How to Reach Thimphu From Kolkata

Kolkata – the ‘City of Joy’, is one of the most wonderful destinations to reach to almost all the corners of the world. And while talking about Bhutan or the other major tourist destinations in the country, almost no other city can second Kolkata!

Be it by air, train, or road, the capital city of West Bengal offers multiple options to the visitors who are unsure about how to reach Thimphu from Kolkata. If you too are planning or yearning for a trip from Kolkata to Thimphu, here is something that you shouldn’t miss!

How to Reach Thimphu From Kolkata by Air

If you are planning to fly directly to Bhutan’s capital city, they can book flights from Kolkata’s Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport to Paro International Airport in Bhutan. There are regular flights between these two destinations that are operated by both Druk Air and Bhutan Airlines. Some of these flights even fly via Kathmandu in Nepal. Upon reaching Paro, you can board local buses or hire private vehicles to reach Thimphu.

Also, if any of the foreign national wish to fly to Paro International Airport, but without touching any of the Indian airports, they can book flights to Paro from multiple foreign airports. One can fly from Singapore, Bangkok (Thailand), Kathmandu (Nepal), and Dhaka (Bangladesh) to reach Paro International Airport.

How to Reach Thimphu from Kolkata by Train

For the train journey lovers, they can board a train from the metropolitan city to reach New Jalpaiguri, Siliguri, New Alipurduar, or Hasimara railway stations. From these stations, they can complete a road journey to Jaigaon, a town located at the Indo-Bhutan border. Here onwards, they can drive through Phuentsholing, and finally reach Bhutan’s capital city Thimphu. To note here, Hasimara would be the most preferable railway station as it is the nearest station to Phuentsholing.

How to Reach Thimphu from Kolkata by Road

If you are planning for a road journey from Kolkata to Thimphu, you either board direct buses to the capital city of Bhutan or embark on a road journey to reach the city through Phuentsholing-Jaigaon entry point.

Kolkata has regular buses that plies from Esplanade Bus Stand to reach Thimphu. Operated by the Royal Bhutanese Government, these buses take around 18 hours to complete the Kolkata-Thimphu road circuit.

Another exciting option to reach Thimphu from Kolkata would be by planning a road trip from Kolkata to Jaigaon. Located in the Alipurduar district of West Bengal, Jaigaon town shares its boundaries with the Phuentsholing town in Bhutan. You can enter Bhutan through the Jaigaon-Phuentsholing entry point, and once you are the in the Land of Thunder Dragons, you can take the local buses or hire private cabs to reach Thimphu by covering another 147km (4 hours) along the Thimphu-Phuentsholing Highway.