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Route · Dooars
Siliguri to Madarihat, the Jaldapara gateway, is about 120–130 km and three and a half to four hours by road through the tea gardens of the Dooars, or around four to five hours by train to Madarihat or Hasimara on the Dooars line.
| From | To | How | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SILIGURI | JALDAPARA NA | Reserved car | 3.5–4 h | ₹4,000–5,000 A C |
| SILIGURI | JALDAPARA NA | Train | 4–5 h | ₹60–400 |
| SILIGURI | JALDAPARA NA | Bus | 4.5–5.5 h | ₹150–250 |
From our route pages. Fares change with fuel prices, season and demand: check current status before you travel.
The road runs through Sevoke, Malbazar, Chalsa, Nagrakata, Banarhat and Birpara to Madarihat, a long line of tea gardens with short forest stretches. A car lets you stop at Gorumara or a garden on the way. Fix the price at the prepaid counter at NJP or Bagdogra.
Express and local trains on the Dooars line between Siliguri and Alipurduar stop at Madarihat or Hasimara, depending on the service. The line runs through tea gardens and forest edges. Check the current timetable and book a reserved seat on longer services, then take an auto or car to your lodge.
State and private buses for Alipurduar or Falakata pass Birpara and Madarihat. They leave from the Siliguri bus terminus through the morning. This is the cheapest option but the slowest, with frequent stops in each tea town.
Local tip: If you want a dawn safari on your first full day, arrive in Madarihat by mid-afternoon to confirm your slot at the counter.
Questions people ask
Madarihat, the main Jaldapara gateway, is about 125–135 km from NJP station, roughly four hours by car. A reserved car costs ₹4,000–5,000. Trains on the Dooars line take a similar time and cost far less, but services are limited, so check the timetable first.
Madarihat and Hasimara are the usual stations, depending on your lodge. Madarihat is closest to the main safari counters and the WBTDC lodge; Hasimara suits Chilapata and Mendabari. Alipurduar Junction, about 45–50 km away, has more trains but needs a longer drive.
Yes, with a car. Lataguri is a detour of about 20 km from the Malbazar–Chalsa road. An afternoon watchtower slot in Gorumara and an evening drive on to Madarihat makes a long day; it is easier to spend a night in Lataguri and continue the next morning.
Buses heading to Alipurduar, Falakata or Cooch Behar via the Dooars route pass through Birpara and Madarihat. Tell the conductor where you want to get off. Morning departures are the most reliable; after about 2 pm you risk arriving after dark.
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.