If you want to explore Kolkata and its suburbs as a budget
traveler this station plays a major part in intercity connectivity in this part of India.
Most people know only about Howrah station which is undoubtedly an important
gateway to the city
How many trains ply here, how many train trips are handled
here all day long, what kind of infrastructure this station has – Upper Class
Waiting Room recently commissioned, Wifi, Executive lounge – You will find tons
of information online regarding these.
To understand why Sealdah is the heart of Kolkata travel, you
need insights from those who travel on a daily basis.
I was barely fifteen when I started traveling by local train
to go to college in Dumdum (That’s right, there is a station too by that name,
not just the Airport) in North Kolkata. After college for ten long years I used
the local train to get to work to different parts of Kolkata – Park Street,
Poddopukur, Gariahat, Salt Lake – That’s again a hint regarding how many times I switched
jobs.
Most of my socializing then during the initial days of my career was in train. After 15 long years in
Bangalore, I relocate back to Kolkata and I miss the daily travel journey. Now I mostly work from home and interact with stakeholders and team through mails, SKYPE and ZOOM calls
I go to the city once a month and Sealdah still has that
sweet charm of yester years. So a few days back I had some work in the
city, had to buy some stuff, meet a friend to give her birthday gift and
finally on my way back, catch up with another friend in Sealdah station –
basically return together.
I waited for more than an hour and I enjoyed every bit of it.
My mother had to attend a neighbor’s invite for a spiritual gathering, so I was
in no rush to return home.
The stalls, the crowd, the busyness, the speed – nothing had
changed in 17 years. It was good old Sealdah. My daily train travel routine had
stopped in 2002 when I moved to Bangalore.
Why is
Sealdah important for budget travelers?
Do you want to go to the weaver’s paradise? I bring this up
in almost every blog of mine. I strongly encourage you to go straight to
Sealdah and board a train to Shantipur
Do you want to see temple architecture? Then board Katwa local train and get down in Ambika Kalna
Do you want to see Bankim Chandra Chatterji's house - the writer who wrote some great novels and the national song Vande Mataram? Just look for Naihati local
If you want to visit ISKCON, again use the Shantipur local and get down in Habibpur
If you want to enjoy a nice ferry ride, board a Barrackpore local, take an auto from station to Dhobi ghat and the boat ride will take you to Serampore
If you want to visit Darjeeling, you have your train from Sealdah.
Kolkata October to February are the ideal months to visit
Kolkata and rural Bengal One can actually plan a trip any time of the year as
it has something or the other to offer in every season - just to avoid summer heat, it is highly recommended to visit during winter months.
Apart from suburban trains for North and South Kolkata, you can get around Kolkata, using public transport like
CSTC, CTC and WBSTC buses, yellow ambassador
taxis, Kolkata Metro and not to forget good old tramway. For short distances, you can avail auto rickshaws.
By now you must be confident to come to Kolkata and be on your own. If you are, go right ahead and book your tickets.
No comments:
Post a Comment