Get in
By plane
Kolkata’s “Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport” connects the city with the rest of the world as well as other Indian cities.
Because the airport is about 20km outside the city centre you should take a prepaid taxi. Expect to pay about Rs. 150-250 depending on your destination.
By train
Kolkata is well connected by rail to almost all the big stations in India and also serves as the gateway to North-Eastern India. The cities two major railway stations are Howrah (not in Kolkata actually, it’s in the adjoining city Howrah) and Sealdah. A new terminus station called ‘Kolkata’ has also started functioning since 2005, but presently it accommodates very few trains.
By bus
To/from Bangladesh There are numerous bus options between Kolkata and Bangladesh. The most common way is the regular comfortable a/c buses from Dhaka to Kolkata via the Haridaspur / Benapole border post. Private bus companies Shohagh [1], Green Line [2]. Govt. buses run under the label of the state owned West Bengal Surface Transport Service Corporation (WBSTSC) and the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation [4] (BRTC). WBSTSC and BRTC both operate buses from Kolkata every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 5:30AM and 8:30AM, and 12:30PM while from Dhaka they leave on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7:00AM and 7:30AM.
To/from Eastern India via Bangladesh Bus travel to some points in Eastern India are faster via Bangladesh (please note that visas may be required for entry into Bangladesh as well as for re-entry into India). If you’re heading to points in Eastern India (Tripura for example) beyond Bangladesh.
Get around
By taxi
Kolkata just wouldn’t look the same without the plethora of yellow ambassador taxis that ply on its roads. They’re easily available and relatively cheap, and will usually use their meters.
The fare is 2 times plus Rs 2 the reading of the meter. The Meter starts from Rs. 10, which means Rs. 22 actually. There is a “green taxi” which is red colored (!) and charges the same. In case you are confused always ask to see the chart that the driver is supposed to carry with him.
You can find ‘Orix’ or ‘Megacabs’ air-conditioned taxis on call. Their fare is about Rs15-20/km. The telephone numbers to call for these taxis are Orix – (033)44222222 and Megacabs – (033)41414141.
By metro
Kolkata’s “Metro Railway” was the first underground rail in India, yet it still has only a single route connecting the North and South of the city, from Dumdum to Garia Bazar. It is the cleanest, most reliable, least but still rather crowded and most efficient of all the transportation Kolkata has to offer. Trains run every 10-15 minutes and at Rs 4-8. Work is underway to connect districts further South. There is also an East-West line in the works on full swing, which will connect Salt Lake to Howrah station.
By tram
“Calcutta Tramways” is the only tram service in all of India, and the oldest surviving electric tram network of Asia. Though decommissioned in so.