Are you a wildlife lover? Do you love those jungle safaris that are close to nature and offer you the opportunity to spot tigers roaming about freely like they own the forest? Well, then Sundarban Tiger Reserve will be an experience of a lifetime for you.

The Sundarban National Park is one of the most popular heritage spots to visit for wildlife lovers and offers brilliant opportunities to spot the rare Bengal tigers. However, reaching this place despite its popularity is not very direct.

Although you can reach Sundarban Tiger Reserve by rail, road, airways, or even waterways, the multiplicity of options and the routes can confuse you and you might end up looking for ways to reach the place.

Well, the simplest and closest route is from Kolkata. But the question is where to from Kolkata. Let us answer that question for you.

Whenever you apply for a Sundarban tour package from Kolkata, it is important to know the different ways through which you can reach Sundarbans.

This article is a detailed guide on how to reach Sundarban from Kolkata via different means of transportation. Let’s get started.

Kolkata to Sundarban Distance

Distance Between Kolkata to Sundarbans is as follows:

Distance between Kolkata to Sundarbans by Road is130 Kms
Distance between Kolkata to Sundarbans by Flight is109 Kms
Travel Time from Kolkata to Sundarbans by Road is11:27 hrs
Nearest Airport in KolkataNetaji Subhas Chandra Bose (22.57, 88.36)
Nearest Airport in SundarbansNetaji Subhas Chandra Bose (21.95, 89.18)

Ways to Reach Sundarban Tiger Reserve

Ways to Reach Sundarban Tiger Reserve

There are multiple entry points for STR as well as the west region of the Sundarban forest. You need to take the entry permit at first which is available at Canning, Sonkhali, or Bagna for STR, and Canning, Namkhana, or Raidhigi for the west part of the forest.

The easiest ways to reach are to go to Sonkhali via Canning or Bagna via Dhamkhali. You’ll definitely start your journey from Kolkata.

The question is what means of transport you’d take. Well, you can choose as per your convenience, that’s a plus point. So, whether you take a train, bus, car, or boat depends on your personal choice and preference. However, you need to know how to reach your destination with each means of transportation.

Allow us to guide your way and help you know how to reach Sundarbans in different ways of transport.

Reaching Sundarbans Via Airways

Well, let us put it straight, there’s a direct plane from Kolkata to Sundarbans. So, if you’re planning on an airways route, that’s not possible. The nearest airport to Sundarbans from Kolkata is the DumDum airport which is approximately 110-120 kilometers from the starting point of the Sundarban safari. So, you need to take a bus, car, or taxi to Godkhali from this airport to begin your journey to Sundarbans from Kolkata.

Reaching Sundarbans Via Railways

Railways can also only take you as far. The nearest distance that a train will drop you at is Canning which is approximately 40-50 kilometers from Sundarbans. However, you could at least take the entry permit for STR as well as the west region of the Sundarbans forest here.

Also, reaching till Canning via train covers most part of the journey in a comfortable manner and you could cover the rest of the distance in less than an hour. So, taking the railway route does sound easiest and most convenient.

You can take a train to Canning from Kolkata and resort to roadways and waterways from there. Below are the train options for travel from Kolkata to Sundarbans. The trains depart from Sealdah Junction and arrive at Canning Junction. The trains available are as follows:

  • SDAH CG Local (Train #34512) departs Sealdah at 05:45 and arrives at Canning at 06:57 (daily)
  • SDAH CG Local (Train #34514) departs Sealdah at 06:30 and arrives at Canning at 07:44 (daily)
  • SDAH CG Local (Train #34516) departs Sealdah at 07:42 and arrives at Canning at 08:56 (daily)
  • SDAH CG Local (Train #34518) departs Sealdah at 08:28 and arrives at Canning at 09:44 (daily)
  • SDAH CG Local (Train #34532) departs Sealdah at 14:48 and arrives at Canning at 16:04 (daily)
  • SDAH CG Local (Train #34538) departs Sealdah at 17:08 and arrives at Canning at 18:25 (daily)
  • SDAH CG Local (Train #34552) departs Sealdah at 22:36 and arrives at Canning at 23:49 (daily)

Reaching Sundarbans Via Roadways

If you prefer roadways, you can reach Godkhali, the starting point of the Sundarbans safari by booking a journey in a cab or a bus. It’s at a distance of approximately 83kms from Kolkata which would be around a 3-4 hour journey.

By Bus

Exploring the Sundarbans from Kolkata can include taking a bus as one option. While there may not be direct bus routes from Kolkata to the Sundarbans, there are bus services available from nearby locations in the city such as Esplanade or Howrah. Some stops near the Sundarbans that can be made include Sonakhali, Namkhana, Canning, Raidhigi and Najat. Once in the vicinity, visitors can also take advantage of the waterways for a more adventurous and enjoyable experience. Both AC and non-AC buses are available for the Kolkata to Sundarbans route, so travellers can choose the option that best suits their needs.

By Car

Another alternative is to take a road trip by renting a car or using a cab service, which is a 130 km (approx) distance and also allows for stops at nearby scenic places.

Alternatively, you can take a train to Canning and then resort to roadways to reach GodKhali as these places are only at a distance of 29kms and you’ll hardly have a one-hour journey or even less to reach your destination.

Once at Godkhali, waterways are your only option to reach Sundarbans. So, let’s finally explore that option to see how your jungle safari goes.

Reaching Sundarbans via Waterways

Waterways are the only way to reach into Sundarbans forest and explore the place in its full beauty and glamour. You can find motorboats and other means of water transport easily at Godkhali and take them to enter the Sundarbans region.

Besides Godkhali, water transport is also available from Namkhana, Raidhigi,  Sagar Island, and Sajnekhali all of which are easily reachable via roadways from Canning.

From Namkhana to –

  • Sagar Island, 2.5 hours.
  • Bhagabatpur Crocodile Project, 2.5 hours.
  • Jambudwip, 3.5 hours.

From Sajnekhali to –

  • Sudhanyakhali, 40 minutes.
  • Holiday Island, 3 hours.
  • Netidhopari, 3.5 hours.
  • Buridabri (Tiger Project Area), 5 hours.

From Sonakhali to Gosaba, 1 hour

From Raidighi to Kalas, 5 hours

Are You All Set To Go To Sundarbans?

From the foregoing discussion, it’s clear that reaching Sundarbans can make you explore all the means of transportation. Airways don’t seem a feasible option at all unless you’re coming from somewhere out of Kolkata.

The best route to take would be a train from Kolkata to Canning, a bus from Canning to Godkhali, and finally waterways from there. It will help cover the route in the shortest time and distance and you’d be able to do your Sundarban tour in all their glory.

What do you think?

We hope this article was helpful and you’re all set for your mesmerising, fun-filled, and adventurous route to Sundarbans that covers all the means of transportation for you.

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