Key hubs
Sundarbans airport and railway station
- Airport
- Kolkata (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International, CCU), about 100 km from the jetties; allow roughly three hours by road to Godkhali or Sonakhali
- Railway station
- Canning (CG) on the Sealdah South suburban line is the closest railhead; the road and boat transfer from there takes roughly an hour or more
- Getting around
- Road to Godkhali or Sonakhali, then a launch or ferry; inside the reserve, every boat carries a forest guide and boats are the only transport
How to reach Sundarbans by air
Kolkata (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International, CCU) is the nearest major airport, about 100 km from the Sundarbans jetties; allow roughly three hours by road to Godkhali or Sonakhali.
How to reach Sundarbans by train
Canning (CG), on the Sealdah South suburban line, is the nearest railhead and is known as the gateway to the Sundarbans. From the station you continue by road, then by ferry or launch.
How to reach Sundarbans by road
Godkhali is the last motorable point from Kolkata for the Gosaba route, about three hours by road; Sonakhali is another departure point. State Highway 3 (the Basanti road) links Canning to the area.
Getting around Sundarbans
Inside the reserve, boats and launches are the only transport and every boat carries a forest guide. On the islands, cycle-vans, e-rickshaws and ferries are used. Most visitors book a package including transfers.
For parents and senior travellers
Easy transfers to and in Sundarbans
- Choose a package with a covered, seated upper deck and ask about toilets on the boat; conditions are basic and journeys long.
- Break the journey: stay a night near the gateway instead of doing Kolkata to the forest and back in one day.
- Carry sun protection, water, snacks, any medicines and a light jacket for winter mornings on the water.
- Nearest large hospitals are far away. Carry a basic medical kit and keep your operator's emergency contact handy.
- Ask the airline or railway for wheelchair or porter assistance when you book, not on the day.
- Pre-book the pickup from the airport or station, so nobody has to negotiate with drivers after a long journey.
- Choose arrivals in daylight where you can, and keep the first afternoon free to rest.