Air India
50, Chowringhee Road, Kolkata ? 700 071.
Phone/Fax:2282 2356-59/2282 6012/ 2282 1187 /2282 7875
Biman Bangladesh
30/C Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Calcutta-700016
Phone/Fax:22297693, 22457309, 25119662,22458480
British Airways
41 J L Nehru Road, Kolkata 700071.
Phone/Fax:22883451
Cathay Pacific
1 Middleton St, Kolkata 700016.
Phone/Fax:22403211/3212
Druk Air (Royal Bhutan)
1A Ballygunge Circular Rd, 51 Tivoli Court
Phone/Fax:2247 1301
Gulf Air
230A AJC Bose Rd (agent: Jet Airways)
Phone/Fax:2247 7783
Indian Airlines
39 C. R. Ave, Calcutta 700012.
Phone/Fax:Rsv.- 22116869/ 22113135 Inq.-25119433 / 22204433/
Jet Airways
18, Park Street, Kolkata 700071.
Phone/Fax:22292227, 25119894
KLM
1 Middleton St, Calcutta 700071.
Phone/Fax:22830151, 22472444
Malaysian Airlines
3C, Abanindra Thakur Sarani (off Park St), Kolkata 700016
Phone/Fax:22294464
Virtually all the different modes of transport that clog
the streets of Calcutta - trams, buses, rickshaws, metered
taxis, and minibuses - add to the problem of congestion. However,
the Metro , India's first and Calcutta's pride and joy, provides
a fast, clean and efficient way to get around. It's also very
easy to use, as it consists of just the one line running on
a north-south axis.
The river is also used for transport, with the ghats near
Eden Gardens at the hub of a ferry system. The most pleasant
way to beat the traffic is to take one of the very regular
ferries from Chandpal Ghat to Howrah Station; other sailings
head downriver from Armenian, Chandpal or Babu ghats to the
Botanical Gardens, although the running of this route is erratic.
Of more use to commuters than tourists, a circular railway
loops south from Sealdah before moving upriver along the Strand
and Princep Ghat, past Howrah Bridge and eventually to Dum
Dum. While using public transport, be wary of pickpockets
, especially on crowded buses.
The Metro
Despite a couple of small fires in recent years, Calcutta's
Russian-designed Metro , inaugurated in 1984, is every bit
as good as its inhabitants proudly claim, a spotless contrast
to the streets above, with trains operating punctually
Buses and minibuses
Calcutta supports a vast and complicated bus network, in operation
each day between roughly 5am and 11pm, and subject to overcrowding
and attendant pickpocketing problems. The profusion of bus
routes, many privately run, is best explained
Taxis
Taxis in Calcutta prove to be extremely good value, especially
on long journeys such as to and from the airport (around Rs130
for a twenty-kilometre ride), but a few drivers can be unwilling
to go anywhere for less than Rs50,
Trams
Calcutta's cumbersome trams , barely changed since they started
operating in 1873, are on their way out; their inability to
deviate from fixed rails to cope with the city's crazy traffic
makes them more of a nuisance
Rickshaws, auto-rickshaws and cycle rickshaws
Calcutta is the only city in India to have human-drawn rickshaws
, which are only available in the central areas of the city,
especially around New Market. There are cycle ricksaws and
auto-rickshaws available in the city. Though slow, cycle-rickshaws
provide a polution free journey.
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