There are multiple ways to travel from India to Bhutan by air and road
including trains. But flying to Paro International Airport is the fastest and
easiest way to get to Bhutan.
If you are traveling a long distance to Bhutan, there are two direct airlines –
Drukair and Bhutan Airlines operate from Delhi, Gaya, Bagdogra, Kolkata,
Mumbai, and Guwahati to Paro, Bhutan’s only international airport. The best
is to book air tickets in advance online so that an e-ticket can be sent to
your email or phone.
Bagdogra in West Bengal is the closest airport to Bhutan that connects to
railway stations to Hasimara in West Bengal by train. This allows you to
explore the parts of Sikkim and West Bengal before reaching Bhutan. After
reaching Hasimara you can hire a car to drive to Bhutan for the rest of your
trip.
Another cheapest way to reach Bhutan from India is by train. With the
extensive railway networks across India that converge in West Bengal, travel
by land is relatively easy. It can connect you to the closest railway stations
to Jaigaon – an Indian bordering town to Bhutan.
Hasimara is the nearest railway station to Jaigaon at 17 km and New
Jalpaiguri is another station quite close to Bhutan. You can get a connecting
train to Hasimara or travel by car or local bus to the border crossing town of
Jaigaon.
The trains run to Hasimara from Delhi (1,663 km), Kolkata (690 km), Ranchi
(749 km), and Kanpur (1,197 km) regularly, with minimal connections and
changes. Trains take longer but are cost-efficient and ideal for budget
travelers. The tickets and timetable are available on Indian Railways’ IRCTC
Website.
For those traveling from Kolkata and other areas closer to Bhutan, the most
common way to enter Bhutan by road is from Jaigaon town in West Bengal.
It can be a much cheaper and easier way. People getting down at Bagdogra
by flight or at New Jalpaiguri by train can also avail of the cab services as
Private cabs are available.
Indians can take their own cars to Bhutan, although they ?need to get a
permit to do so. The permits are available from the Regional Transport Office
in Phuentsholing after crossing the border.
In addition, for those wishing to travel by bus, bus services are available
daily from Kolkata to Phuentsholing running by the Royal Government of
Bhutan. The buses leave on a direct route to Phuentsholing from the
Esplanade Station in Kolkata where the journey takes about 18 hours.
Indian nationals visiting Bhutan require getting the ‘Entry Permit’ based on a
valid Travel Document from the Immigration Office of RGoB at
Phuentsholing, ?at the Indo-Bhutan border opposite Jaigaon, West Bengal.
