Getting from Bagdogra Airport to the city

The airport is the start, not the destination

• Bagdogra exists to serve the hills. Siliguri is the town at its feet, Darjeeling and Kalimpong are above it, and Sikkim is beyond that.

The shared jeep

• This is the transport system of the eastern Himalaya. Tata Sumos and Mahindra Boleros run fixed routes, leave when full, and cost a fraction of a private car.
• 800 to 1,200 rupees a person to Gangtok.
• They go from the Bagdogra taxi stand on the main highway or from the Tenzing Norgay bus terminus in Siliguri.
• They are cramped and fast and entirely normal. For a solo traveller they are much the best value.
• A private taxi to Gangtok is 4,000 to 5,500 rupees for the vehicle, which for three or four people is comparable.

The prepaid counter

• A prepaid taxi counter sits at the exit of the arrivals terminal, booking a car at a fixed price.
• Roughly 400 to 600 rupees into Siliguri.
• For a hill destination it is worth agreeing the whole run at the counter rather than arranging it twice.

The Sikkim permit

• Sikkim is a restricted state. Indian nationals need an Inner Line Permit; foreign nationals need a Restricted Area Permit.
• The permit is checked at the Rangpo check post on the way in, and the driver will normally handle the stop.
• Foreign nationals should sort the RAP in advance where possible; it can also be issued at some entry points, but arriving without a plan is a bad idea.
• This does not apply to Darjeeling or Kalimpong, which are in West Bengal and need no permit.

The terminals

• Separate domestic and international terminals.
• International flying here is thin and changeable, with Bhutan and Bangkok services appearing and disappearing. Check before you plan around one.
• Domestically it is a busy airport, with the Kolkata and Delhi routes carrying the bulk of the traffic.