Kolkata a Tour of Satisfaction
Kolkata, famously known as “The City of Joy”. It is one of the biggest city in West Bengal, India. The Kolkata city is amazing cultural capital in West Bengal. Admiring the superb art in the city is going outstanding day by day. Before the British Empire was shifted to Delhi, Kolkata was the capital of the British Empire. If any tourist wants to take the real feel of Kolkata tour. They must come to see the royal and oldest monuments.
Kolkata has numbers of heritage and cultural monuments like Victoria Memorial, Fort William, Belur Moth, Howrah Bridge, Indian Museum, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Eden Garden cricket stadium, Kalighat Temple, Rabindranath Tagore’s house etc. which is a kind of reward to the global tourist for lifetime experience. There are also plenty of boat stands all over the Kolkata city, where tourist can enjoy the sunset with stunning views.
Kolkata looks much beautiful at nights. Because here everyone can get different feels in markets and the streets. Kolkata’s street food is world famous. So tourist can take test of local Bengali street foods.
Things need before Kolkata tour:
- Passport
- Indian visa
- Profession provement.
- Travel plan.
- Hotel and ticket reservations.
How to Reach:
There are three ways to reach in Kolkata from Bangladesh. Air, Bus, and Train. For other countries tourist around the world, the only way to reach Kolkata is by Air.
By Air:
Tourist also can go by air. They need to book tickets from online by airways company website or from a travel agent. Airways like Bangladesh Biman, US Bangla, Regent Air, Novo Air, Spice Jet and Indigo from Hazrat ShahJalal International Airport, Dhaka to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Airport, Kolkata. Travel timing is different by airways. But must keep in mind that, reach the airport minimum 3 hours before leaving. All the immigration process is same as the bus and train. The one-way fare is around 5000 BDT in an economy and round fare is 9500 BDT, for business class, it is a bit higher. It will take 45 minutes to reach in Kolkata.
By Bus:
The buses like Green line, Shyamoli all are AC buses fare is from 1600-2000 BDT. Tourist needs to buy Bus tickets from Gabtoli, Kalyanpur, Kamalapur, Uttara, and Arambag. Almost 12 hours take to reach there. Tourist also has paid the travel tax in Sonali Bank before leave and keep that safe, because it will need in the border. The travel tax is 500 BDT. The bus journey will start in around 10 pm from Bangladesh. The bus journey is very painful with so much harassment for some cases in borders by the brokers. So try to avoid them and do everything by yourself. Especially in immigration work don’t give your passport to others.
Inside the immigration, they will check all the baggage and tourist need to fill up the boarding forms. It contains the name, address, hotel information, and passport no. mobile no. and baggage details. Immigration police will take a photo of yours and may ask some questions regarding your visit. So try to be calm and answer to them politely. How much dollar is endorsed in the passport and how much currency in cash. They will ask and watch it. (Up to 10,000 BDT cash is allowed to take legally).
Others all need in Dollar notes. Don’t take any Rupees. After complete the process, the immigration police will give a seal in the passport. All the immigration process are the same in Bangladesh and India. After crossing the border there are so many vehicles call tempo. Which will take to Boangaon railway station. Fare from Benapole Border is 30 Rupees. By local train, tourist can reach Sealdah station. Three hours needed to reach. From Sealdah it will take to Kolkata new market area of 30 minutes by taxi fare is 250 Rupees.
By Train (Maitree Express):
If any tourist wants to go by train, he needs to buy tickets of Maitree Express from Kamalapur Railway Station. But tourist needs to start their journey from Cantonment Railway Station, Dhaka. It will take around 10 hours to reach in Kolkata Railway Station (Known as Chitpur). Train fare is AC Chair 2500 BDT and AC Cabin is 3500 BDT (All kind of travel-related taxes are included).
Train schedule are from Dhaka to Kolkata is Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday. From Kolkata to Dhaka are Friday, Saturday, Monday and Tuesday. The journey starts from Cantonment Railway Station, Dhaka at 8.10 am but the reporting time is 6 am. From Kolkata Train starts for Dhaka is 7.10 am, so report there the 5 am. Now tourist can complete their immigration from Cantonment Railway Station and Kolkata Railway Station. (Means End to End). There will be no time waste in Darshana boarder like before.
Tour Details:
Day- 1
In this beautiful Journey we prefer the train most. So we bought tickets about a week ago, before Kolkata journey. Now it is THE DAY. Starts from the house at 5 am and reach in Cantonment Railway Station by 5.40 am. After reaching the station, then complete all the immigration procedure and take sit to start the main journey at exact 8.10 am. The mesmerizing scenery from the train of outside. Reach in Kolkata Railway Station (Chitpur) at around 6 pm. after completing also the immigration process we hire a taxi to new market area.
After reaching the new market area. Now it’s time to take a sim card. In park street road there are so many mobile shops sell tourist sim by taking a copy of a photo, the Xerox copy of passport info and immigration seal page and Xerox some more copy to give info to the hotel. Then go for exchange the Dollar to Rupee. Lots of money exchanger also on that streets. Take the exchange slip because it’s needed. After complete all these now we go to the hotel to take some rest. (We were in Emirates Hotel in Marques Street). The check-in and check-out time of every hotel is 12 pm to 12 pm. Then go for a short walk tour near the new market area. After taking dinner then time to take some rest in the hotel and ready for next day.
Day- 2
The next morning starts the journey for different places in Kolkata at 9 am. From Kolkata, New Market area to Victoria Memorial is around 3 km far. Around 100 Rupees need to reach there by taxi or tourist can walk to reach there. Then from the ticket counter of Victoria Memorial to enter inside, tourist needs to buy tickets. For the Indian’s it is 20 Rupees and for foreigners it is 200 Rupees.
Inside the Victoria Memorial:
Victoria Memorial is a great symbol of the British Empire. It is located in Kolkata. The white marble beauty, it was built by Lord Curzon. Victoria Memorial is known as one of the best places to visit in Kolkata for its magnificent view.
The memorial is an example of excellent architecture and also it is the pride of Kolkata. It has a large garden of over 60 acres, some lakes. The bronze statue, symbol as the victory and it’s mounted on the top of the memorial. It also has a gallery inside the memorial hall. Photography is strictly prohibited inside the gallery, but tourist can take photos of outside views. The total area of this memorial looks breathtaking. Especially at night after it’s illumination. A most wanted place for all people who choose to visit around Kolkata.
After Victory Memorial then starts to see the Eden Garden Stadium. It is one of the great stadium entire cricket history.
Eden Gardens Stadium:
The Eden Gardens is a beautiful cricket stadium, it is also located in Kolkata near the High Court. The stadium was established in 1864. This cricket stadium has the capacity of about 67,000 people and it is the second largest cricket stadiums in the world. Eden Gardens Stadium plays lots of important cricket matches, like ODI, Test, and T20. In IPL T20 cricket league, it is known as the home of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
From there, our plan is for Howrah Railway Station and Howrah Bridge.
Howrah Bridge and Railway Station:
The historical landmark of Kolkata, Howrah Bridge. It is a massive steel structure. Also known as Rabindra Setu, it stands across the and connects Howrah Railway Station and Kolkata. It is also one of the busiest bridge and carries over 90,000 vehicles on daily average. For those who wish to see this famous bridge, they can take for an excellent ride from Howrah Bridge to Kolkata new market. The view of this bridge at night is super awesome.
After that from the Howrah bridge we were moving towards the new market area by taxi at 1.30 pm. The fare was around 200 Rupees. Then we go to the hotel room and take lunch. After that, we went to Quest Mall by 4.30 pm to see the beautiful market in Kolkata and watch a movie in Inox. After finishing the movie we return and take dinner. By 10.30 pm in the hotel to take the rest.
Day- 3
In the early morning. Take some tour near new market area and the well-known shop in India which is Big Bazar, to do some shopping. After completing the shopping, it’s time to get ready to return, Bangladesh. By schedules we checked-out from the hotel by 11.30 am. We, from Kolkata new market area to Kolkata airport by taxi. Taken 300 Rupees and 45 minutes to reach. At the airport complete all the procedure of immigration. The air journey starts at 3.30 pm and reaches Dhaka by 5.10 pm.
That is the end of a memorable journey in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
Hotels in Kolkata:
There are lots of hotels in Kolkata to stay. But it is better to book the hotel 1st before travel. Price the 1000 Rupees to 5000 Rupees per night by rooms. Hotels like- Hotel Emirates, Gulshan Inn, Hotel Kempton, The Park Kolkata, Empire Guest House etc. We the Hotel Emirates.
Tour costing:
- Visa fees are 800 BDT.
- Travel tax: 500 BDT (for Bus only, because Train and Airfare included this tax).
- Dhaka to Kolkata AC Chair in Maitree Express is 2500 BDT.
- Kolkata to Dhaka by US Bangla Air are 4700 BDT.
- Hotel for 2 Nights is 2000 Rupees.
- Food: Breakfast: 50 Rupees (Each Time), Lunch and Dinner: 150 Rupees. (Each Time).
- Mobile Sim: 350 Rupees.
- Shopping, Taxi fare, and other personal expenses.
Awareness:
- Always keep the passport with you safely.
- Don’t lose the Dollar exchange receipt. Also any kind of purchase slip. Because it may check in the border while returning.
- Try not to bargain with anybody.
- Don’t through waste here and there.