Siliguri (NJP and Bagdogra) to Kurseong
Your options
Ways to make the journey
1.5 h
Jeeps for Kurseong leave from the stands near the Tenzing Norgay bus terminus and from NJP, filling up with 10 passengers. They run more often than Darjeeling jeeps because Kurseong is a commuter town. Ask whether the jeep takes Rohini road or Pankhabari road; both reach the town centre near the station.
1–1.5 h
A reserved car from Bagdogra or NJP to a Kurseong hotel costs roughly ₹2,000–3,000. If you are staying outside town, at Cochrane Place on Pankhabari road or a tea estate, give the driver the exact location before you agree the fare, because estate roads add time.
4–5 h
The daily NJP–Darjeeling train stops at Kurseong, roughly half way, after Sukna, Rangtong, Tindharia and Mahanadi. The lower section has the line's famous loops and reverses near Tindharia. Timings slip often and landslides can suspend the lower section, so check current status before you travel.
Worth a stop
- Sukna forest
- Rohini road tea gardens
- Simulbari
Questions people ask
Good to know
How far is Kurseong from Siliguri
About 32 km by Rohini road, usually 1–1.5 hours by car and around 1.5 hours by shared jeep. Hill Cart Road via Sukna is longer and slower but follows the toy-train line. A reserved car costs ₹2,000–3,000 and a shared seat ₹120–200, indicative 2026.
Is Kurseong a good first stop from Bagdogra
Yes. It is half the drive of Darjeeling, so you reach it before dark even with an afternoon flight, and the altitude of about 1,458 m is a gentle first step. Spend the evening in the bazaar or at your hotel, see Makaibari or Giddapahar next morning, and continue to Darjeeling, about 30 km, by afternoon.
Do shared jeeps run from NJP to Kurseong
Yes, through the day, from the stands near NJP station and the Tenzing Norgay bus terminus in Siliguri. They leave when full with 10 passengers. Services thin out after mid-afternoon, so do not plan on the last jeep. Fares are ₹120–200 a seat, indicative 2026.
Can I take the toy train from NJP to Kurseong only
The daily NJP–Darjeeling train stops at Kurseong, and you can book to an intermediate station on IRCTC, subject to quota. It takes 4–5 hours, often more. The DHR also runs occasional Kurseong-side joyrides. Timetables change often, so check current status before you travel.