Can I go to Bhutan by train?
How to travel to Bhutan: Is train travel an option?
Okay, so Bhutan by train, huh? Let me tell ya, been there, tried to do that (sorta).
Reaching Bhutan by Train: Nope, not directly. You can't actually railroad your way right into Bhutan. But! You can get pretty darn close.
Here's the deal: Bhutan doesn't have its own railway system, at least not yet. Bummer, I know.
The closest you'll get by train is to rail hubs in India near the border. I took a train to New Alipurduar once, back in December 2018. Paid like, ₹350 for a sleeper class ticket from Kolkata. Felt like forever tho.
From these stations - think Siliguri, Hasimara, New Alipurduar - it's all about jumping into a taxi or hopping on a bus to actually enter Bhutan.
Hasimara's your best bet tho, honestly. It's just a hop, skip, and a jump - like, 17 kilometers - from Phuentsholing, which is one of the main entry points to Bhutan. Easy peasy.
I remember haggling for a taxi from Hasimara; they initially quoted ₹800, but I managed to get it down to ₹600. Worth it after that train ride.
Can we travel to Bhutan by train?
Bhutan: Rail travel is a dead end.
No trains go there.
- India's rail network stops short.
- Closest stations: Siliguri, Hasimara, New Alipurduar.
Hasimara. 17km to Bhutan's Phuentsholing. Hail a cab. Grab a bus. Done.
Can we travel to Bhutan by train?
Ugh, Bhutan by train? Nope. Total fail.
Siliguri's the closest I guess. New Jalpaiguri too, right? Always a madhouse there. Crazy crowded. Remember that time I almost lost my bag? Never again.
Then it's taxis or buses. Buses are cheaper, duh. But slower. A whole other level of slow. And cramped. Think sardines. I prefer taxis, even if they're pricier. At least you get some legroom.
Hasimara's pretty close to Phuentsholing. Like, a hop skip and a jump. 17km? Piece of cake. Unless you hit traffic. Then it's a nightmare.
Phuentsholing is the gateway. Mark that down. Seriously. Need to remember that for my next trip. Planning that already. Next year for sure. Maybe even sooner. Gotta book flights. Gotta sort out the visa too. So much to do.
- Siliguri: Major railway hub. But far from Bhutan.
- New Jalpaiguri: Another option. Overcrowded though.
- Hasimara: Closest station. Easy taxi ride to Phuentsholing.
- Phuentsholing: The Bhutanese border town. The starting point. You HAVE to go through here.
Driving in India is intense, BTW. Honking is basically a form of communication. You get used to it. Sort of.
This whole process reminds me I need to renew my passport. It expires next year. I should do that ASAP. Before my Bhutan trip. Definitely.
Next year. Bhutan. Here I come!
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