East India is large and its regions are spread out, so how you move between them shapes the whole trip. The usual pattern is to fly or take a train between regions, then hire a car with a driver locally.
Flights
Kolkata is the main hub, with domestic flights to cities including Bagdogra (for Darjeeling), Bhubaneswar, Patna and Ranchi. Flying saves a lot of time on the longer hops.
Trains
Indian Railways links all the main cities: Kolkata’s Howrah and Sealdah stations connect to New Jalpaiguri for the hills, to Bhubaneswar and Puri, and towards Bihar and Jharkhand. Overnight trains are a good way to cover long distances. Book ahead, especially in the festival season.
Roads
- Hire a car with a driver for day trips and for the hills; self-driving is not recommended for most visitors.
- Allow plenty of time: mountain roads, city traffic and winter fog all slow journeys.
- Avoid driving on forest roads at night.
Special journeys
- The Darjeeling toy train: most visitors take a short joyride between Darjeeling and Ghum.
- Sundarbans: travel inside the reserve is by boat only, with a permit.
- Chilika Lake: boats run from Satapada and other jetties.
- Kolkata ferries: crossing the Hooghly by ferry is quick and cheap.
See also how to plan an East India trip and suggested itineraries.
Sources and image credits
Facts that can change were checked on 31 October 2026:
Photography: Bigul Malayi via the WordPress Photo Directory (CC0). Stock images, not the author’s own.
Schedules change frequently. Check current timetables and book trains and flights well ahead, especially around festivals.
