Darjeeling is located in the Indian state of West Bengal at an altitude of 2,710 feet. About 700 kms from Calcutta, it is one of the most beautiful hill stations in India. The nearest railway station to Darjeeling is Siliguri Station. The mesmerizing sunrise, the pristine beauty of the majestic Himalayas, the majestic view of the snow-clad peaks, the calmness of the lush green hills bathed in majestic views and the friendly smiles of the local people.

Magnificent red rhododendrons and white magnolias, miles of rolling hills covered with green tea plantations, exotic pine forests and dazzling blue fairy Darjeeling is the queen of hill stations. At dawn, Kangchenjunga twinkles and takes your breath away.

This beautiful hill station is an ideal destination for a romantic honeymoon in India. Whether you are a tourist, traveller, photographer or artist, Darjeeling has something to offer for everyone.

Nearest Train Station and Airport to Darjeeling

Train is the most common way to travel to Darjeeling. Traveling by train gives you a chance to pass through beautiful towns and admire the beautiful tea gardens on the hill slopes. The nearest railway station to Darjeeling is New Jalpaiguri Junction (NJP). Bagdogra is the nearest airport to Darjeeling.

Take a ride on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway in a toy train to witness spectacular panoramas of the Himalayas, one of the most beautiful mountain journeys in the world.

Best time to visit Darjeeling

The most popular and best time to visit Darjeeling is from April to June. You can visit Darjeeling in summers when it is comfortable and not too hot. Bright sunshine makes it the perfect time to explore Darjeeling. September is also the best month to visit Darjeeling as it receives less rainfall and the region is at its most beautiful during this time of the year.

Many people also prefer to visit Darjeeling during the winter months from October to December. July-August is not the best time to visit Darjeeling due to heavy rainfall. The road to the hill station is closed due to heavy rains.

How to reach Darjeeling by train, car, and plane

Darjeeling has neither an airport nor a conventional broad gauge station. You can reach Darjeeling from New Jalpaiguri, the nearest railway station. It is just 76 kms from Darjeeling and is well connected to major Indian cities.

Darjeeling town is also accessible from Siliguri, which is about 80 km from Darjeeling, by private and shared taxis, buses and even the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway toy train. The nearest airport to Darjeeling is Bagdogra near Siliguri. Darjeeling can be reached by taxi from Bagdogra.

1. Nearest airport to Darjeeling

Bagdogra Airport is the nearest airport to Darjeeling. The airport is located 76 km from Darjeeling city. There are direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Guwahati and Kolkata. You can take a private taxi from the airport to Darjeeling. It takes approximately 3 hours to drive from Bagdogra Airport to Darjeeling.

Nearest Airport: BAGDOGRA Airport

2. How to reach Darjeeling by road?

Darjeeling is accessible from Siliguri (Main Bus Station of Siliguri) and Kolkata by regular buses, shared jeepneys and private taxis. The distance from Siliguri to Darjeeling is about 70 km. There are also buses from nearby cities such as Kurseong and Kalimpong. The road network is quite satisfactory, and the mountains on both sides are beautiful.

3. From New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling

There are several options for traveling from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling. Transport options available from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling include private and shared taxis, buses, shared jeepneys and narrow gauge toy trains of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.

4. From Siliguri to Darjeeling

Siliguri is the sister city near New Jalpaiguri (NJP) and provides easy access to Darjeeling. Many tourists go to Siliguri first and then arrive at Darjeeling with suitable transport.

Siliguri City and Siliguri Junction are two small nearest railway stations in Siliguri. NJP is only 5 kilometers from Siliguri City and 3 kilometers from Siliguri Junction. There are various forms of public transport such as buses, private taxis, and shared jeepneys to reach Darjeeling. The road from Siliguri to Darjeeling takes about 3 hours.

5. The nearest railway station to Darjeeling.

Darjeeling Railway Station is operated by the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR). New Jalpaiguri Junction (NJP) is the closest railway station to Darjeeling and connects to other major stations in the cities of Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar and Cochin.

DHR toy train is available in New Jalpaiguri and will take you to Darjeeling at 48 km/h. The journey takes 7 hours and stops at Batasia Loop where passengers can take pictures of Kanchenjunga.

• Darjeeling’s nearest railway station code: NJP (New Jalpaiguri Junction)
• Zone: ‎Northeast Frontier Railway zone
• Connecting transport from NJP to Darjeeling: Bus, Taxi, Cabs, Bike Taxi and toy trains

Some Other Nearest Railway Stations to Darjeeling are:

1. (DJRZ) TO DARJEELING – 0.21 km from Darjeeling
2. (DJ) DARJEELING – 0.22 km from Darjeeling
3. (GHUM) GHUM – 3.2 Km From Darjeeling
4. (SAD) SONADA – 8.46 km from Darjeeling
5. (TUNG) TUNG – 13.07 km from Darjeeling
6. (KGN) KURSEONG – 17.64 km from Darjeeling
7. (SJ) SILIGURI JN – 37.84 km from Darjeeling

Major Nearest Railway Stations to Darjeeling:

1. (NJP) NEW JALPAIGURI
2. (AUB) ALUABARI ROAD
3. (DQG) DHUPGURI

Important Trains Passing Through Darjeeling’s Nearest Railway Station, Jalpaiguri

• Distance between New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling by Road is 70 km.
• Travel Time From New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling by Road is 2:50 hrs.

Some Popular Trains Passing Through Jalpaiguri to Reach Darjeeling Are:

1. GHY Rajdhani Express (22423)
2. NJP HWH Special (05710)
3. GHY Rajdhani (22424)
4. Mahananda Express (14084)
5. NJP Mas Express (12754)
6. KYQ KOAA Special (25644)
7. NDLS-DBRT Rajdhani Express (20506)
8. KOAA KYQ Superfast Special (25643)
9. CDG DBRG Special (25904)
10. NJP Premium Special (03059)

Trains from the main stations to the nearest railway station in Darjeeling

For an amazing experience, you can take the Darjeeling-Himalayan Railway from New Jalpaiguri Jn. Arrival in Darjeeling.

Daily schedule of the little trains:

• Departure from NJP station at 8:30 am
• Arrival in Darjeeling at 3:35 p.m.

1. Train from Delhi to Darjeeling

From Delhi to Darjeeling, you can take a train to New Jalpaiguri which is the nearest railway station from Delhi to Darjeeling. From there, you can reach the city of Darjeeling by taxi, bus or mini train. Many trains depart from Delhi and Anand Vihar terminals and reach Delhi’s nearest railway station in Darjeeling, namely New Jalpaiguri Junction (NJP).

Some popular trains from Delhi to Jalpaiguri:

• 15484 Sikkim Mahananda Express
• 12506 Northeast Express
• 15910 Express Avadh Assam
• 12524 NDLS-NJP Express every two weeks
• 20506 NDLS-DBRT Rajdhani Express
• 12424 Rajdhani Express
• 14056 Post Brahmaputra
• 19601 UDZ NJP Express

Train fare from Delhi to Jalpaiguri:

• Price per sleeping car from INR 610 to INR 700
• Fares for Class 3A trains range from Rs. 1600 to Rs. 2155
• The ticket price for the second AC train from Delhi to Jalpaiguri is Rs. 2320 to Rs. 2960
• The first AC train fare is Rs. 3980 to Rs. 4905

2. How to get from Mumbai to Darjeeling by train?

There is no major nearest railway station from Mumbai to Darjeeling with a direct train. The nearest railway station from Mumbai to Darjeeling is New Jalpaiguri which is the nearest railway station to Darjeeling, so you can reach Darjeeling in 2-3 hours by car. It takes two days and seven hours to travel from Mumbai to Jalpaiguri.

List of popular trains from Mumbai to Jalpaiguri arriving at Darjeeling:

• Express LTT-GHY (15645)
• Karmabhoomi Express (22511)
• Guwahati Express (15645)
• LTT KYQ AC EXP (12519)

Train fares from Mumbai to Jalpaiguri:

• Sleeper train fare from Mumbai to New Jalpaiguri (SL): Rs. 750
• Train fare from Mumbai to New Jalpaiguri is 3 AC: Rs. 1975-2020
• Train ticket from Mumbai to New Jalpaiguri 2AC: Rs. 2920-2970

3. Train from Kolkata to Darjeeling

Darjeeling does not have a major railway station directly connected to Kolkata. So the train from Kolkata to Darjeeling is not available, you can take the train available from Kolkata which is the nearest railway station from Darjeeling to New Jalpaiguri.

It takes four to five hours by car to reach Darjeeling from New Jalpaiguri Junction.

List of trains from Main Kolkata to New Jalpaiguri:

• 13175 Kanchenjunga Express
• 12363 KOAA HDB SF Express
• 12509 GUWAHATI EXP
• 12513 SBC-GHY express
• 13141 Testa Torsa Express
• 12041HWH-NJP Shatabdi Express
• 12345 Saraighat Express
• 15959 Kamstrup Express
• 13147 Uttar Banga Express
• 13149 Kanchan Kanya Express
• 12343 Darjeeling Post Office

Train fare from Kolkata to New Jalpaiguri:

• SL: INR 325
• 3AC: INR 870
• 2 CA: INR 1250

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What to do in Darjeeling

1.) Watch the sunrise from Tiger Hill

You can see the first rays of the sun from Kanchenjunga. You can also enjoy the picturesque view of Mount Everest. Tiger Hills is the perfect place to watch a beautiful sunrise.

2.) Explore the War Memorial at Batasia Loop

Batasia Loop is located about 5 km from Darjeeling. It is a spiral track where the train makes 360-degree turns in a large circular area.

3.) Whitewater rafting on the Teesta River

Rafting is Darjeeling’s most adventurous activity. This is the perfect place for adventure seekers. The difficult rapids are risky and only professionals or seasonal instructors are allowed.

4.) Darjeeling Tea Plantation

A tea plantation in Darjeeling is a unique experience. Covering nearly 17,500 hectares of tea plantations, Darjeeling is a mountainous tourist trap for tourists.

5.) Sandakphu Trekking

For a bolder experience in Darjeeling, head to Sandakphu. It is the highest point in West Bengal and is an ideal destination for trekking enthusiasts. Located 3,636 meters above sea level, it offers the best panoramic views of the alluring Mount Everest and Kangchenjunga.