Tips to Plan an Economical Bhutan Trip From India

Bhutan, also known as the Last Himalayan Kingdom, is a scenic country with strong Buddhist culture, rolling hills and breathtaking views vested in the lap of gigantic Himalayas. It is an easy-to-reach escape from India. You can plan an economical trip to Bhutan. The train is the best commute mode in the country which is economical as well as an accessible mode of transport. However, railway lines directly don’t connect these two countries. But you can take a train trip to Bhutan’s nearby Indian railway station and afterwards take a road trip to the city of Bhutan. 

Here in this blog, we have discussed the India to Bhutan Trip itinerary. 

Indian Railway Stations Near Bhutan 

Hasimara Railway Station, HSA

Hasimara is the nearest Indian railway station to Bhutan. It is merely 20 km from the border city of Bhutan. Sikkim Mahananda Express, 15484 is a direct train from Delhi to Hasimara. Being in Hasimara, don’t miss exploring its scenic beauty. Hasimara is a picturesque town surrounded by tea plants. Here, you can witness the rare wild elephants as it is an elephant corridor between Jaldapara Forest and Buxa Tiger Reserve. 

New Alipurduar Railway Station, NOQ

New Alipurduar is also an important railway station near Bhutan. You can find trains for this station directly from Kanyakumari, Chandigarh, Sealdah, Dibrugarh, Howrah, Delhi etc. From here, you can reach Bhutan in just 2 hours. You can even take a train from Howrah junction to Alidapur for your way to Bhutan, as Howrah is a major railway station in the metro city of Kolkata, connected with almost all the country’s regions. 

New Jalpaiguri Railway Station, NJP 

New Jalpaiguri is one of the busiest railway stations in Northeast India. It is linked with major cities of the country, including Sealdah, Delhi, Agra, Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Secunderabad, Jammu Tawi etc. You can check trains between stations to know if you can find a direct train to the station nearby you to Newjalpaiguri or not. 

Siliguri Railway Station, SGUJ

Siliguri is another major railhead to reach Bhutan by train. Direct trains to Siliguri are available from limited cities, including Delhi, Malda, Mumbai etc. You can check live train updates online to know if direct train availability is from your nearby railway station. 

After reaching any of these Bhutan’s nearby railway stations, you can take a road trip to Bhutan to make it economical.  

Road Trip to Bhutan’s Town – Phuentsholing

Phuentsholing is the border town of Southern Bhutan, situated at 971 feet above sea level (293 metres). The border town Jaigaon in West Bengal, India, is the link between the two countries. You will need to go to Bhutan’s Phuentsholing to Jaigaon. You can opt for public transport mode to reach Bhutan by road. 

Distance Between Phuentsholing and Nearby Indian Railway Stations of Bhutan

• Hasimara – Phuentsholing: 20km (1 Hour)
• New Alipurduar – Phuentsholing: 60km (2 Hours)
• Siliguri – Phuentsholing: 155km (4 Hours)
• New Jalpaiguri – Phuentsholing: 156km (4 Hours)

Major Things You Need to Carry For Bhutan Trip 

Id Card –   You will need to carry your original Identity card with you to enter Bhutan. You can carry an Indian passport with a minimum validity of 6 months or a voter id card. In addition, if you are travelling with children below 18, carry their birth certificates.  

Permit – Since the land of Thunderbolt, Bhutan, shares an international border, you will need to get a permit. At the Indo-Bhutan border town Jaigaon, you can acquire an entry permit or authorization from Bhutan’s Immigration Office of the Royal Government. The entry permit will allow you to visit Paro Valley and Bhutan’s capital, Thimphu. However, you can also get special permits to visit Samdrup-Jongkhar and Gelephu.

Travel Insurance – You must need travel insurance for your trip to Bhutan. You can also buy Bhutanese domestic insurance if you don’t have any; you can purchase it at Bhutan’s official website.

Passport Size Photograph – You must also carry two passport-size photographs with your documents. It will be required during the verification process. 

Sustainable Development Fee – To visit Bhutan, you need to pay Sustainable Development Fee, i.e. 1200 per person for each night. If kids travel with them, they will get a 50% concession on sustainable development fees. 

How to Make Your Trip to Bhutan Interesting & Economical 

Book Your Ticket in Advance – Getting a tatkal or premium tatkal ticket on the train can cost you more than a normal ticket. So, make sure you book your train ticket in advance. Booking a ticket early also increases the probability of your ticket confirmation. 

Pre-book Your Meal From E-catering –  Food in train is available at affordable cost from RailMitra online e-catering. It offers a range of food varieties on train, including Pizza, Burger, Biryani, Thali, Paneer Kolhapuri, and more. In addition, Pre-book your meal to avail free delivery of food in train. 

Pack Your Luggage Light – Do you know Indian railways also have a luggage rule? If you’re travelling through sleeper class to make your trip economical, pack your bag lighter than 35 kg. In addition, packing a bag that is light will let you enjoy the trip. 

Plan Your Trip with Complete Research – If you’re travelling to Bhutan for the first time. Do proper research and plan it properly. How will you reach Bhutan? What activities will you participate in, and prepare a priority-wise list of places you want to visit? In addition, how many days will you stay in Bhutan? 

Travel in Group – Travelling with the gang is fun. It makes travel duration lesser and fills your trip with fun and joy. Moreover, group travel generally costs you less than solo trips. 

So, what are you waiting for? Plan your trip to Bhutan and spend your holiday at the land of Thunderbolt, Bhutan. 

How can I travel from Delhi to Bhutan? 

Delhi is the capital city of the country. From here, you can find various trains for nearby railway stations in Bhutan. You can get trains from Delhi’s major stations, including Anand Vihar Terminal, Delhi and New Delhi for Bhutan. After reaching any of these places, you can take a road trip to Bhutan’s town Phuentsholing. 

Is travelling to Bhutan from Mumbai Easy by Train? 

You can travel from Mumbai to Bhutan conveniently—trains from Lokmanya Tilak terminus run for New Alipurduar, Siliguri junction, New Jalpaiguri, and Hasimara. You can book your train tickets for any railway station through the official website. However, the train journey from Mumbai to Bhutan can be long. So plan it well and make it interesting. 

RailMitra, the Indian railway app will help you in planning your Bhutan trip by train efficiently. You can use its app to check the Indian Railways train time table, PNR status, station details, trains between two stations and more. Moreover, You can also use this app to order food in train. RailMitra’s e-catering facility lets travellers order a variety of food in trains to satiate their travel hunger.