india transportation
#6
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,077
Of course it's safe!! But the fact that you ask that question probably means that you should fly.
How much does it cost? Prices change - check it out for yourself on the Indian Railways web site. Or even better check out the wonderful man in seat61 site:
http://www.seat61.com/India.htm
As for the road section from Darjeeling to Kalimpong - it's a shared taxi - it won't be expensive. I did this journey years ago so I can't remember how much it was exactly; probably less than you would spend on a gourmet sandwich in your home country.
A week is a good amount of time for the trip. You could spend a couple of days in Kolkata, and a couple more in Darjeeling - both amazing places.
Or you could just fly and miss the whole lot.
Your choice - it is an adventure - one that thousands of visitors enjoy every year.
Happy travels.
How much does it cost? Prices change - check it out for yourself on the Indian Railways web site. Or even better check out the wonderful man in seat61 site:
http://www.seat61.com/India.htm
As for the road section from Darjeeling to Kalimpong - it's a shared taxi - it won't be expensive. I did this journey years ago so I can't remember how much it was exactly; probably less than you would spend on a gourmet sandwich in your home country.
A week is a good amount of time for the trip. You could spend a couple of days in Kolkata, and a couple more in Darjeeling - both amazing places.
Or you could just fly and miss the whole lot.
Your choice - it is an adventure - one that thousands of visitors enjoy every year.
Happy travels.
#9
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,077
Best of luck, Elbert! You might even consider stopping in Varanasi which is an absolute "must see" (as they say!).
I was less than precise in my route outline. From Kolkata you train it to Siliguri I think or New Jailpaguri. Wherever it is, you then change trains for Darjeeling. And I really hope on your behalf that the toy train still runs. When I took this journey the train to Darjeeling was a tiny steam train - it takes a long time as it winds up into the mountains. But it is one of the great railway journeys of the world. Stupendous.
I didn't stay long in Kalimpong - I was running out of time by then so left pretty quickly for Gangtok. My abiding memory of the place is of a cricket pitch on the edge of the small town - a level space obviously made with huge effort and commitment in the middle of all those mountains.
What takes you to Kalimpong?
I was less than precise in my route outline. From Kolkata you train it to Siliguri I think or New Jailpaguri. Wherever it is, you then change trains for Darjeeling. And I really hope on your behalf that the toy train still runs. When I took this journey the train to Darjeeling was a tiny steam train - it takes a long time as it winds up into the mountains. But it is one of the great railway journeys of the world. Stupendous.
I didn't stay long in Kalimpong - I was running out of time by then so left pretty quickly for Gangtok. My abiding memory of the place is of a cricket pitch on the edge of the small town - a level space obviously made with huge effort and commitment in the middle of all those mountains.
What takes you to Kalimpong?
#10
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,077
forgot to say - if you want totally up to date info - and cost is important - go to the Thorn Tree.
www.thorntree.lonelyplanet.com
All the best.
www.thorntree.lonelyplanet.com
All the best.
