Photo: Sourik8 · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Siliguri (NJP and Bagdogra)Height above mean sea level 122 m

city · Dooars and the Terai

Arrive at NJP or Bagdogra, then find the right jeep

Best Oct – Mar0–1 nights

Siliguri is the gateway for Darjeeling, Sikkim, Bhutan and the Dooars. Bagdogra Airport (IXB) is 14 km out, NJP station 6 km. Shared jeeps leave from NJP and the Tenzing Norgay terminus on Hill Cart Road between about 7 a.m. and 3 p.m.; after that, take a prepaid or reserved car or stay one night.

Almost everyone who visits the eastern Himalaya passes through Siliguri, and almost nobody plans for it. That is how people end up paying ₹5,000 for a car they could have shared for ₹350, or arriving at a jeep stand at 4 p.m. to find it empty. This page is the practical fix. Siliguri is a flat, busy trading city of about 700,000 people on the Mahananda river, spread across Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts. It is not pretty, but it works: one airport, two big railway stations, a state bus terminus, a Sikkim bus terminus and several jeep stands, all within 15 km.

The three arrival points are New Jalpaiguri (NJP), the main railway station in the south of the city; Bagdogra Airport (IXB), about 14 km west of the centre; and the Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Terminus on Hill Cart Road, next to Siliguri Junction station, where state buses arrive. Hill Cart Road is the spine of the city: it runs north from near NJP past the bus terminus and Pradhan Nagar to Darjeeling More and on into the hills. Sevoke Road branches north-east towards Sevoke, the Teesta, Kalimpong, Gangtok and the Dooars.

Our rule of thumb is simple. If you land before 1 p.m., go straight up by shared jeep or reserved car. If you land after 2 p.m., do not race the dark up a mountain road: book a room near NJP or on Hill Cart Road, eat well, and leave at 7 a.m. when the stands are full of jeeps and the light is good. A night here costs ₹1,200–2,500 in a decent budget hotel, much less than a rushed evening drive and a late check-in in Darjeeling or Gangtok.

Don't miss

Highlights of Siliguri (NJP and Bagdogra)

Shared jeeps for every hill town

Jeeps for Darjeeling leave from the NJP forecourt and the stand by the Tenzing Norgay terminus; Gangtok jeeps leave from NJP and the SNT terminus; Kalimpong jeeps from the Hill Cart Road and Sevoke Road stands. Most leave between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m., when full.

Prepaid taxi counters

Bagdogra has a prepaid taxi counter next to the arrival-hall exit and NJP has one opposite the station entrance, open in daytime. Rates are fixed per vehicle, which protects you from haggling after a long journey.

The toy train from NJP

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway's long run from NJP to Darjeeling takes about seven hours across 88 km, through Sukna, Rangtong, Tindharia and Kurseong. It is a full-day experience rather than transport, and seats are booked on IRCTC.

A good last night near the airport

If your flight leaves before noon, sleep in Siliguri rather than leaving Darjeeling or Gangtok at 4 a.m. Landslides and fog can close mountain roads without warning, and a night on the plains costs less than a missed flight.

Momos, thali and Hong Kong Market

Siliguri eats well and cheaply: steamed momos and thukpa in small Tibetan and Nepali kitchens, Bengali fish thalis, Bihari litti and Marwari sweets. Hong Kong Market, off Hill Cart Road, sells everything from jackets to phone covers.

Salugara and the Coronation Bridge

If you have a spare half-day, the 100-foot stupa at Salugara Monastery is 6 km out on Sevoke Road, and the 1941 Coronation Bridge over the Teesta is 22 km beyond the city.

Told in the hills

A railway town that moved to NJP

Siliguri grew as a railhead. When the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway opened in 1880–81, its southern terminus was Siliguri Town station, where passengers from Calcutta changed from the main line to the little two-foot-gauge trains for the hills. Tea chests came down and rice, kerosene and mail went up. Merchants from Bihar, Rajasthan and Bengal set up shop along Hill Cart Road, and the town became the market for the hills, the Dooars and Nepal's eastern plains.

Partition in 1947 changed everything. With East Pakistan to the south and Nepal to the west, the only land link between the rest of India and the north-east became a strip roughly 20–22 km wide at its narrowest, now called the Siliguri Corridor. A new broad-gauge station, New Jalpaiguri, opened in 1960, and in 1964 the toy train line was extended south to meet it. Today NJP is the busiest station in the region and Siliguri is the place where roads, rail and an airport all meet.

Pinned to the board

Did you know

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway originally started at Siliguri Town station in 1880–81 and was extended south to New Jalpaiguri only in 1964.

Local historian Sailen Debnath explains the name Siliguri as 'a stack of pebbles or stones', a fit for a city on the Mahananda's stony bed.

The Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Terminus, opened in 1984, is named after the Everest climber who made his home in Darjeeling.

Things to do

Four ways to spend a day in Siliguri (NJP and Bagdogra)

7–8 hours to Darjeeling Toy train from NJP into the hills Siliguri (NJP and Bagdogra) · ₹1,400–1,600 a seat in first or AC chai…

2 hours A first-night food walk on Hill Cart Road Siliguri (NJP and Bagdogra) · ₹300–600 per person, indicative

1–1.5 hours Salugara Monastery and its 100-foot stupa Siliguri (NJP and Bagdogra) · Free

1–2 hours Hong Kong Market and Bidhan Market Siliguri (NJP and Bagdogra) · Free to browse

Getting there

How to reach Siliguri (NJP and Bagdogra)

AirBagdogra Airport (IXB) has direct flights from Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Guwahati and others; routes change by season. The prepaid taxi counter is next to the arrival exit. A car to the city centre or NJP costs ₹400–700, indicative 2026. There are no shared jeeps to the hills from the airport itself, so either reserve a car or go to Siliguri first.

RailNew Jalpaiguri (NJP) is on the main line to Guwahati, with overnight trains from Kolkata such as the Darjeeling Mail and Padatik Express, the daytime Vande Bharat from Howrah, and long-distance trains from Delhi. Siliguri Junction, next to the bus terminus, serves trains on the Dooars line towards New Mal, Hasimara and Alipurduar, including the Kanchankanya Express from Sealdah.

BusThe Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Terminus on Hill Cart Road is the hub for state (NBSTC) and private buses to Kolkata, Malbazar, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar and further. Buses run to Phuentsholing in Bhutan and Kathmandu in Nepal. The Sikkim Nationalised Transport (SNT) terminus for Gangtok buses is a three-minute walk up the same road.

Shared jeepShared jeeps (Sumo, Bolero, Max, about 10 seats) come down from Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Gangtok and Mirik to NJP and Hill Cart Road all day, and leave again for the hills when full. The two front seats next to the driver are the most comfortable; you can book them, or the whole back row, by paying for every seat.

Costs in Siliguri (NJP and Bagdogra)indicative, 2026

Shared jeep NJP or Siliguri → Darjeeling₹300–400 a seat, indicative 2026
Shared jeep Siliguri → Gangtok₹400–550 a seat, indicative 2026
Reserved car NJP → Darjeeling₹3,500–5,000, indicative 2026
Reserved car NJP or IXB → Gangtok₹4,500–6,000, indicative 2026
Prepaid car Bagdogra → Siliguri or NJP₹400–700, indicative 2026
Budget hotel room near NJP₹1,200–2,500 a night, indicative 2026

Fares and fees change with fuel prices, season and local union rates. Check current rates before you travel.

Money-saving tip

Take a shared auto or city bus from the airport gate to Hill Cart Road (₹30–80) and board a shared jeep there, instead of paying ₹3,500 or more for a reserved car from the airport.

Where to stay

Sleeping in Siliguri (NJP and Bagdogra)

Stay near where you leave from. For an early train or a jeep from NJP, the station approach and Hill Cart Road south have dozens of budget hotels at ₹1,200–2,500; check the room before paying, as quality varies. Pradhan Nagar and the Hill Cart Road stretch near the Tenzing Norgay terminus suit jeep and bus departures; the WBTDC's Mainak Tourism Property and Sinclairs Siliguri are here, and Courtyard by Marriott is at Mallaguri. For a quiet night before an early flight, Mayfair Tea Resort sits in a tea garden between the city and Bagdogra.

budget

Mainak Tourism Property (WBTDC) Government lodge · Siliguri (NJP and Bagdogra) ₹2,000–4,500 per room night, indicative comfort

Sinclairs Siliguri Hotel · Siliguri (NJP and Bagdogra) ₹5,000–8,000 per room night, indicative premium

Courtyard by Marriott Siliguri Hotel · Siliguri (NJP and Bagdogra) ₹7,500–13,000 per room night, indicative premium

Mayfair Tea Resort Resort · Siliguri (NJP and Bagdogra) ₹9,000–18,000 per room night, indicative

Local tips

Be at the jeep stand by 8 a.m.; after 2 p.m. jeeps to Gangtok and Kalimpong thin out, and after 3 p.m. you may wait an hour or not find one at all.
Agree on the fare per seat before luggage goes on the roof, and keep valuables in your lap rather than in the roof carrier.
Foreign nationals going to Sikkim can get the Sikkim Inner Line Permit at the Rangpo border check post or through Sikkim Tourism; carry passport copies and photos, and check current status before you travel.
Check the status of NH10 before heading to Gangtok or Kalimpong; since the 2023 Teesta flood the road has had long closures, with traffic diverted via Lava or other routes.
Use the official prepaid counters or a known app-booked cab; touts inside the NJP concourse often quote double.

Budget trips Toy train Food and markets Family trips

On the map

Drawn by Darjeeling Tour Plan from Natural Earth outlines (public domain). Borders as depicted by India. Not for navigation.

Next stations

Near Siliguri (NJP and Bagdogra)

All of Dooars

Mahananda Sanctuary and Sevoke170 m

Forest on Siliguri's doorstep and the 1941 bridge over the Teesta

Wildlife sanctuary · best Oct – Apr · 0 nights

Lataguri100 m

The base for Gorumara, with forest on both sides of the road

Village · best Oct – Mar · 2 nights

Gorumara National Park110 m

Small park, big watchtowers, and rhinos on the Murti and Jaldhaka

National park · best Nov – Apr · 2 nights

Festivals here

Durga Puja in Siliguri and Jalpaiguri · Sep–Oct, five days ending on …

Questions people ask

Siliguri (NJP and Bagdogra): questions answered

Where do shared jeeps for Darjeeling leave from in Siliguri

From two main places: the forecourt of NJP station, and the jeep stand near the Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Terminus on Hill Cart Road. Jeeps run from about 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and leave when full, usually 10 passengers. The fare is about ₹300–400 a seat, indicative 2026. The ride takes three to three and a half hours.

Where do shared jeeps for Gangtok leave from

From NJP station in daytime, and from the Sikkim Nationalised Transport (SNT) terminus on Hill Cart Road, three minutes' walk from the Tenzing Norgay bus terminus. SNT also runs buses. Expect ₹400–550 a seat, indicative 2026, and four to five hours. Jeeps thin out after 2 p.m. There are no shared jeeps from Bagdogra Airport itself.

Where do shared jeeps for Kalimpong and Mirik leave

Kalimpong jeeps leave from the stand near the Tenzing Norgay terminus, from Darjeeling More, and from near Vishal cinema at 2nd Mile on Sevoke Road, mostly before 3 p.m., for about ₹250–350 a seat. Mirik jeeps and buses leave from around the Tenzing Norgay terminus for about ₹200–250. Fares are indicative, 2026.

How much is a taxi from Bagdogra Airport to Darjeeling

A reserved small car from the Bagdogra prepaid counter costs about ₹3,500–4,500 and a larger SUV ₹4,500–5,500, indicative 2026, for a drive of three to three and a half hours. If you are alone or a couple, go into Siliguri by auto or cab first and take a shared jeep for ₹300–400 a seat.

Is there a prepaid taxi at NJP

Yes. The prepaid taxi booth is opposite the main station entrance and works in daytime, from about 7 a.m. Fixed rates cover city drops and hill destinations such as Darjeeling, Gangtok and Kalimpong. Bagdogra Airport also has a prepaid counter next to the arrivals exit. Rates change, so check current status before you travel.

Should I stay a night in Siliguri

Stay a night if you arrive after about 2 p.m., if roads to the hills are blocked, or if you have a morning flight or train out. Mountain drives in the dark after a long journey are tiring and riskier. Budget rooms near NJP cost ₹1,200–2,500; comfortable hotels ₹4,500–8,000, indicative 2026.

How far is NJP from Bagdogra Airport

About 15–18 km, or 30–50 minutes depending on traffic. A prepaid or app-booked car costs about ₹500–800, indicative 2026. The Tenzing Norgay bus terminus and Siliguri Junction are in between, about 14 km from the airport and 6 km from NJP.

Can I go from Siliguri to Bhutan by bus

Yes. Buses run from the Tenzing Norgay terminus to Phuentsholing, about 160 km and four to five hours, and many buses also go to Jaigaon, the Indian border town. Indians need a passport or voter ID for the Bhutan entry permit, issued at Phuentsholing, plus the Sustainable Development Fee. Check current status before you travel.

Is there a helicopter from Bagdogra to Gangtok

Sikkim's helicopter service has run between Bagdogra and Gangtok in some seasons, taking about 35 minutes with only a few seats and a tight baggage limit of around 10 kg per person. It is weather dependent and often cancelled in cloud. Treat it as a bonus, not your only plan, and check current status before you travel.