Delhi to Bodhgaya

sorry for what probably appear a stupid question, I am a novice on India, but how one gets to Bodhgaya from New Delhi? I am interested in both air and overland travel

thanks

Volga

There is an airport in Gaya, my 'plane stopped there on a flight from Columbo last year. I think it was an important stop to drop off some monks as the Dhali Lama was visiting Bodh Gaya at the time so it might not have regular flights.

The train stops at Gaya which is on the main route Delhi-Kolkata, Steven_ber here will advise you of your options there but there is no shortage of trains, its an overnight trip, very pleasant on the Rajhani Express.

There are no stupid questions here, only interesting ones, which are the ones to which we know the answers!

Thanks Colin! I checked a few sites about Buddhist sacred sites and I could not even find the name of the state/part of India Gaya is in. I assume it is somewhere btw Colombo and Delhi. Do you remember how long is it from Delhi?

I also checked flight schedules of Air India and Jet Airways (two airlines i know from India) but could not find any flights either to Gaya or to Patna (according to one site, this is the most convenient airport for Bodhgaya to which Air India supposedly flies).

I am staying in new Delhi and I would like to know whether I can make this trip to Bodhgaya in a weekend- I have to get back to work on Mon morning. So the train might be a bit long journey?

thanks again for this bit of info

Volga

I think to get to Gaya and back on a weekend is hoping for a bit much. I almost got stuck in Gaya, I got the ordinary train (2SL)down from Delhi but when I wanted to come back, they were all booked out so I had to take the more expensive train to get a berth, the reason was it was during the annual festival at BodhGaya so everything was booked out with Buddhist monks heading back th their monasteries. Book your return journey when you book your down trip.
The airline I travelled with was SriLankan Airways, an excellent airline, they have an office in Connaught Place and were very helpful and accomodating, I changed my flight home from Singapore to Bangkok without any penalty.

I am sure someone with a current 'Trains at a Glance' (the All-India train guide) will leap in here and and tell you of your options with trains down and back.

Have a good trip!

Colin

Please check out the following links :

1. http://www.indiantravelportal.com/bihar/bodh-gaya/

2.http://www.indianrail.gov.in/

Bodh Gaya is in the Indian state of Bihar. It is only 13 kms. from Gaya, the nearest rail head.

Indian Airlines (not Air India) operate a daily flight from Delhi to Patna.

Alliance Air operate a thrice-weekly flight from Delhi to Patna.

According to Lonely Planet's latest guide on India, an airport at Bodhgaya is expected to open shortly, with direct international flights from Bangkok and Colombo; and domestic flights from Delhi and Kolkata.

You may check on the latest situation with the airlines / travel agents at New Delhi.

Bodh Gaya is just over half way from Delhi to Calcutta.

Going by train may be difficult to fit into a weekend, I will assume your working M - F 09:00 - 17:00, the best I can find is: -

Train 2382 New Delhi 16:15, Gaya 08:50.
Train 2306 New Delhi 17:00, Patna 05:35.
Train 2422 New Delhi 17:15, Gaya 05:05.
Train 2394 New Delhi 18:05, Patna 08:45.

All the above trains depart New Delhi on Fridays, Gaya station would be your best option as Patna is about 100 km north of Bodh Gaya.

Train 2381 Gaya 16:00, New Delhi 08:10.
Train 2393 Patna 18:20, New Delhi 08:40.
Train 2305 Patna 21:00, New Delhi 09:50.
Train 2421 Gaya 22:07, New Delhi 10:30.
Train 2313 Gaya 22:33, New Delhi 10:50.

All the above trains depart Gaya/Patna on Sundays.

All the trains listed will need to be booked at least a week in advance.

Airlines are not much better.

Indian Airlines flight IC 7891 departs Delhi at 07:30 and gets to Patna at 08:55.(Saturdays).

Flight IC 810 departs Patna at 16:30 and gets to Delhi at 17:55. (Sundays).

Air Sahara flight S2-115 departs Delhi at 11:50 on Saturdays and gets to Patna at 13:20.

Flight S2-116 departs Patna at 15:40 on Sundays and gets to Delhi at 17:10.

There is a bus departs Delhi at 18:00 on fridays and if it gets to Gaya it is due to arrive on Wednesdays at 16:00. (joking)

EDIT NOTE: I only did a quick search, but was unable to find Alliance Air on the net, a pity, there flights offered the longest stay in Gaya.

Oh my, thank you so much guys/gals for all this info. I will be staying in Delhi for a few weeks so will try to see if I can still fit this into a weekend. May be some combination of a flight and a train journey.

volga

Steven,

Alliance Air is a "wholly owned subsidiary" (their wording) of Indian Airlines, and their flights show up on the IA website. The first time I flew Alliance, I had an IA ticket, was issued an IA boarding card, and thought I was being put on the wrong plane when directed up the stairs to the Alliance jet. I learned to expect this on subsequent occasions.