The short answer
Almost everyone reaches Gangtok from Siliguri. Trains arrive at New Jalpaiguri (NJP) and flights at Bagdogra, both on the edge of Siliguri, and from there it is a 114–124 km drive up the Teesta valley, usually 4–5 hours. The cheapest way is a seat in a shared jeep or taxi for ₹350–500, or the government SNT bus for ₹250–350. The easiest is a reserved car for ₹3,500–6,500, which makes sense split between three or four people.
The road is the uncertainty. NH10, the main highway from Sevoke up the Teesta through Rangpo to Gangtok, has had repeated landslide and flood closures since the October 2023 Teesta flood, and long stretches remain fragile. When it is shut, traffic detours over the hills via Kalimpong or the Dooars, adding two to three hours. Ask at the jeep stand on the day and check current status before you travel.
Routes, times and fares at a glance
Fares are indicative for 2025–26 and rise during the Puja, Diwali and New Year weeks, and on days when NH10 is closed and vehicles take the longer road.
| From | Mode | Time | Indicative fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Siliguri or NJP | Shared jeep or taxi | 4–5 h | ₹350–500 a seat |
| Siliguri | SNT bus | 5 h or more | ₹250–350 |
| NJP or Siliguri | Reserved small car | 4–5 h | ₹3,500–5,000 |
| NJP or Siliguri | Reserved SUV | 4–5 h | ₹4,500–6,500 |
| Bagdogra airport | Reserved car | 4.5–5 h | ₹4,000–6,000 |
| Darjeeling | Shared jeep | 4–5 h | ₹350–450 a seat |
| Kalimpong | Shared jeep | 3–3.5 h | ₹250–350 a seat |
| Pakyong airport | Taxi | 1–1.5 h | ₹1,500–2,500 a car |
By shared jeep or taxi
Shared Sikkim-registered jeeps and taxis leave Siliguri when full from the SNT bus terminus area on Hill Cart Road and from around Panitanki More. Some also wait outside NJP station, though seats there are fewer and touts more insistent. From NJP or Bagdogra, take an auto or a taxi to the SNT stand first, for about ₹150–400. Buy your seat at the counter if there is one, or agree the fare with the driver before loading your bags.
Jeeps carry nine or ten passengers, with luggage tied on the roof under a tarpaulin. The front seats beside the driver are the most comfortable and are often sold first, sometimes at a small premium. If you suffer from motion sickness, ask for a window and eat lightly before you go. Jeeps run from early morning to mid-afternoon; after about 3 pm departures thin out, and you do not want to be on the hill roads late in the monsoon.
The drive itself is part of the trip. From Siliguri the road crosses the Mahananda plains to Sevoke, where the Coronation Bridge, built in 1937–41, spans the Teesta, then follows the river upstream through forest and gorges past Teesta Bazar and Melli. At Rangpo you cross into Sikkim, and foreign travellers stop at the checkpost for their permit. The road climbs on through Singtam and Ranipool to Gangtok. Jeeps usually pause once for tea and momos, often near Melli or Rangpo. Sit on the right-hand side going up for the best views of the river.
In Gangtok, jeeps from Siliguri stop at the long-distance taxi stands on the NH10 side of town, and the stand used has changed over the years. Local taxis then take you to your hotel for ₹100–300. Going back down, book a seat the evening before at the stand or through your hotel.
A local planner turns it into a route for your dates.
By SNT bus or reserved car
Sikkim Nationalised Transport runs buses between its Siliguri terminus and Gangtok several times a day. They are slower than jeeps, at five hours or more, but cheaper and with numbered seats, which suits travellers with light bags and some patience. Buy tickets at the counter a day ahead in peak season. Buses also run from Gangtok to other towns in Sikkim.
A reserved car is worth it for families, groups of three or four, anyone carrying a lot of luggage, and anyone arriving on a late train or flight. Prepaid taxi counters at Bagdogra and the taxi stands at NJP have rates for Gangtok; your hotel can also arrange a pickup. Agree the price, the car type and the route before you load bags, and ask whether the price changes if NH10 is closed and the driver has to take the long way round.
By air: Bagdogra and Pakyong
Bagdogra, about 124 km from Gangtok, is the practical airport, with direct flights from Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bengaluru and other cities. Allow 4.5–5 hours by road from the terminal, more if NH10 is diverted. If you land after about 2 pm, consider a night in Siliguri and an early start rather than a late drive up a mountain road.
Pakyong Airport, 31 km from Gangtok, opened in 2018 as Sikkim's first airport, on a ridge above the Rangpo valley. Its scheduled flights have been suspended or irregular for long periods, partly because of weather and the short runway. If a flight is operating when you travel, it saves the long drive from Bagdogra, but have a backup plan. A helicopter shuttle between Bagdogra and Gangtok has also run at times. Check current status before you travel.
When NH10 is closed
On the night of 3–4 October 2023, the outburst of South Lhonak lake in North Sikkim sent a flood down the Teesta that washed away or buried long stretches of NH10, including at Rangpo, Singtam and the Teesta Bazar area. The road has been repaired in stages, but every monsoon since has brought fresh slides and closures, sometimes for days or weeks. Outside the monsoon it is usually open, with slow sections.
When it shuts, vehicles take the hill roads. The usual detour runs from the Dooars through Gorubathan, Lava and Algarah, then via Rhenock and Rorathang into Sikkim and up to Gangtok, a route signed in part as NH717A. Another goes via Kalimpong and Pedong to Rhenock. Both are narrower and slower, adding roughly two to three hours, and shared-jeep fares rise on detour days.
Build one spare day into any Sikkim trip, especially from June to September, and book onward trains and flights for the afternoon or evening. Ask at the jeep stand, your hotel or local news on the morning you travel, and check current status before you travel.
Papers, checkposts and the railway to come
Indian citizens need no permit to enter Sikkim or Gangtok, but carry a photo ID: you will need it for permit tours to Tsomgo, Nathu La, the Silk Route and North Sikkim. Foreign nationals need a free Restricted Area Permit, issued online as an e-RAP, at the Rangpo and Melli checkposts on entry, or at Sikkim Tourism offices, including the one at the SNT terminus in Siliguri. Keep printed copies and passport photos handy. Rules change, so check current status before you travel.
A railway from Sevoke to Rangpo, Sikkim's first line, has been under construction for years, with tunnels through the Teesta gorge. When it opens it will bring trains to the Sikkim border, though not to Gangtok itself, and road transfers will still be needed. Do not plan around it until services actually begin.
- Carry two passport photos and photocopies of your ID for permits.
- Keep cash: ATMs on the road are few until Gangtok.
- Leave Siliguri by noon to arrive in daylight.
Questions people ask
Good to know
What is the cheapest way to reach Gangtok from NJP?
Take an auto from NJP to the SNT stand in Siliguri, then a shared jeep or taxi to Gangtok for about ₹350–500 a seat, or the SNT bus for about ₹250–350. The 114 km trip takes 4–5 hours. NH10 has had closures since the October 2023 flood, so check current status before you travel.
How long does it take from Bagdogra to Gangtok?
About 4.5–5 hours for 124 km by reserved car, more if NH10 is closed and the driver takes the hill detour via Lava or Kalimpong. A reserved car costs about ₹4,000–6,000. Shared jeeps are cheaper but leave from Siliguri's SNT stand, so take a taxi there first.
Are there flights to Pakyong Airport?
Pakyong, 31 km from Gangtok, opened in 2018, but its scheduled flights have been suspended or irregular for long periods because of weather and runway limits. Most travellers fly to Bagdogra instead. If a Pakyong flight is running when you travel, keep a backup plan, and check current status before you travel.
Is NH10 open to Gangtok?
NH10 is usually open outside the monsoon, with slow, damaged sections. Since the October 2023 Teesta flood it has closed many times, especially from June to September, sometimes for days. Vehicles then detour via Lava, Rhenock and Rorathang, or via Kalimpong. Check current status before you travel and keep a spare day.
Do Indians need a permit to enter Sikkim?
No. Indian citizens can enter Sikkim and visit Gangtok without a permit, though they need photo ID and passport photos for permit tours to Tsomgo Lake, Nathu La, the Silk Route and North Sikkim. Foreign nationals need a free Restricted Area Permit. Check current status before you travel.
Where do I get the Sikkim permit as a foreigner?
The Restricted Area Permit is free. Apply online for an e-RAP before you travel, or get it at the Rangpo or Melli checkposts on entry, or at Sikkim Tourism offices, including the counter at Siliguri's SNT terminus. Carry passport copies, your visa and photos. Rules change, so check current status before you travel.
Can I go from Darjeeling to Gangtok directly?
Yes. Shared jeeps run from Darjeeling to Gangtok, roughly 100 km and 4–5 hours, for about ₹350–450 a seat, via Peshok, Teesta Bazar and Rangpo. A reserved car costs about ₹4,500–6,000. The route uses NH10 along the Teesta, so check current status before you travel.
Is there a train to Gangtok?
Not yet. The nearest railway station is New Jalpaiguri (NJP), about 120 km away. A new line from Sevoke to Rangpo on the Sikkim border has been under construction for years, but it will not reach Gangtok itself. Until it opens and runs, plan on the road from NJP.
What time should I leave Siliguri for Gangtok?
Leave by late morning or noon so you arrive in daylight. Shared jeeps run from early morning to mid-afternoon, and later departures are fewer. In the monsoon, an early start matters more, because afternoon rain brings slides. If your train or flight arrives late, sleep in Siliguri and go up next morning.