Planning a train journey to Kolkatta to get us to our plane on time

SilverMaple

Advice welcomed on how best to guarantee that we get back to Kolkatta in time for plane back to UK.

We’ll be coming from Darjeeling. Our flight to UK leaves Kolkatta at 4.55am on 9 November. To be sure of catching this, we’d been thinking of booking on to Train 2344 which should leave New Jalpaiguri at 20.00 on 7 November and arrive at Kolkatta at 6.00 on the morning of 8 November.

1) Is this a big enough safety margin timewise for a delay / cancellation/ problems on this train route?
2) How far ahead would we need to book train tickets?.
3) Is there anywhere in Kolkatta where we could safely leave our luggage for the day?
Any advice much appreciated.

wonderwomanusa

The rail station has a "left luggage" area where you can leave LOCKED luggage...but then you would have to go back there before going to the airport. That may not be such a bad idea, since you can get a pre-paid taxi to the airport from there.

I think the Darjeeling trains come into Sealdah station.

atala

it is always a good idea to travel the day before departure. Take a hotel room for the day; it is worth it: It gives you time to take a shower, and relax a bit and sleep some , before catching your flight, and possibly buy your last gifts you want to bring home, and the place to stuff your bags with your last buys. Arriving as you say seems enough time in case...

Book train tickets as far ahead as possible :-)

blackbird

Train 2344 does arrive at Sealdah. There is left luggage there, but you may have to haggle for a taxi to the airport as there wasn't a prepaid taxi stand last time I was there, unlike at Howrah (somebody correct me if I'm out of date).

I think you will be wise to get an overnight train to arrive the morning before your flight, and book it as soon as you can.

atala

After an overnight train journey you definitely want to go to a hotel to freshen up. The few hundred Rupees at a Sudder Street hotel are worth it for sure. You'll be happy to do it this way. Everything else appears as plain craziness. It's a 50 Rupees taxi drive from Sealdah station; no prepaid taxi, yes, but you find plenty outside on the road. Kolkata taxis are easy, charge incredibly little compared to other places.

Where do you think you want to be after 10 pm in Kolkata that night, if your plane leaves early next morning at 5 am? Certainly not at the airport. K airport is pretty small. You do not need to go there before 1 am (30 minutes drive to the airport with no traffic on the road).

blackbird

I didn't find Kolkata taxis that easy on my first trip to India, being asked all kind of ridiculous money.

Even a couple of years ago I took a prepaid taxi and the driver insisted I had to give him an extra Rs50 to get petrol. I refused on principle, but this involved a 30 minute argument at a petrol station, and the poor pump attendant having to siphon a load of petrol back out of the car before he would let us go!

I'm with you atala on the hotel -- I would get a room for the day so I could have a shower and a rest, and head off for the airport around 1am. But if I was younger I probably would manage without.

atala

That must have been from the airport prepaid stand... The taxis from the airport tend to be more troublesome. I meant specifically the ones that you catch downtown. But - experiences vary. Also if you are a woman travelling alone, someone might want to try some tricks.