Siliguri

Usually not for long. Siliguri is a transit city, hot and humid for much of the year, and the hills are two to four hours away. Stay a night only if your train or flight arrives late or you leave early. If you do, spend the spare hours at the Mahananda sanctuary, the Salugara stupa or the Coronation Bridge, and eat well.

New Jalpaiguri (NJP) station is about 6 km south of central Siliguri, 20–30 minutes by auto or taxi depending on traffic. An auto to Hill Cart Road costs about ₹150–250, a taxi ₹300–500. Many shared jeeps to Darjeeling and Gangtok also wait right outside NJP, so you may not need to go into the city at all.

Bagdogra airport is about 14 km west of Siliguri, around 30–45 minutes by car. Prepaid taxis into Siliguri cost about ₹500–800. From Bagdogra, Darjeeling is about 3 hours, Kurseong about 1.5 hours and Gangtok about 4–5 hours by reserved car. Leave plenty of time for city traffic when heading to the airport for a flight.

Darjeeling, Kurseong and Mirik jeeps leave from the stand beside the Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Terminus on Hill Cart Road, near Siliguri Junction. Some Darjeeling jeeps also wait outside NJP station. Jeeps run from early morning to mid-afternoon and leave when full. Buy your seat at the counter or from the driver and note the vehicle number.

The SNT (Sikkim Nationalised Transport) bus stand is on Hill Cart Road, a short walk from the Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Terminus. Buses and shared jeeps for Gangtok and other Sikkim towns leave from here and nearby stands. Foreigners need a Sikkim Inner Line Permit, which can be arranged in Siliguri or at the Rangpo border. Check current status before you travel.

Take a half-day drive to the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary at Sukna, the Salugara monastery stupa and the Coronation Bridge at Sevoke, with a stop at the Sevokeshwari Kali temple. In the evening, shop at Hong Kong Market and Bidhan Market and eat a Bengali thali or momos. A car for half a day costs about ₹1,500–2,500.

Yes, Siliguri is generally safe, with the usual city cautions. Watch your bags at NJP and the bus terminus, where crowds are heavy, and use prepaid taxis or app cabs at night. Touts sometimes offer hotel or jeep deals at the station; book through known counters instead. Women travelling alone should prefer reputable hotels near main roads.

Wild elephants live in the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary and the forests towards the Dooars and are sometimes seen from the Sevoke and Sukna roads, especially at dusk. Sightings are never guaranteed. For safaris, the Dooars parks such as Gorumara and Jaldapara, 2–4 hours away, are better organised. Never stop or step out of a car near wild elephants.

Try a Bengali fish thali with rice, dal, vegetables and fish curry, kathi rolls, phuchka from street stalls and sweets such as rosogolla and sandesh. Tibetan and Nepali places near Hill Cart Road serve momos and thukpa. Prices are much lower than in Darjeeling, with a full thali at about ₹150–300 in a simple restaurant.