Kolkata

Kolkata (Bengali: KOHL-kah-tah) is the main business, commercial and financial hub of eastern India. Spread along the eastern banks of the Hooghly River, Kolkata was once the administrative centre of the British Raj, governing a vast region that stretched from Pakistan to Burma (Myanmar) and the "second city of the British Empire after London".

The name "Kolkata" is derived from Kolikātā (কলিকাতা), the name of one of the three villages in the area before the arrival of the British. There has been much debate regarding the origin of the name. Some say the name derives from Kālīkhyetro (কালীক্ষেত্র), meaning the "land of [the goddess] Kali". Another theory is that the place used to specialise in quicklime (কলি koli) and coir rope (কাতা kātā).

The name was officially changed from Calcutta to Kolkata in 2001 by the then-left Government of West Bengal. However, the name "Calcutta" still survives in the names of certain institutions.

Kolkata's history is intimately related to the British East India Company, which arrived in 1690, and to British India, of which Calcutta became the capital in 1772. Job Charnock was widely known as the founder of Calcutta. There were 3 villages named Sutanuti, Gobindapur and Kalikata. Later the village Kalikata became the city of Kolkata. But some Indian historians have disputed this claim, arguing that Kolkata developed naturally over a period, centred on the ancient Kali temple at Kalighat and the port at Kidderpore.

Whatever its origins, Calcutta flowered as the capital of British India during the 19th century, the heyday of the Raj. The University of Calcutta, the first modern Indian university, was founded here in 1857. Calcutta became the centre of Indian arts and literature and the national movement for independence got its start here. However, with the transfer of the capital to Delhi in 1911 and the pains of the partition of Bengal in 1947, a violent repressive and feudal state machinery was operational for nearly the first two decades after independence. Calcutta became plagued by power outages, labour unrest, disappearing industry and violence from the ideologically-motivated Maoist movement (the Naxalbari movement) in the 1970s. In 1985, the then-Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi referred to the city as a "dying city" because of the social and political traumas.

In 1977, a "Left Front" coalition of the Communist and Marxist parties came to power and ruled West Bengal for 34 years. This is reflected in street names and memorials in the city with names like Lenin Sarani and Ho Chi Minh Sarani. During this period, the various egalitarian approaches implemented at improving the living standards of the downtrodden have helped the city in bridging the wealth gap and decreasing impoverishment.

Once India's leading city, Kolkata experienced a steady economic decline in the decades following India's independence due to a steep population increase and a rise in militant trade unionism. From the 1960s to the late 1990s, several factories were closed and businesses relocated. Despite this, the city's fortunes have looked up since the early 1990s, coinciding with the liberalisation of the Indian economy. Kolkata's economy is now amongst the fastest-growing in India. The landscape of the city is also fast changing with flyovers, gardens and several new commercial establishments. The new metro city is characterised by popular spots such as multiplexes, theatres, clubs, pubs, coffee shops, and museums.

The old Central Business District (CBD) is the main seat of the Government of West Bengal. Several banks have their corporate or regional headquarters around the BBD Bagh area. Many of Kolkata's older business groups have their main offices here. The area is a mix of multi-storeyed office blocks and colonial buildings.

The newer CBD is around the south of Park Street, Camac Street and Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Road. Several high-rise office blocks including some of Kolkata's tallest commercial buildings are in this area. An even newer CBD is being developed across Salt Lake and New Town, which is part of an effort to relieve congestion in the core city. Many government offices have shifted to high-rise office buildings lining Salt Lake's Central Park.

Since 2000, information technology (IT) services revitalised the city's stagnant economy. With the expansion of Ecospace and Bengal Silicon Valley (BSV) in New Town, and Sector V in Salt Lake, Kolkata is rapidly turning into a pro-IT city, with various private sector companies setting up regional offices here. The city also has experienced growth in the manufacturing sector, with industrial estates at Bantala, Kasba, Taratala etc.

Kolkata is known for its literary, artistic and revolutionary heritage and it was the birthplace of modern Indian literary and artistic thought. The city has a tradition of political graffiti depicting everything from outrageous slander to witty banter and limericks, caricatures and propaganda.

Kolkata has been called the "City of Palaces", because of the numerous palatial mansions built all over the city. During British rule, the city witnessed a spate of frenzied construction activity of buildings largely influenced by the conscious intermingling of Gothic, Baroque, Roman, Oriental and Islamic schools of design. The layout of much of the architectural variety in Kolkata owes its origins to European styles and tastes imported by the British and, to a much lesser extent, the Portuguese and French. However, many of these structures are in various stages of decay, as of 2022. Some of the major buildings of this period are well maintained and several buildings have been declared as heritage structures.

Kolkata is also famous for the film industry around Tollygunge, known as "Tollywood" (a blend of Tollygunge and Hollywood). From the beginning of the silent era in 1919 to the talking era in the 1930s and the golden days of the 1950s to the 1970s has been a chequered history. It has seen renowned filmmakers like Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak, Mrinal Sen and Tapan Sinha.

Place name changes After India's independence, many colonial place names in Kolkata were changed, including streets. They were named after either freedom activists (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Rash Behari Bose, Mahatma Gandhi), prime ministers (Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi), famed scientists (Jagadish Chandra Bose, Prafulla Chandra Ray) or international personalities (Lenin, Ho Chi Minh, Shakespeare). For a traveller, the practical problem would be that many places would have multiple names in usage. The new names are seen on maps and posters, while the old names are still used by some locals. So you need to be careful about specifying which place you need to get to. The district articles use the most common name in usage, with the official name in parentheses. A few important common names and their corresponding official names to remember are given at the table below.

Common name	Official name
Amherst Street	Raja Rammohan Roy Sarani (RRR Sarani)
Camac Street	Abanindranath Thakur Sarani (AT Sarani)
Central Avenue	Chittaranjan Avenue (CR Avenue)
Chowringhee Road	Jawaharlal Nehru Road (JL Nehru Road)
Dalhousie Square	Benoy-Badal-Dinesh Bagh (BBD Bagh)
Grey Street	Sri Aurobindo Sarani
Park Street	Mother Teresa Sarani (MT Sarani)
Red Road	Indira Gandhi Sarani (IG Sarani)
Salt Lake	Bidhannagar
Southern Avenue	Dr. Meghnad Saha Sarani
VIP Road	Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue (KNI Avenue)

Kolkata can be roughly divided into two sections along Park Street. North of Park Street is the more congested part of the city. South of Park Street is the slightly better-planned section of the city, with wider roads and a better-equipped police force for keeping law and order. The better planning in South Kolkata is because it was built much later. The North is the real, old Kolkata, and most of the oldest families and buildings are there.

Over the past several decades, the city has expanded to the south and the east, with the "Greater Kolkata" region spanning over 1,880 km² (730 sq mi), from Kalyani to Jaynagar Majilpur. Heavy construction activity along the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass has been changing the face of the city. Luxury hotels, convention centres, speciality hospitals, condominium complexes, malls, and multiplexes are coming up at a rapid pace. The city's expansion on the eastern side is spearheaded by the construction of a new satellite township called New Town, adjacent to the well-planned Salt Lake. It is one of the largest planned urban developments in India.

Kolkata consists of numerous neighbourhoods (পাড়া, pāṛā) that possess a strong sense of community. They have their own clubs and sometimes playgrounds.

Between the river Hooghly and Chowringhee Road, the Maidan (open field) is said to be the lungs of Kolkata. The lush green meadow also houses Fort William, Victoria Memorial, and several sporting clubs. Kolkatans love to stroll in the Maidan.

The residential buildings are mainly low-rise and comprise older colonial buildings and numerous new four-storied apartment blocks. 10- to 12-storey apartment blocks have come up in large numbers in South Kolkata. The city has relaxed its rules on high-rise construction, and 20-storey buildings are becoming more common.

However, slums and dilapidated structures exist in many pockets of the city and house over 25% of the city's population (2001 census). Slum redevelopment schemes have helped improve living conditions to a small extent, but efforts to shift slum dwellers to newer developments have often met with resistance and failure because many of the slums are in prime areas of the city and the slum dwellers who are integrated into the social structure of the neighbourhood do not want to shift.

Kolkata is a multicultural and cosmopolitan city, with diversity from all over India, as well as including Europeans (including Germans, Armenians, and others) and other Asians (including Chinese, Sinhalese, and Tibetans). Kolkata is also notable for being home to India's largest Chinatown, which continues to be home to a handful of ethnic Chinese residents whose families have lived in India for several generations.

Kolkata (Alipore) 1991-2020
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D       15     26 14       25     29 18       37     34 23       55     35 26       119     36 27       277     34 27       372     33 27       372     32 27       325     33 26       180     32 24       33     30 20       5.6     27 16 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation+Snow totals in mm Source: IMD
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D       0.6     78 58       1     85 65       1.4     93 73       2.2     96 78       4.7     96 80       11     93 81       15     91 80       15     90 80       13     91 79       7.1     90 76       1.3     86 68       0.2     80 60 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation+Snow totals in inches

Kolkata has three main seasons: summer, monsoon, and winter. Summer, from March–May, is hot and humid with temperatures touching 38-42°C. Monsoon starts in June and lasts till September or October. This is the time when heavy showers sometimes lead to waterlogging in a few areas. Winter is from November to February. This is the best season to visit the city, as the weather is very pleasant with temperatures ranging between 8 and 20°.

• Calcutta: Past and Present (1905) by Kathleen Blechynden. It gives a detailed background of the British-era Calcutta as the former capital of India, as well as the city's lifestyle in the early 20th century.
• City of Joy (1985) by Dominique Lapierre.

• Citi Life - Calcutta My El Dorado by Mrinal Sen.
• City of Joy (1992) by Roland Jaffé. Film adaption on the book of the same name by Dominique Lapierre.

• 1 Tourism Centre, 3/2, BBD Bagh E (near Great Eastern Hotel), ☏ , toll-free: , wbtourismpublicity1@gmail.com. The staff at the Tourism Centre is very helpful and the centre has a lot of information on West Bengal tourism. You can book a government lodge there before travelling to your favourite destination. (updated Jul 2023)

Official websites:

• Kolkata Municipal Corporation
• Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority

• 1 Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU  ^IATA, Dum Dum Airport, Kolkata Airport), Jessore Rd (about 18 km (11 mi) outside the city centre), ☏ , , , fax: +91 33 2511 9266, apdkolkata@aai.aero. The airport has excellent connectivity with most of the major cities in India, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. It is a major centre for flights to Siliguri and North-Eastern India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Southeast Asia and the Middle Eastern cities of Dubai and Doha.  (updated Sep 2022)

Although the airport is large and spacious, after immigration it lacks the facilities generally associated with busy international airports; there is no cafe, only one sit-down restaurant, very limited number of small shops, and no free Wi-Fi. Toilets are also sparse and far apart.

The airport has a well-established facility of prepaid taxis and air-conditioned buses connecting it to the city centre. Parking facilities at the airport terminal include two underground parking levels accommodating 3,000 cars, and outdoor car parking which can handle an additional 2,000 cars. DigiYatra facility is available at departure gates 2B and 3A, security hold area 1, 2 and 3 and boarding gates 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23.

Transport options to central Kolkata:

• By bus: State-run air-conditioned buses are available to get into the city centre. Cheaper, and hassle-free, and since you can hail a taxi anywhere in the city centre to take you to your final destination, you do not need to worry. The buses are parked outside the arrival gate at the integrated terminal. Do not be dissuaded by the taxi touts, who would try to make you believe that the buses do not run anymore.
• By metro: The airport is served by Jai Hind  4  in front of the parking lot.
• By taxi: In case you are arriving at busy hours, it is better to get a prepaid taxi (₹150-250), which takes you directly to your destination. There is no practice of tipping taxi drivers anywhere in India. Moreover, app-based cab services (such as Ola and Uber) are also available from the airport.

Kolkata is served by five major railway stations across the metropolis, which connects the city to almost all the major stations in India. Most local trains serving Kolkata run from Howrah and Sealdah stations. The trains run as far as Lalgola (near Murshidabad) at the north, Hasnabad at the east, Namkhana at the south, Midnapore at the southwest and Bardhaman at the west.

• 2 Howrah  HWH  SE  (code: HWH), RBC Rd, ☏ . The largest railway complex in India with over 600 trains arriving per day, including local trains. An estimated two million people use the station every day. Wholly owned by the Eastern Railway (ER), Howrah station is divided into three parts: the Old Complex, the New Complex and the Howrah Metro complex. For passengers, there is a large, covered waiting area between the complexes and the platforms for passengers awaiting connecting trains. Free Wi-Fi is present at the station.  (updated Jul 2026)

Transport options to central Kolkata:

• By bus: Buses to Howrah Station stop to a bus terminal close to the Howrah Bridge. Air-conditioned buses are available between Howrah Station and Kolkata Airport.
• By metro: Howrah is served by the Green Line  2 . The station is on the footpath connecting the Old Complex to the New Complex.
• By taxi or cab: There are taxi stands outside Howrah Station, where taxis and cabs are parked in long queues.
• By car: The station platforms have two "cab roads" for cars within the complex. Bankim Setu at the end of the platforms allows the cars to exit the complex quickly. After exiting the complex, take the Howrah Bridge and cross the Hooghly River.
• By ferry: There is a ferry terminal ("ghat") opposite the station that can get you to the opposite side of the river. It takes ₹5 to cross the river.

• 3 Sealdah  (code: SDAH), APC Rd, Sealdah. One of the busiest railway stations in India with a huge number of people commuting to the city for work. The station is divided into Sealdah North, Sealdah Main and Sealdah South. There are 21 platforms in the station, five of which are in Sealdah North, nine in Sealdah Main and seven in Sealdah South. Sealdah North and Sealdah Main terminals are used for most local and express trains, while Sealdah South terminal is used for the local trains from South 24 Parganas.  (updated Jul 2026)

Transport options to central Kolkata:

• By bus: Although there's a bus stop named Sealdah, the stop is about 500 m (1,600 ft) north of Sealdah station. The nearest bus stop to the station is Beliaghata Main Road - NRS Hospital .
• By metro: Sealdah is served by the Kolkata Metro Line  2 , and the metro platforms can be accessed within or outside the railway station. One can take a metro from Sealdah to reach different places in East Kolkata.
• By taxi: There are prepaid taxis to enter the city. The prepaid taxi stand is just outside the station's main entrance. The counter is under a tin shed.

• 4 Kolkata  (code: KOAA), Chitpur. Opened in 2009, it receives a number of trains which used to terminate at Sealdah station. The station is linked to the Sealdah-Ranaghat Line and is served by the Eastern Railway for trains to Bandel, Kalyani Simanta, Santipur, Krishnanagar, Dankuni, Bangaon, Hasnabad and others. There are five platforms in the station. The first two platforms are used by only suburban trains and the remaining three are used by long-distance trains. Kolkata station runs many long-distance express trains including two pairs of the Garib Rath Express, the Khwaja Garib Nawaz Madar–Kolkata Express etc. and one long-distance passenger train to Lalgola. There are two international trains from Bangladesh, the Maitree Express runs from Dhaka three times per week and the Bandhan Express runs from Khulna once per week.  (updated Jul 2026)

Transport options to central Kolkata:

• By bus: The bus routes from the station are:
  • K1: Hatishala–Kolkata Station, via Newtown, Karunamoyee, City Center I, Ultadanga Station, Shyambazar and RG Kar Hospital
  • KB22: Kolkata Station–Jamirgachi, via RG Kar Hospital, Shyambazar, Ultadanga Station, City Center I, Central Park, Karunamoyee and Newtown

• 5 Santragachi Junction  SE  (code: SRC), NH 12, Santragachi. There are six platforms in the station. Serves local trains to Howrah, Purba Medinipur and Paschim Medinipur districts. A few trains originate from Santragachi station to Ajmer, Porbandar and Nanded, and the Vivek Express runs to Mangalore Central starting from Santragachi. Almost all Howrah/Shalimar bound express/mail trains stop here. Santragachi also has a big bus terminus with bus services to various places in Kolkata, Howrah and beyond.  (updated Jul 2026)

Transport options to central Kolkata:

• By bus: The bus routes from the station are:
  • K11: Domjur–Rabindra Sadan (Exide), via PG Hospital, Vidyasagar Setu, Toll Plaza, Santragachi and Salap
  • KB15: Anandapur–Santragachi Bus Terminal, via Ruby Hospital, Acropolis Mall, Kasba Thana, Bijan Setu (Ballygunge Station), Gariahat, Minto Park, Camac Street, Exide, PG Hospital, Toll Plaza and Santragachi
  • RT-26: Santragachi–Esplanade, via Tikiapara, Howrah Maidan, Howrah Station, Barabazar and Dalhousie

• 6 Shalimar  SE  (code: SHM) (near Vidyasagar Setu). A small railway station compared to Howrah station and one of the cleanest, most well-maintained and non-congested railway terminals in Kolkata. It handles a few local and several express trains. There are small eateries serving snacks on the platform and eateries serving lunch outside the station. There is a taxi stand outside the station and the most direct service to and from the station.  (updated Jul 2026)

Kolkata is well served by buses from destinations both inside and outside India. There are buses from Bangladesh, North-Eastern India, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Sikkim and Bhutan.

Intercity bus termini in Kolkata include:

• 7 Babughat Bus Terminus, ~8 Strand Rd.  (updated Sep 2022)
• 8 Esplanade Bus Terminus (Dharmatala Bus Stand). It has bus terminals for buses from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sikkim, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar and other parts of the country. (updated Sep 2022)
• 9 SBSTC Bus Stand. A newer bus stand opposite the terminal for SBSTC buses. (updated May 2026)
• 10 Shyamoli Paribahan Bus Depot, 10, Marquis St, ☏ . Provides buses to Bangladesh and a select few destinations in West Bengal. Shyamoli Paribahan handles the border transfer from one bus to another so well that it seems a better option to many than the direct service. 

National highway numbers 12, 16, and 19, and the Grand Trunk Road radiate from the city, providing links to most parts of the country.

Ganga Vilas, India's luxurious river cruise, has a stop at Kolkata. Besides, there are various ferry options from Howrah, Serampore and Uttarpara.

Kolkata is known for its numerous attractions — palaces, parks and museums — built during and after the 190 years of British rule in India. Built in 1814, the Indian Museum houses large collections that showcase Indian natural history and Indian art. The Marble Palace is a classic example of a European mansion that was built in the city. The iconic Victoria Memorial has a museum documenting the city's history. The National Library is the leading public library in India, while Science City is the largest science centre in the country.

Take a tram ride in Kolkata. The city has the only active tram service in India and has become an icon of Kolkata. They move slowly on the laid tracks in traffic-jammed streets.

Several modern cinemas are dotted around the city, including INOX^{[dead link]} with several locations, Fame at Metropolis Mall in Highland Park, and RDB Adlabs^{[dead link]} at RDB Boulevard, Near Infinity Building in Sector-V, Bidhannagar, all showing Indian and American blockbusters. Kolkata also has many established theatre houses, which host events by international theatre groups frequently. Such events draw people from around the globe as it offers a unique opportunity to share culture and ideas.

Unlike most of cricket-obsessed India, football (soccer) reigns supreme in Kolkata, with the local clubs Mohun Bagan Athletic Club and East Bengal Club being the most successful in India. They contest the Kolkata Derby biannually, which is considered by many to be the oldest and most intense football rivalry in all of Asia.

Durga Puja (দুর্গাপূজা Durgāpūjā), a festival honouring the Hindu goddess Durga, takes place between September and October. The biggest festival for Hindus in Bengal, Kolkata takes on an almost carnival-like ambience. Streets shut down for the construction of pandals (প্যান্ডেল, pyānḍel), large stands that depict events from the Ramayana and crowds flock to the biggest and best ones. Durga Puja in Kolkata has been listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2021. A good time to visit, unless you have a fear of crowds.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the main club cricket league in India. It is one of the world's most widely attended sporting events, and if you are in Kolkata during the season (April–May), consider watching the home team (Kolkata Knight Riders) play at Eden Gardens. In addition to the IPL, India's national team also plays some of its international matches at Eden Gardens. While its size was surpassed by the new Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad in 2020, Eden Gardens is widely regarded as the spiritual home of Indian cricket, similar to the role Lords plays in England, or the role the Melbourne Cricket Ground plays in Australia.

The Kolkata Book Fair (বইমেলা baimelā or পুস্তকমেলা pustakmelā) takes place from the last week of January to the first week of February. It is the largest book fair in Asia and is a significant event in the city. Central Park in Salt Lake is the venue of the Kolkata Book Fair since 2022. The similarly-named but smaller Kolkata District Book Fair takes place at Netaji Indoor Stadium in May. Some locations have their own local book fairs, like Behala, North Kolkata, Dum Dum and New Town.

The Kolkata International Film Festival^{[dead link]} (KIFF) takes place from 15 December to 22 December every year at 4PM. Although the opening and closing ceremonies takes place at the Netaji Indoor Stadium, Nandan is the main centre for the festival.

There are plenty of places to buy alcohol around the city. Kolkata has many pubs and bars, which are frequented by youngsters as well as its older residents. Some pubs have live concerts or DJs. All pubs are supposed to shut shop by midnight or 1AM. So go early if you want to enjoy yourself in the club.

Kolkata has long had a concentration of budget backpacker hotels in the Sudder Street area and many of these are colonial era gems, albeit decaying ones. Sudder Street is centrally located and is well connected by public transport. Both the major railway stations at Howrah and Sealdah have many hotels around them. Most of them might be only licensed to accommodate Indian citizens. Be sure to not walk with a local "friend" or guide, unless you want to have higher prices. There are some hotels in South Kolkata. The growth of the IT Sector and hospital facilities in East Kolkata has led to development of hotels in that district.

However, if money is of no object, you can stay at Great Eastern, ITC Sonar, Taj Bengal and JW Marriott Kolkata. British-era clubs such as Tollygunge Club, Calcutta Club (AJC Bose Rd), Saturday Club (Theatre Rd) and Bengal Club (Russel St) have lavish rooms for rent. However, they only accept bookings through members.

Air pollution is a major problem in Kolkata, with regular smog and haze. Since 2022, Kolkata is ranked as India's second most polluted city after Delhi, with pollution levels often in the "very unhealthy" or "hazardous" range. Anyone visiting the area should try to limit outdoor and exhausting activities. Elderly visitors are recommended not to get out in the morning due to diesel exausts in the air. Instead, they should get out in the evening. Have masks (single-use surgical masks are okay), tissues, and eyedrops ready when going out.

The area code for Kolkata is "33" (prefix "+91", if you are calling from outside India). Phone numbers are eight digits long.

Public call booths can be found easily throughout the city from where local, national, and international calls can be made. Else local SIM card can be used for connectivity.

Mobile phone coverage is excellent with all major mobile service providers offering their services in the city. It might be a good idea to buy a cell phone and use one of those prepaid plans to get yourself connected while you are in the city.

All mobile numbers are 10 digits long and begin with a "9", "8", "7" or "6". Do not dial the city prefix for mobile numbers. If you don't get through

Internet cafes are available in plenty and charges ₹10-25/hour. You need to show your identity card to use internet in those cafes. As a precaution, change your password after you use it at a cybercafe or do private/incognito browsing.