Airport
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport
IATA Code: CCULocation: The airport is located 17km (11 miles), or 60 minutes drive, from the city centre
Time: Local time is UTC/GMT +5.5 hours
Contacts: +91 (0)33 2511 9977, +91 (0)33 511 8787
Transfer between terminals: There are three terminals at NSCBI Airport: a Domestic Terminal, an International Terminal and a Cargo Terminal. The passenger terminals, connected by aero-bridges, are within easy walking distance of one another. A fourth terminal, scheduled to be completed in early 2012, will feature two tiers for departures and arrivals, ensuring international travellers with connecting flights will have an easier time of it.
Transfer to the city: Train: NSCBI Airport is linked to the Kolkata Suburban Railway system via the junction at nearby Dum Dum, three miles (5km) away. Trains leave for surrounding areas every 10- 15 minutes at peak times and every hour off-peak. There is a station at the airport itself, but as trains run infrequently, it might be quicker and easier to take a taxi to the station at Dum Dum and move on from there. From Dum Dum, you can also catch the underground Kolkata Metro train to surrounding areas. Taxi: The airport offers a pre-paid car hailing service, whereby metered yellow cabs, Radio cabs, Mega cabs and Kolkata cabs can be availed on your behalf. A trip to the city takes 30- 40 minutes at best and up to two hours in heavy traffic. It'll cost about INR 400 to get into town. Bus: Air-conditioned Volvo buses travel between the airport and city every 10- 15 minutes from early morning to around 10pm. They also travel to the station at Dum Dum.
Taxis: Taxis are available at the airport. Taking the metro to the airport requires that you take a taxi to cover the final 3 miles (about 5km).
Car rental: A few car rental companies, including Avis, Europcar, and some local companies, have desks in the international arrivals hall.
Facilities: Money and communications: There are ATMs and currency exchange facilities at the airport. Luggage: A baggage wrapping service is available in the international departure area, and there are left luggage offices in both the International and Domestic Terminals. Conference and business: NSCBI Airport has yet to construct business and conference facilities. However, surrounding hotels offer the full gamut of amenities for the corporate traveller. Other facilities: The terminal at NSCBI Airport features a standard array of facilities, including a VIP lounge, tourist information centre, first aid room, childcare room and post office. Wi-Fi: Wi-fi is not yet available, but there is an internet café in the International Terminal. Information: The staff at NSCBI Airport are generally friendly, although English is not widely spoken. Familiarise yourself with Bengali travel jargon and ensure that you are equipped with a dictionary or phrasebook. Shopping: Besides duty-free shops and a few gift stores, the airport itself does not feature any noteworthy brand outlets for the serious shopper. However, a shopping mall is being built nearby where the Hotel Ashok once stood. Food and Drink: NSCBI Airport doesn't have a huge selection of dining establishments. Your best bet is the airport's only restaurant, Haldiram Prabhujior. Otherwise a small selection of cafés offer convenience foods, while tea, coffee and soft drink vending machines are situated throughout the terminal building.
Parking: There's a 250-bay car park near each terminal, with both short- and long-term parking facilities. The area is currently being expanded to include underground parking.
Departure tax: Rs. 750 (usually included in ticket price)
Website: www.aai.aero/kolkata/contactus_aai.jsp
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Kolkata
Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) is a city of contrasts and contradictions, and one which has a lasting impact on its visitors. It is India's third-largest city, and home to some of its holiest temples and finest colonial structures.
As the 'Cultural Capital of India', Kolkata has the biggest concentration of artists, writers and publishers in the country. And although it is the centre of Bengali culture, Kolkata is also a diverse city, with a polyglot mixture of languages spoken amongst its 14 million inhabitants.
Kolkata was home to two Nobel Laureates - Mother Theresa, whose humble home can still be visited - and writer Rabindranath Tagore. The city also accommodates sports fans, with Eden Gardens, the city's temple to cricket and the second-largest cricket stadium in the world; and Saltlake Stadium, one of the world's largest football venues, with an unbelievable capacity of 120,000.
From 1772 to 1912 Kolkata was the capital of the British Raj - a legacy evident in its superb colonial architecture (highlighted by the enormous Victoria Memorial), and well-planned infrastructure. The latter half of the 20th century, however, saw Kolkata enter a period of decline, with rampant poverty and economic stagnation. It was only in the 1980s, under India's first democratically-elected Marxist administration, that the city turned the corner.
Today, visitors making the journey to this eastern corner of the country will find a city that has rediscovered its pride and cultural identity, offering a Bengali welcome warm enough to seduce even the most jaded traveller.
