Kolkata is a city where there are many great places to visit. Whether it is the historic places or the natural beauty spots, Kolkata remains very popular among tourists because of these. The Howrah Bridge here and the famous foods and sweets are loved all over the world. And India’s first metro running in Kolkata and the famous trams running on the streets of Kolkata are considered the identity of this city. Kolkata is situated on the banks of the Hooghly River, which is why people also enjoy boating here.
The best time to visit and the most important question, how much will it cost you to complete a Kolkata trip?we will try to give you all this information step by step, Kolkata, also known as the City of Joy, is a beautiful city and the former capital of India.
LAKSHADWEEP TOUR GUIDE,Tourist Places। Samudram Package -September 2025
How to Reach Kolkata
- If you are planning a Kolkata trip then first you need to know how you can reach Kolkata. you can reach Kolkata by bus, train, and flight.
- If you want to come to Kolkata by train, then you will have to come to Howrah Railway Station or Sealdah Railway Station. For both these stations, you will get direct trains from many major cities of India.
- If you want to come to Kolkata by bus, then you will get buses from nearby cities like Kharagpur and Haldia.
- Also, if you want to come to Kolkata by bus from Delhi, then you also get direct bus facilities which drop you in Kolkata within 35 to 40 hours and the ticket price is approximately ₹5000.
- If you want to come by flight, then you have to reach Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport. You will get good direct flight connectivity from many places to this airport.
Airport and Local Transport
This airport is about 20 km away from the main city of Kolkata. After reaching the airport, you have to take a taxi from outside the airport to reach the main city of Kolkata. In Kolkata, you will also get many transport options like metro, local trains, and trams which can make your trip quite easy.
Stay Options in Kolkata
- Now if you reach Kolkata then let’s talk about where you can stay and within what budget. there are many places to stay in Kolkata, but I recommend you to arrange your stay at Dharmatala.
- Here, you will get both normal hotels and luxury hotels. If you want to take a normal hotel here, then you will get it between ₹800 to ₹1500.
- Luxury hotels are available between ₹3000 to ₹10000. I suggested Dharmatala because you will not only get good hotel options here but also it will be easier to explore every place from here.
- You can take hotels according to your budget and arrange your stay.
Food Options in Kolkata
Now let’s talk about food in Kolkata. In Kolkata, you will easily find restaurants, street food, and famous sweet shops for eating and drinking. You must try the famous sweets here. You can also arrange your meals in restaurants. Here, a normal thali costs between ₹100 to ₹150. And you must also enjoy the famous street food here.
Day 1 – Suggested Itinerary
On the first day you can go to Dakshineswar Temple. If you have taken a hotel in Dharmatala, then you can go to Dakshineswar Temple by metro. Dakshineswar Temple is situated on the banks of the Hooghly River. In this temple, the idol of Bhavatarini is established, who is considered a form of Mahakali.
Devotees come from far away for darshan. You must take 2 to 3 hours for darshan here. The temple timings are from 6:00 AM to 12:30 PM and from 3:00 PM to 8:30 PM. The temple remains closed between 12:30 PM and 3:00 PM. After visiting the temple, you can sit on the nearby ghat or take a bath.
From Dakshineswar Temple, you will find a ticket counter at the gate itself where you can buy tickets for the next place, Belur Math. The ferry ticket costs ₹10 per person.
The ferry runs every half an hour and takes you to Belur Math. Belur Math is also known as Ramakrishna Math. This math is spread over about 40 acres and looks very beautiful. The lush green gardens around it enhance its beauty. Here, there is a free meal facility which starts at 1:00 PM but tokens are given only till 11:00 AM. The timing of Belur Math is from 6:00 AM to 8:30 PM.
After spending a good time here, you can go to Biswa Bangla Gate. This place has become a famous tourist attraction in the past few years. It looks very beautiful from the outside and inside you can enjoy lunch and dinner. The entry ticket is ₹100 per person, and if you want to have lunch or dinner here, then the cost is around ₹500. Please note that here only lunch and dinner are available, not breakfast. So visit according to the timing.
After enjoying here, you can go to Eco Park which is about 3 km away. Eco Park is considered one of the most popular tourist places in Kolkata. It is so beautiful that families, couples, and youth come here to enjoy. This park is very large where you can enjoy water activities, cycling, electric cars, and toy train rides. In the evening, the view of fountains among the lights is a different experience. The entry ticket is ₹30 per person and the timing is from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
After enjoying here, you can go to spend some time at Howrah Bridge. It is considered the identity of Kolkata. This bridge is very old and also very long, with countless vehicles passing daily. It is a 70 feet wide bridge built on the Hooghly River. You can spend some time walking here in the evening. People often come here in the evening for a walk, and it feels very good. After dinner, your Day 1 ends here.
Day 2 – Suggested Itinerary
On the second day, first of all, you can go to Victoria Memorial Hall. From Dharmatala, you can go to Victoria Memorial by taxi which drops you for around ₹100. The entry ticket of Victoria Memorial is ₹30 per person and the timing is from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. It remains closed on Monday. Victoria Memorial is a very popular museum that reminds of the British time. It looks beautiful from the outside and inside there are museums where paintings, clothes, and things from British time are displayed. Outside the museum, you will find a garden with fountains where you can sit and spend a good time. You should take about 2 hours here to explore everything.
After this, you can go to Kalighat Temple by metro. This temple is considered one of the 51 Shakti Peeths. If you have come to Kolkata, then definitely visit here for darshan. The temple opens from 5:00 AM to 10:30 PM and remains closed between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM. Kalighat Temple is also very popular. After darshan, you will feel very good and get positive vibes.
After darshan, you can go to Science City. Here you will see many types of scientific creativity. Inside, you can also do many activities like ropeway, toy train, and 3D shows. The entry ticket is ₹65 per person, and other activity tickets are separate. The timing is all days from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
After enjoying here, you can go to Aircraft Museum. This is India’s second aircraft museum. The entry ticket is ₹10 per person and the timing is from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM. It remains closed on Monday. Inside, you will get to know about things related to aircraft.
After visiting here, you can go to Prinsep Ghat. Although it is only 2 km from Victoria Memorial, the best time to visit Prinsep Ghat is evening. The ghat remains open from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. In the evening, you can sit on the banks of the Hooghly River behind Prinsep Ghat and spend a good time. Here, you can also enjoy boating. The cost is about ₹300 per boat for half an hour. After enjoying here, you can return to Dharmatala. In Dharmatala, you can explore the local area in the evening, enjoy street food, do shopping, and thus your 2-day trip completes.
Extra Day (Optional)
According to me, 2 days are sufficient to plan a budget trip. But if you have more budget and more time, then on the third day you can visit Alipore Zoo, Birla Planetarium, and Indian Museum.
Best Time to Visit Kolkata
The best time to visit Kolkata is between October to February. At this time, the weather remains very pleasant and you will not face any problem in traveling.
Total Trip Cost
Now let’s talk about how much it will cost you to complete this trip. For a 2-day trip, the cost per person will be around ₹5000. This includes your expenses after reaching Kolkata. This does not include the cost of extra activities.
Overview Table
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Best Time to Visit | October – February |
| How to Reach | Train: Howrah/Sealdah, Bus: From nearby cities & Delhi, Flight: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Airport |
| Airport Distance | 20 km from main city |
| Stay Options | Dharmatala – Budget Hotels ₹800–₹1500, Luxury Hotels ₹3000–₹10000 |
| Food Cost | Normal Thali: ₹100–₹150, Street food & sweets must try |
| Day 1 Itinerary | Dakshineswar Temple → Belur Math → Biswa Bangla Gate → Eco Park → Howrah Bridge |
| Day 2 Itinerary | Victoria Memorial → Kalighat Temple → Science City → Aircraft Museum → Prinsep Ghat |
| Extra Day | Alipore Zoo, Birla Planetarium, Indian Museum |
| Average Cost | ₹5000 per person for 2 days (excluding activities) |