Though not an ancient city by Indian standards, Kolkata (formerly called Calcutta) is replete with colonial charm, variety and interest. The city is equipped with many epithets such as City of Joy, City of Palaces. One of the most crowded and busiest, it is necessary to see the city to believe that a seamless blend of heritage and modernization.

Calcutta is connected by domestic air flights to other major Indian cities. It is also connected to the major cities of the world by international flights like British Airways, Singapore Airlines, KLM etc. As far as its connections to other laces in India is concerned, Indian railways come to its rescue. Indian railways provide a fantastic network of trains. Within the city itself, Calcutta has virtually all the different modes of transport - trams, buses, rickshaws, metered taxis, minibuses, Metro. The Metro, India's first and Calcutta's pride and joy, provides a clean, fast and efficient way to get around.

Travel to Calcutta by Air
Most of the domestic airlines have direct services to and from Calcutta to other important cities of India such as Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Patna, Varanasi, Lucknow, etc. Calcutta provides direct flights to most of the countries in the Southeast Asia. The airport in Calcutta is situated at Dumdum, around 17 km northeast of the city center.

Travel to Calcutta by Rail
Trains from the other parts of the country connect Calcutta. Super-fast trains such as Rajdhani Express and Shatabdi Express join the city from Delhi and nearby cities such as Bokaro and Rourkela. Coromandel Express and Gitanjali Express connect Calcutta to Chennai and Mumbai respectively. The city has two major railway stations-one at Howrah and the other at Sealdah.

Travel to Calcutta by Road
Calcutta is connected with most of the Indian cities by road. The Esplanade Terminus in the heart of the city is the main bus terminus. A new development is the starting of Dhaka-Calcutta bus service. The buses are colorful, air-conditioned, and comfortable.

Travel to Calcutta by Water
Mechanized boats and ships are available on a regular basis for Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Luxury cruises are also operational between Calcutta and Haldia, a modern port city nearby.

Travel in Calcutta
For local transport, Calcutta Metro is India's first and only underground railway network and a good option to move around the city. Other options to explore the city are taxis, trams, and buses. The services are basic and crowded but cheap.