Sylhet (ZYL): eight kilometres out, and London and Manchester fly here direct
A short run into the city by taxi or CNG, no useful bus, and a route map shaped almost entirely by the British Bangladeshi diaspora.
- The airport is about 8 km north-east of Sylhet, on a journey of 20 to 40 minutes depending on traffic.
- Taxis and CNG rickshaws, the motorised three-wheelers, are the usual way in. Negotiate before you get in.
- Ride-hailing apps operate in Sylhet, which makes the price predictable.
- There are practically no direct bus routes from the city centre to the airport. Do not plan around one.
- Hotels and agencies arrange private transfers, the dearest and most predictable option.
- One terminal handles domestic and international, with VIP lounges, prayer rooms, cafés, wifi, ATMs, currency exchange and a medical centre.
- Direct international flights run from London and Manchester, plus the Gulf and the wider Middle East.
- The first direct international flight was on 3 May 2002, to Kuwait.
- Arrive 2 to 3 hours before an international flight, 1.5 to 2 for a domestic one.
- Sylhet floods. The FCDO warns of an increased risk of seasonal flooding in the north-east including this region, which affects road access as much as flights.
The run into town
- 8 km, north-east of the city. That is close, and the 20 to 40 minute range is about Sylhet's traffic rather than distance.
- A taxi or a CNG is what you take. CNGs are the motorised three-wheelers that run on compressed natural gas, cheap and everywhere.
- Agree the fare first. Meters are not the norm.
- Ride-hailing apps work here, which is the simplest way to avoid the conversation.
- There is effectively no bus. Guides that mention public transport for this airport are describing something you cannot use.
Why this airport exists in the shape it does
- Sylhet is the home region of most of the British Bangladeshi community, and the route map follows that exactly: direct flights from London and Manchester, alongside the Gulf.
- The first direct international service left on 3 May 2002, for Kuwait.
- That means the arrivals hall behaves like a diaspora airport rather than a tourist one. Peaks are around school holidays and Eid, and the hall fills with families and a lot of luggage at once.
- US-Bangla and Biman Bangladesh cover the domestic routes, principally Dhaka.
The terminal
- A single terminal handles domestic and international.
- VIP lounges, prayer rooms, cafés, free wifi, ATMs, currency exchange and a medical centre.
- 2 to 3 hours before an international departure, 1.5 to 2 before a domestic one.
The weather risk
- The FCDO warns of increased seasonal flooding in north-east Bangladesh including the Sylhet region, from heavy pre-monsoon rain.
- Flash floods and landslides have hit the area. Flooding can arrive with little warning and disrupt transport, utilities and access to services, particularly in low-lying and riverside places.
- Check the Bangladesh Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre rather than a general forecast if you are travelling here in the wet season.
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