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Route · Darjeeling
Siliguri to Darjeeling is about 65–70 km and 3–3.5 hours by road, via Rohini Road or the old Hill Cart Road through Kurseong. Shared jeeps cost about ₹250–350 a seat. The toy train covers 88 km from NJP in 7–8 hours when the full line runs.
| From | To | How | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SILIGURI | DARJEELING | Shared jeep | 3–3.5 h | ₹250–350 |
| SILIGURI | DARJEELING | Reserved car | 3 h | ₹3,000–4,000 A C |
| SILIGURI | DARJEELING | Toy train | 7–8 h | FIRST CLASS ROUG |
From our route pages. Fares change with fuel prices, season and demand: check current status before you travel.
Shared jeeps (Sumos, Boleros and similar) leave from the stands near Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Terminus on Hill Cart Road in Siliguri, and a few from outside NJP station. They go when full, usually ten passengers. Front seats beside the driver fill first and are the least travel-sick. In Darjeeling they stop near Chowk Bazaar and Clubside. The last reliable departures are mid-afternoon.
Pre-paid and private taxis wait at NJP station and Bagdogra airport. A reserved small car or SUV is worth it for families, older travellers and anyone landing late. Agree the fare, the drop point and any stops before you set off. Drivers usually take Rohini Road, the faster route, and can stop at a Kurseong tea stall on request.
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway climbs 88 km from NJP through Sukna, Rongtong, Tindharia, Kurseong and Ghoom, crossing loops and zig-zag reverses. Full-line services are often suspended or shortened after monsoon landslides. When they run, book on IRCTC well ahead. Many travellers do the road up and a joyride from Darjeeling instead. Check current status before you travel.
Local tip: Leave Siliguri by 1 pm so you reach Darjeeling before dark and before afternoon mist settles on the upper road.
Questions people ask
About ₹250–350 a seat in 2025–26, depending on season and seat. Jeeps leave from the stands near the Siliguri bus terminus on Hill Cart Road and from outside NJP station, departing when full. The ride takes 3 to 3.5 hours. Fares rise in peak weeks, so check current rates before you travel.
Rohini Road is faster and smoother, and most jeeps and taxis use it to join the old road below Kurseong. Hill Cart Road via Tindharia follows the toy train line and is more scenic but slower and narrower. Both meet before Kurseong. Landslides sometimes close one, so drivers decide on the day.
Sometimes. The full line is often suspended or shortened after monsoon landslides, and services change with the season. When it runs, the journey takes about 7–8 hours. Joyrides from Darjeeling to Ghoom run more reliably. Book on IRCTC and check current status before you travel.
About 3 to 3.5 hours by car for roughly 70 km. Taxis from the airport cost about ₹3,000–4,000 for a small car. For a cheaper ride, take a taxi or auto to Siliguri's jeep stands (about 30 minutes) and join a shared jeep there. Allow extra time in peak season.
Plan with a local
Where you want to go, how many of you, and roughly what you want to spend a day. A planner who lives in these hills replies within one working day with a route and every rupee written down.