.

From the airport, take a prepaid taxi to Siliguri for about ₹500–800, or from NJP an auto to Hill Cart Road for about ₹150–250, and pick up a jeep there. Aim to be at the stand by early afternoon at the latest. After that, departures thin out and you may wait a long time for a jeep to fill.

• Best for solo travellers and couples on a budget.
• Ask at the counter for the next departure, and buy your seat there rather than from touts.
• Keep small notes; drivers rarely have change for ₹500.
• Do not plan a shared jeep after a late-evening flight or train.

State buses run from the Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Terminus in Siliguri to Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Mirik and Gangtok. They are slower and cheaper than jeeps, with more legroom and a seat that is less cramped on the climb. North Bengal State Transport (NBSTC) runs the Kalimpong route, and Sikkim's state buses and shared services run to Gangtok. Buses suit travellers with time and light bags.

For Darjeeling there is a third option: the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the toy train, which climbs from NJP through Sukna, Rangtong, Kurseong and Ghum to Darjeeling in about 7–8 hours. A first-class seat costs about ₹1,500–1,800 (indicative). It is a slow, scenic day, not a quick transfer. Many travellers prefer to drive up and take the two-hour joy ride from Darjeeling to Ghum instead. Monsoon landslides can suspend the full NJP run. Check current status before you travel.

A reserved car takes you door to door, leaves when you want and stops where you ask. For a group of three or four, it often costs little more per person than shared jeeps, and it saves the transfer from the airport or station to the jeep stand. Prepaid counters at NJP and Bagdogra offer fixed fares, and hotels and tour operators can arrange a car to meet you.

Small cars such as the Maruti Dzire or WagonR are cheapest and fine for two or three people with modest luggage. For Gangtok and anything higher, or for four people with bags, an SUV such as a Bolero, Xylo or Innova is more comfortable. Note that cars registered in West Bengal and cars registered in Sikkim have different permissions in some areas, which is why a Siliguri taxi cannot take you to Tsomgo or North Sikkim.

A quick comparison shows when a car pays off. Four people going to Gangtok pay about ₹1,400–1,800 in shared jeep seats plus ₹500–800 for the taxi to the stand, against ₹3,500–5,000 for a reserved car. The difference per person is small, and the car takes you much closer to your hotel than the busy jeep stand.

• Confirm the fare, car type and drop point before you set off.
• Ask for a stop at Rangpo if anyone in the car needs a Sikkim Inner Line Permit.
• Expect waiting charges if your flight or train is badly delayed.

The road to Gangtok and Kalimpong runs along NH10, which follows the Teesta river through the gorge from Sevoke past Rangpo. It is the most landslide-prone road in the region and is blocked several times every monsoon. When it closes, cars for Gangtok detour via Kalimpong and Pedong or Algarah, adding 1–3 hours, and cars for Kalimpong use the longer route through Malbazar, Gorubathan and Lava, or via Damdim.

The Darjeeling road via Rohini and Kurseong is more reliable, but it also sees slips in heavy rain. Since the October 2023 flood in the Teesta valley, some stretches of NH10 run on repaired or temporary sections and close more easily. In the monsoon, keep a spare day between arriving in the hills and any flight home, and ask your driver about the road the evening before. Check current status before you travel.

The right choice depends mostly on group size and arrival time. A few patterns hold for most travellers.

• Solo or two people arriving before noon: a shared jeep from Siliguri, after a prepaid taxi or auto to the stand.
• Three or four people, or a family with luggage: a reserved car from the prepaid counter or arranged by your hotel.
• Arriving after about 3 pm: a reserved car, or a night in Siliguri and a morning jeep.
• Train lovers going to Darjeeling with a free day: the toy train from NJP.
• Travelling Darjeeling to Gangtok: go via Kalimpong, which breaks the drive and saves backtracking to Siliguri.
• Foreign nationals going to Sikkim: any option, but make sure the vehicle stops at Rangpo or Melli for the Inner Line Permit.