Kolkata to Kathmandu?

Doppelwhipper · Aug 17th, 2008, 21:57

Hello,

In Kerala at the moment and need to figure out how to get to Nepal by September 1st, give or take a couple of days. We're on a tight budget so money is a major consideration and we're trying to figure out the best balance between travel time and cost.

We're looking into flying at least part of the journey because doing the whole thing overland would be hellish! At the moment we have:

Fly from Mumbai to Kathmandu - EUR180
Fly from Chennai to Kathmandu - EUR180
Fly from Chennai to Varanasi - EUR160 (then travel overland)
Fly from Chennai to Kolkata - EUR80 (then travel overland)

The cheaper Chennai-Kolkata is attractive so my main question is how easy would it be to get from Kolkata to Kathmandu? Do buses run direct or would we have to get to Varanasi first?

If we have to get to Varanasi first, roughly how long would it take to get the train between the two? And roughly how long is the bus from there to Kathmandu?

If we can do Kolkata-Kathmandu direct, roughly how long would that take?

I hope that's not too confusing!

Thanks

singsub · Aug 17th, 2008, 23:03

flight time should be less than 2 hours. the other way to do it is to go to darjeeling by night train/night bus and then go to kathmandu from there.

abhijit.s · Aug 18th, 2008, 17:01

Little correction,if you allow Mr singsub.
The flight duration from Kolkata to Kathmandu is 1hr 10 mts,fare INR 9500 approx.
Alernatively,you dont have to go to Darjeeling.On arrival at NGP Station by train from Kolkata,take a car and go to Kakarvita,a border town and then cross the border get a coach to Bhadrapur for flight to Kthmandu.You will get private operator flying small aircraft in this sector.With the political situation now little normal,to save money one can takes a coach from Kakarvita to Kathmandu,1 over night journey.But the question is,savings will not be very significant comparing to take a direct flight from Kolkata instead.

Doppelwhipper · Aug 18th, 2008, 21:19

OK, we're now thinking of the following:

Day 1: Fly Chennai to Kolkata, stay the night
Day 2: Train from Kolkata to Raxoul
Day 3: Arrive by train at 8:30am (according to the Lonely planet) and then cross the border that day and make the rest of the journey to Kathmandu.

Thoughts?

machadinha · Aug 18th, 2008, 21:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doppelwhipper

Thoughts?

That you'll be bloody knackered by the time you get to Kath at this pace, yes. But if it's your thing...

Raxaul seems to be no one's favorite sh*thole btw. Don't ask me why, I've never been. My outdated guidebook claims it's another 12 hours by bus from there to Kathmandu.

I thought those direct flights from Mumbai (or Chennai) looked very reasonable from where you're at really.

Doppelwhipper · Aug 19th, 2008, 17:46

Quote:

That you'll be bloody knackered by the time you get to Kath at this pace, yes. But if it's your thing...

Agreed but that's the trade off with the budget!

Quote:

Raxaul seems to be no one's favorite sh*thole btw. Don't ask me why, I've never been. My outdated guidebook claims it's another 12 hours by bus from there to Kathmandu.

Since I posted this last night I read in the guidebook that Bihar is a dangerous area and I'm beginning to give it second thoughts and go via Wst Bengal instead.

Quote:

I thought those direct flights from Mumbai (or Chennai) looked very reasonable from where you're at really.

I know, I know

Gametotravel · Aug 19th, 2008, 17:58

The Raxaul route is good while going but bad while returning as the cops harass all returnees as this being the goods smuggling local trading point.

I think the bus journey is about 7-8 hours please check!

Alternate route is to take a flight to Bagdogra (Maybe Rs 2500/-)and then take another flight to Kathmandu on a charter plane or take a bus from Siliguri ( about 10hrs). For return trip this way is advisable as less hassles from border security as this being the tourist route as against a trade route.

Kindly update later as current info would be useful.

Doppelwhipper · Aug 20th, 2008, 17:44

Well we actually bottled it and took the direct(ish) flight. We're flying to Thailand from Calcutta afterwards and we'll have to get there over land so I'll post how that one went in a month or so.

machadinha · Aug 20th, 2008, 22:09

Hokay, so you're returning by Siliguri? Do post an update later to this thread please yes, so the info remains together. & Happy journeys

ps That looks like good and practical advice, Game, thanks.

Aug 17th, 2008, 21:57	#1
Doppelwhipper Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Ireland Posts: 20	Kolkata to Kathmandu? Hello, In Kerala at the moment and need to figure out how to get to Nepal by September 1st, give or take a couple of days. We're on a tight budget so money is a major consideration and we're trying to figure out the best balance between travel time and cost. We're looking into flying at least part of the journey because doing the whole thing overland would be hellish! At the moment we have: Fly from Mumbai to Kathmandu - EUR180 Fly from Chennai to Kathmandu - EUR180 Fly from Chennai to Varanasi - EUR160 (then travel overland) Fly from Chennai to Kolkata - EUR80 (then travel overland) The cheaper Chennai-Kolkata is attractive so my main question is how easy would it be to get from Kolkata to Kathmandu? Do buses run direct or would we have to get to Varanasi first? If we have to get to Varanasi first, roughly how long would it take to get the train between the two? And roughly how long is the bus from there to Kathmandu? If we can do Kolkata-Kathmandu direct, roughly how long would that take? I hope that's not too confusing! Thanks

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Aug 17th, 2008, 23:03	#2
singsub Account Closed Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: right next door to hell Posts: 1,170	flight time should be less than 2 hours. the other way to do it is to go to darjeeling by night train/night bus and then go to kathmandu from there.

Aug 18th, 2008, 17:01	#3
abhijit.s Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: kolkata india Posts: 95	Little correction,if you allow Mr singsub. The flight duration from Kolkata to Kathmandu is 1hr 10 mts,fare INR 9500 approx. Alernatively,you dont have to go to Darjeeling.On arrival at NGP Station by train from Kolkata,take a car and go to Kakarvita,a border town and then cross the border get a coach to Bhadrapur for flight to Kthmandu.You will get private operator flying small aircraft in this sector.With the political situation now little normal,to save money one can takes a coach from Kakarvita to Kathmandu,1 over night journey.But the question is,savings will not be very significant comparing to take a direct flight from Kolkata instead.

Aug 18th, 2008, 21:19	#4
Doppelwhipper Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Ireland Posts: 20	OK, we're now thinking of the following: Day 1: Fly Chennai to Kolkata, stay the night Day 2: Train from Kolkata to Raxoul Day 3: Arrive by train at 8:30am (according to the Lonely planet) and then cross the border that day and make the rest of the journey to Kathmandu. Thoughts?

Aug 19th, 2008, 17:58	#7
Gametotravel Maha Guru Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Chennai Posts: 530	The Raxaul route is good while going but bad while returning as the cops harass all returnees as this being the goods smuggling local trading point. I think the bus journey is about 7-8 hours please check! Alternate route is to take a flight to Bagdogra (Maybe Rs 2500/-)and then take another flight to Kathmandu on a charter plane or take a bus from Siliguri ( about 10hrs). For return trip this way is advisable as less hassles from border security as this being the tourist route as against a trade route. Kindly update later as current info would be useful.

Aug 20th, 2008, 17:44	#8
Doppelwhipper Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Ireland Posts: 20	Well we actually bottled it and took the direct(ish) flight. We're flying to Thailand from Calcutta afterwards and we'll have to get there over land so I'll post how that one went in a month or so.

Aug 20th, 2008, 22:09	#9
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 10,891	Hokay, so you're returning by Siliguri? Do post an update later to this thread please yes, so the info remains together. & Happy journeys ps That looks like good and practical advice, Game, thanks.

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