Gangtok is one of the most beautiful and serene hill stations in North East India. The capital city of the mountain state of Sikkim, snuggled in the Eastern Himalayas, is a popular tourist destination. It is easy to travel to the hill station by air, railways, and roads. Bagdogra Airport is the nearest airport from Gangtok, and Bagdogra railway station is the nearest railhead. It is well-connected with the major towns and cities of the country by different modes of transport. Here is the detailed information about how to reach Gangtok:
How to reach Gangtok by Air
The nearest airport is Bagdogra Airport in West Bengal, which is situated 124 km away from Gangtok and is well connected with all the major cities in India. It also has an international connection to Nepal and Bhutan. Cabs and buses are available from the airport to reach Gangtok. Helicopter services operated by the Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation offer daily services from Bagdogra to Gangtok, which only takes about 20 minutes to reach.
Travel by Flight |
Travel Time |
Distance |
Airport |
Delhi to Bagdogra |
2 hours 15 minutes |
1121 km |
Indira Gandhi International Airport |
Mumbai to Bagdogra |
2 hour 50 minutes |
1793 km |
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport |
Bengaluru to Bagdogra |
2 hour 50 minutes |
1892 km |
Kempegowda International Airport |
Pune to Bagdogra |
5 hour 30 minutes |
1735 km |
Sri Guru Ram Das Ji Pune International Airport |
Kolkata to Bagdogra |
1 hours 15 minutes |
456 km |
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport |
Ahmedabad to Bagdogra |
4 hours 30 minutes |
1642 km |
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport |
Guwahati to Bagdogra |
4 hour 50 minutes |
337 km |
Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport |
Chennai to Bagdogra |
2 hours 45 minutes |
1730 km |
Chennai International Airport |
How to reach Gangtok by Train
The nearest railhead to reach Gangtok is New Jalpaiguri, which is located 117 km away. This railhead is connected to major parts of the country from superfast trains, express, and locals. New Jalpaiguri to Gangtok train is easily accessible by Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Patna, Ahmedabad, and other cities as well as states of India. From the railway station, you can hire a private car or board a bus to the capital city of Sikkim.
Travel by Train |
Destination Station |
Travel Time |
Distance |
Train Name |
Delhi to New Jalpaiguri |
New Jalpaiguri Junction |
20 hours 25 minutes |
1409 km |
Dibrugarh Rajdhani |
Mumbai to New Jalpaiguri |
New Jalpaiguri Junction |
39 hours 25 min |
2317 km |
LTT Guwahati Express |
Bengaluru to New Jalpaiguri |
New Jalpaiguri Junction |
44 hours 40 minutes |
2543 km |
Guwahati Express |
Kanpur to New Jalpaiguri |
New Jalpaiguri Junction |
18 hours 20 min |
1033 km |
North East Express |
Jaipur to New Jalpaiguri |
New Jalpaiguri Junction |
28 hours 45 min |
1511 km |
BKN GHY Express |
Kolkata to New Jalpaiguri |
New Jalpaiguri Junction |
8 hours 20 minutes |
593 km |
Shatabdi Express |
Ranchi to New Jalpaiguri |
New Jalpaiguri Junction |
16 hours 20 minutes |
650 km |
RNC KYQ Express |
Agra to New Jalpaiguri |
New Jalpaiguri Junction |
25 hours 05 minutes |
1273 km |
Brahmaputra Express |
Ahmedabad to Gangtok |
New Jalpaiguri Junction |
34 hours 05 minutes |
2195 km |
Guwahati Express |
How to reach Gangtok by Road
The National Highway NH31A connects Sikkim to other cities. Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Siliguri, and Kalimpong are well connected via road. The government-run and private buses ply regularly for Gangtok by nearby cities, which make travel hassle-free for tourists. Buses and private cabs regularly commute to the hill station. The hilly terrain and lush greenery en route Gangtok make the road trip memorable and exciting.
Location |
Distance |
Time |
Route |
New Jalpaiguri to Gangtok distance |
118 km |
4 hours 10 min |
NH 10 |
Bagdogra to Gangtok distance |
124 km |
4 hours 30 min |
NH 10 |
Siliguri to Gangtok distance |
113 km |
4 hours 10 min |
NH 10 |
Guwahati to Gangtok distance |
539 km |
12 hours 15 min |
NH 27 & NH 10 |
Kolkata to Gangtok distance |
694 km |
18 hours 20 min |
NH 12, NH 27, & NH 10 |
Patna to Gangtok distance |
571 km |
14 hours 20 min |
NH 31, NH 27, & NH 10 |
Ranchi to Gangtok distance |
729 km |
18 hours 40 min |
NH 320, NH 27, & NH 10 |
Lucknow to Gangtok distance |
1019 km |
21 hours 10 min |
NH 27 & NH 10 |
Kohima to Gangtok distance |
884 km |
19 hours 40 minutes |
NH 27 & NH 10 |
Ahmedabad to Gangtok distance |
2328 km |
42 hours 10 minutes |
NH 27 |
Darjeeling to Gangtok distance |
103 km |
4 hours 37 minutes |
Rishi Rd, NH 717A & NH10 |
Pune to Gangtok distance |
2323 km |
42 hours 00 minutes |
Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg |
Getting Around in Gangtok
Gangtok has a good network of private and shared taxis that make travel within the city comfortable. Buses are also made traveling in Gangtok hassle-free. Here are several options for getting around in Gangtok:
Sikkim Nationalized Transport (SNT) Bus:
The best way to explore Gangtok is to travel by SNT buses. The city's famous attractions are easily accessible by bus. There is a fleet of buses owned by SNT, which comprises ordinary to luxury buses that make travel comfortable. You can check the route and schedule of the buses on the official website of SNT. In addition, there are private buses also available in Gangtok, which ply regularly for Kalimpong, Siliguri, and New Jalpaiguri.
Taxi and Autorickshaw:
Private and shared taxis are among the most convenient and fast modes to travel in and around Gangtok. You can easily book them and travel to the city. This is the only major transport available in Gangtok to explore the city as there is no city bus service available in the township. You can visit the taxi stand and book a taxi where the fares are fixed. Also, you can hire them directly, but fares are different and higher compared to the taxi stand standard rates.