Sikkim is one of the best travel destinations in India, located in the northern part of the sub-continent. Sikkim is filled with mesmerizing and picturesque views of the Greater Himalayas. Situated in the laps of the Himalayas, Sikkim is a very famous travel destination where a wide number of travelers reach every year. Here’s a blog on how to reach Sikkim and witness the best travel destination in India. Reaching Sikkim is in itself filled with a lot of adventurous ways.
Sikkim is a state of Northern India surrounded by the Himalayas in the North. The entire state of Sikkim attracts tourists throughout the year because of the type of view it offers. The state is divided into four segments, North Sikkim, East Sikkim, West Sikkim and South Sikkim. To reach Sikkim, one needs to travel through a part of West Bengal too because Sikkim does not have its own Railway Station or an Airport.
Sikkim has subtropical to high alpine climate and a hilly terrain throughout. Sikkim height in feet ranges from 920 ft (250 meters) being the lowest point to 28,800 feet (8585 meters) above sea level. Unlike other states, Sikkim height in feet ranges vividly from low lying places to high altitudes.
How to Reach Sikkim? – The Ways
There are many ways to reach this beautiful piece of land. Sikkim offers a diverse amount of tourist spots throughout the area it covers and thus many people try to reach Sikkim. Here listed below are some of the ways to reach Sikkim.
- By Air: Although Sikkim has no airport in its state, there is a nearby Airport in Bagdogra, West Bengal. Traveling via air is the quickest way to reach this beautiful state.
- By Train: There are two railway stations near Sikkim, both lying in the state of West Bengal: Siliguri and New Jalpaiguri. Although Siliguri has quite a few direct trains, New Jalpaiguri is quite easily accessible from most places in India.
- By Bus: There are a number of bus services that run pan state. Buses, although offer a great journey to the state of Sikkim, but they are a bit more time consuming than that of the above two modes of travel.
- By Car: Traveling to Sikkim by car is a mode of travel many of the travel enthusiasts opt for owing to the amount of adventurous road and the quality of journey it offers. Reaching Sikkim by car is also one mode that people opt for.
- By Bike: For all the Bikers, traveling to Sikkim feels like a journey of a lifetime. The continuous changing landscapes throughout the journey is a paradise for the bikers, especially the Northern part of Sikkim.
How to Reach Sikkim By Air
When it comes to how to reach Sikkim, there are several travel options to consider. However, if you’re looking for the quickest way to reach Sikkim or the capital Gangtok, air travel is the best option you can opt for. Traveling to Sikkim by air offers you a very quick way to reach Sikkim.
Sikkim, as I mentioned earlier, has no airport of its own. However, there is an airport nearby in Bagdogra, a city in the northern part of West Bengal. Bagdogra International Airport is the only airstrip near Sikkim and the people who want to travel to Sikkim by air, need to book their flights to Bagdogra Airport.
Flight to Bagdogra is available from many locations pan-India. You can book your flight tickets in low prices on online portals like Make My Trip, GoIbibo, Ixigo and other ticket booking portals. Once you reach Bagdogra, you can take a shared cab or a private one to the city of Gangtok. Bagdogra to Gangtok distance is 120 kilometers. A private cab will charge you anywhere between 2500 INR to 4500 INR depending on your bargaining skills and the season you are traveling in.
Bagdogra is easily accessible from the metro cities and thus it becomes a very good option for people from faraway parts of the sub-continent to reach Bagdogra and eventually Gangtok. Kolkata to Sikkim flight ticket price ranges from 3000 INR to 8000 INR, while Delhi to Sikkim flight ticket price ranges from 5000 INR to 12000 INR and Mumbai to Sikkim Flight ticket price ranges from 6500 INR to 15000 INR.
How to Reach Sikkim by Train
I recently embarked on my journey to this place. Travel to Sikkim was one of my bucket list travels. I opted for a train journey from Kolkata to New Jalpaiguri Railway Station to reach Gangtok. Sikkim has no railway station of its own, the two nearest railway stations from Sikkim are Siliguri Railway Station and New Jalpaiguri Railway Station.
Trains from all over India have found a route to NJP Railway Station. However, Siliguri is not that easily accessible. So it is advisable to book a train to NJP. You can easily find cabs: both shared and private from both the locations. Buses also operate from time to time in the route making travel very easy and cheap. Even Everest is clearly visible from parts of Sikkim.
When it comes to how to reach Sikkim, trains are a very cheap and efficient method of travel. And if the question is about how to reach Sikkim by Train, getting your tickets booked to NJP is the option you should choose and then take any cab from NJP that would take you to Gangtok within 5 hours depending upon the type of road you are traveling on.
How to Reach Sikkim by Road
Sikkim is very well connected by roads throughout and thus if you’re looking for a road trip to Sikkim you would face no problem at all. If the question is how to reach Sikkim by road, well then, you’re not out of options.
There are many ways that would take you to Sikkim. Traveling to Sikkim by road is filled with adventures and picturesque views throughout. I have analyzed the different ways of traveling to Sikkim by road and have listed them below:
- Buses
- Cars: Private and Tourist
- Bikes
How to Reach Sikkim By Bus
The route throughout the state of Sikkim is wide enough for buses to operate. You can also reach Gangtok entirely by buses from the metro cities. There are direct buses from Kolkata to Siliguri and then from Siliguri to Gangtok or Pelling or Ravangla.
Kolkata to Sikkim distance is around 700 kilometers and the route is a great route for all sorts of road trip lovers. Buses are available from Kolkata to SNT Bus Terminal and even from Delhi to SNT. You can book buses online as well as from the stands. However, online deals have made traveling to Sikkim much easier.
Kolkata to Sikkim distance by bus ranges from 750 to 780 kilometers depending upon the routes you chose. It takes around 15-16 hours to reach the capital city, Gangtok.
How to Reach Sikkim By Car
Well, how to reach Sikkim by car is a question quite a few people ask. Reaching the heart of the state, Gangtok, by car is in itself an amazing feeling owing to the comfort it has to offer. But it depends on how you are traveling to Sikkim. Kolkata to Sikkim distance by car is around 700 – 720 kilometers.
There are two ways to do so. First way is to hire a driver to take you to Sikkim in his cab which is a safer option owing to the polished skills and idea of the kind of roads that the drivers possess. Second way is to take your own car, which according to me is a bit risky unless you have mastered the skills of driving on highlands and steep slopes.
How to Reach Sikkim By Bike
Traveling to Sikkim is a dream for many moto riders out there. For those travelers who need a break from the hustle bustle of the city, Sikkim offers a perfect getaway for bikers. The road to Sikkim is both adventurous and beautiful. You can literally feel the air taking away your stress while riding through the city with great picturesque views. Well the question is how to reach Sikkim by bike, and the answer to it is not at all confusing because Sikkim is well connected with Highways and roads throughout.
If you love traveling on a bike, travel to Sikkim is one of the best rides you would be setting upon. So make sure you are well equipped and your bike is nicely serviced. You can take your own bike if you are from Kolkata because Kolkata to Sikkim distance is not a lot. You can even rent a bike from Gangtok to travel throughout Sikkim.
Important Permits (Sikkim Permit Online and Sikkim Inner Line Permit)
Now the important thing for all the people opting to take their own vehicle to Sikkim. The Sikkim permit online needs to be made before you think of traveling to higher regions, because of the military importance Sikkim has. There are many important permits that one needs to have, especially the Sikkim Inner Line Permit for travel in the region. North Sikkim permit comes separately because the northern part of Sikkim is constantly under Military Pressure and is a high value post for the Indian Army owing to its close proximity with the Chinese border.
Make sure you have the documents and the permits in line before you set out on your expedition to avoid any barriers in your trip further.
Traveling to Sikkim From Different Parts Of India
How to Reach Sikkim From Kolkata
Kolkata is the nearest metro city to Sikkim and thus many people from Kolkata travel to Sikkim throughout the traveling season. Kolkata to Sikkim train is not available nor Kolkata to Sikkim flight is, as I mentioned earlier that if one needs to reach Sikkim by train or flight one needs to come to Bagdogra Airport or NJP Station. Sikkim Distance from Kolkata is around 700 kilometers and thus it can be said that Sikkim to Kolkata distance is easily scalable.
Kolkata to Sikkim distance by car is around 720-730 kilometers depending upon the highways or the turns you take, but the journey is worth every meter traveled. Kolkata to Sikkim distance by flight time is around 2 hours maximum depending upon the time one spends waiting. Kolkata to Sikkim flight ticket price has been mentioned above in the segment where I covered the topic on how to reach Sikkim by Air.
How to Reach Sikkim From Delhi
Sikkim is well connected with the heart of the country by all the means of transport available. Delhi to Sikkim flight ticket price starts from INR 5000 and it is the most convenient way to travel to Sikkim. Delhi to Sikkim distance by road is around 1700 kilometers. However, you can take a train too to Sikkim. Delhi to Sikkim train ticket price ranges from INR 500 for a General ticket to INR 8000 for a First Class. The cheapest way to get from Delhi to Sikkim costs only INR 1200.
Read Also: Altitude Sickness – All you need to know
How to Reach Sikkim From Mumbai
If you are planning on a trip to Sikkim from Mumbai, well I wish you a happy travel experience altogether. How to reach Sikkim from Mumbai is a question not a lot of people ask, but for the travel enthusiasts out there, Mumbai to Sikkim is easily travelable. Mumbai to Sikkim distance train runs both directly to NJP and a connecting one from Kolkata.
Mumbai to Sikkim flight is available too and the flight is for Bagdogra Airport. Mumbai to Sikkim flight ticket price ranges from INR 8000 to INR 15000. Mumbai to Sikkim distance by road is around 2400 kilometers and thus it is not preferable to take a road route. Although you can travel to Sikkim by road too.
If you need an insight over the state of Sikkim, you can always refer to my blog on the best experience of Sikkim. This blog has got everything covered that you must know about the state before you plan a trip to this Himalayan paradise.
Note from the Author:
Hey there, welcome home travelers. I am Lekhak Pravin, a writer, traveler, lyricist, filmmaker and content creator. I hope my blog was able to fulfill your needs and you enjoyed reading it through. If you enjoyed yourself here, I hope you read some of my other blogs too, and keep traveling. This website is my attempt to take you to corners of the world and beyond as I explore them. My experiences are available on this site of mine, because, “Experiences are Eternal!”
Happy Travels!
