Rajasthan or the hills for a winter holiday?
December and January suit both. How the two trips differ in weather, pace, cost and what children and parents enjoy.
Howrah or Sealdah: a station guide for families
Which trains leave from where, how early to arrive, where to wait and how to manage luggage with children and parents.
Most of our holidays begin at one of Kolkata’s two great railway stations, and for many families the station is the most stressful part of the whole trip. A little knowledge makes it much easier.
Howrah Station, across the river, handles most long-distance trains to Puri, Delhi, Rajasthan and the south, and many trains to New Jalpaiguri. It is huge, with more than twenty platforms across an old and a new complex. Check your platform on the station boards or the railway app, and allow time to walk; the new complex platforms can be ten minutes from the main entrance. Sealdah, on the city side, handles several trains to North Bengal, including some of the most popular overnight ones to New Jalpaiguri.
Reach the station at least an hour before departure, and ninety minutes during the Puja rush. Traffic on the Howrah Bridge and around Sealdah can add half an hour without warning. If you are travelling with older parents, ask for a battery car at Howrah, which runs along the main platforms for a small fee. Railway porters wear red shirts and a badge; agree the price before they pick up your bags.
Wait in the AC waiting rooms if you have a reserved ticket, and keep one bag with snacks, water, medicines and a shawl separate from the main luggage. Chain big suitcases under the berth once you board. Our staff meet every group departure at the platform about forty minutes before the train leaves, with tickets and vouchers, so you are not looking for anyone in the crowd.
