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Route · Gangtok
Siliguri to Gangtok is about 114 km and 4–5 hours on NH10 along the Teesta, entering Sikkim at Rangpo. Shared jeeps and taxis cost about ₹350–500 a seat, SNT buses about ₹250–350, and a reserved car ₹3,500–5,000. Flood damage since 2023 means frequent detours.
| From | To | How | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SILIGURI | GANGTOK | Shared jeep or taxi | 4–5 h | ₹350–500 |
| SILIGURI | GANGTOK | SNT bus | 5–6 h | ₹250–350 |
| SILIGURI | GANGTOK | Reserved car | 4–4.5 h | ₹3,500–5,000 A C |
From our route pages. Fares change with fuel prices, season and demand: check current status before you travel.
Sikkim-registered shared jeeps and small taxis leave from the SNT stand on Hill Cart Road and the Panitanki More area in Siliguri when full. From NJP, take an auto to the stand first. Bags go on the roof under a tarpaulin. In Gangtok they stop at one of the town's taxi stands; ask the driver which is nearest your hotel. The last reliable departures leave by mid-afternoon.
Sikkim Nationalised Transport runs buses from its terminus on Hill Cart Road in Siliguri to Gangtok through the day. They are slower than jeeps and stop more often, but seats are fixed and cheaper. Buy the ticket at the counter a day ahead in October and May. It is a good choice for solo travellers with light luggage.
Pre-paid and private taxis wait at NJP station and Bagdogra airport. A reserved car suits families, groups of four and anyone landing late in the day. Agree the fare, the drop point in Gangtok and the detour charge if NH10 is shut before you load bags. Drivers usually stop for tea at Teesta Bazar's riverside stalls or at Rangpo.
Local tip: Ask the jeep stand the evening before whether NH10 is open, since the Kalimpong detour adds two to three hours; check current status before you travel.
Questions people ask
About ₹350–500 a seat in 2025–26, depending on season, seat and whether the jeep must detour. Shared jeeps and taxis leave the SNT stand and the Panitanki More area in Siliguri when full and take 4–5 hours. SNT buses are cheaper at about ₹250–350. Fares rise in peak weeks, so check current rates before you travel.
Most days, but NH10 has closed many times since the October 2023 Teesta flood, after landslides and road collapses along the river. When it shuts, traffic goes via Kalimpong, Pedong and Rhenock, which takes 6–7 hours. Ask your hotel or the jeep stand the day before you travel, and check current status before you travel.
At the Rangpo checkpost on NH10, where foreign nationals show their passport and Indian visa and get a Restricted Area Permit, which is free. You can also apply online before you travel. Tell your jeep driver you need to stop, and keep passport photos and copies handy. Check current status before you travel.
About 4–5 hours by car for roughly 124 km, longer if NH10 is shut. Taxis from the airport cost about ₹3,500–5,000 for a small car. For a cheaper ride, take a taxi to Siliguri's SNT stand, about 30 minutes, and join a shared jeep there. Avoid arriving after dark if you can.
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.