Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Airport serves Kolkata (Calcutta), capital of West Bengal, approximately 17 km north-east of the city centre.
Kolkata is known as India's cultural capital, the birthplace of numerous Nobel Prize winners and literary figures.
How to get to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport
By Car
By Train
By Bus
Average travel time to CCU
Parking near Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport
A multi-story parking garage is adjacent to the terminal.
The parking lot is under video surveillance and rates remain affordable.
How to get to Kolkata from CCU
By Train
By Bus
By Taxi
Need an airport transfer?
Compare taxis and shuttles on Booking.com
Car rental at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport
Major car rental companies all have desks in the arrivals area.
Driver's license, passport, credit card, and usually an International Driving Permit (IDP) are required.
Hotels near Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport
Dum Dum, near the airport
The Holiday Inn Express is 2.8 km from the terminal along Jessore Road, about 10 minutes by car; the Holiday Inn Kolkata Airport is a little farther away, in Rajarhat, about 5 km and 10 minutes from the prepaid taxi counter.
Best for: One-night stopovers and departures at dawn or in the dead of night, when every extra kilometre counts.
- Just minutes by car from check-in, useful for flights in the early hours of the morning
- Both hotels are designed for those arriving or departing at awkward hours
- Nothing around but the Jessore Road highway, an industrial area and car dealerships: for dinner you stay at the hotel
- For downtown or for New Town a car is still needed, there's no walking alternative
Recommended hotels
- Holiday Inn Express Kolkata Airport by IHG At 28 Jessore Road, in Dum Dum, 2.8 km from the terminal and about 10 minutes by car; among the hotels near the airport it's the one with the highest reviews for location. View availability
- Holiday Inn Kolkata Airport by IHG On Biswa Bangla Road in Rajarhat, about 5 km from the terminal: taxis from the airport's prepaid counter take about 10 minutes. View availability
New Town and Rajarhat
Between 5 and 11 km from the terminal depending on the hotel, 15-28 minutes by car along Biswa Bangla Sarani depending on traffic.
Best for: Business trips to the IT hub of Rajarhat or a base halfway between the airport and the city.
- International-brand hotels opened in recent years, newer than many in the centre
- Closer to the airport than to the heart of Kolkata, convenient for those who don't need to visit the old town
- A district of IT offices and shopping malls, with little evening life outside the hotels
- The old town and Park Street remain a 30-40 minute drive away
Recommended hotels
- Taj City Centre New Town, Kolkata Integrated into the City Centre 2 shopping mall in Action Area II, about 5 km from the terminal: among the New Town hotels it's the closest to the airport. View availability
- The Westin Kolkata Rajarhat In New Town's Action Area II, 8.6 km from the terminal. View availability
- ibis Kolkata Rajarhat - An Accor Brand A budget option from the Accor group in Rajarhat, about 11 km and 24-28 minutes from the terminal. View availability
JBS Haldane Avenue and Science City
About 15-16 km from the terminal, 30-35 minutes by car depending on traffic on the EM Bypass.
Best for: Trade fairs and conferences at the Science City hub, in the south-east of the city.
- JW Marriott and ITC Sonar share the same avenue, a few steps from Science City, Kolkata's largest conference centre
- A district better connected to the rest of the city than New Town, closer to Park Street
- Neither property is within walking distance of anything but Science City
- Farther from the airport than New Town or Dum Dum
Recommended hotels
- JW Marriott Hotel Kolkata On JBS Haldane Avenue, a few minutes from Park Street and the New Market, opposite Science City; 16 km from the terminal. View availability
- ITC Sonar, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Kolkata The twin of the ITC Royal Bengal on the same avenue, opposite Science City; about 15 km and 30 minutes from the terminal. View availability
BBD Bagh and Alipore, the old town
Between 19 and 28 km from the terminal depending on the area, 40-45 minutes by car.
Best for: Those who want colonial Kolkata, between the Maidan, Park Street and the New Market, and accept a longer transfer from the airport.
- The Lalit Great Eastern is inside BBD Bagh, a few minutes' walk from the Maidan and Park Street
- The Taj Bengal, in Alipore, is among Kolkata's most awarded hotels
- The two areas are the farthest from the airport among those in this guide
- Traffic downtown makes the transfer longer and less predictable than from New Town
Recommended hotels
- The Lalit Great Eastern Kolkata A historic hotel, which started as a bakery in 1830 and was reopened in 2013 by the Lalit Suri group on Old Court House Street, in the heart of BBD Bagh; 19 km from the terminal. View availability
- Taj Bengal In Alipore, a residential area south of the city on Belvedere Road; 28 km from the terminal, the farthest in this guide but among the most awarded in Kolkata. View availability
Airport services
Shopping & Duty Free
Lounges & relaxation
Connectivity & Wi-Fi
Families & Children
Terminal guide
The modern terminal, recently expanded, is appropriately sized for its role as the primary gateway to eastern India.
Customs and security checks may take longer than expected; it's better to arrive at least 3 hours before international flights.
Map of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport
Frequently asked questions
Q. Why is Kolkata called India's cultural capital?
Birthplace of numerous major literary and artistic figures, including Nobel laureates like Rabindranath Tagore, with a long intellectual and artistic tradition.
Q. What are Kolkata's yellow taxis?
Vintage yellow-colored taxis, still in circulation alongside modern taxis: an authentic experience but generally less comfortable than modern services.
Q. Is Kolkata a good starting point for Bangladesh?
Yes, it's among the Indian airports closest to the border: besides direct flights to Dhaka, the nearby Petrapole-Benapole land crossing is one of the busiest between India and Bangladesh.
Q. Is Kolkata a good starting point for Darjeeling tea?
Yes, in a commercial sense: many fine varieties of Darjeeling tea pass through and are found in Kolkata, even though the growing region is further north.
Flight board
Real-time status of arriving and departing flights
