Kolkata: museums, metro and ticket prices 2026

Kolkata is the former capital of British India in the east of the country. Here, colonial palaces stand next to bustling markets, and India's oldest metro takes you around for less than a taxi.

The city lies on the banks of the Hooghly River, a distributary of the Ganges, and together with its suburbs stretches nearly a hundred kilometers from north to south. The main challenge for a traveler is that there are many sights, and opening hours and days off are easy to mix up.

Below, we'll cover what to see, how to get from the airport, and how to get around the city.

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City orientation

💡 In short:

• Explore the center on foot: the Maidan, Victoria Memorial, Indian Museum, and BBD Bagh are all close together.
• Spend one day on colonial architecture, and a second on museums and the Hooghly waterfront.
• Don't plan museum visits for Monday: almost all of them are closed that day.
• Prices and opening hours: 09/2026, verified on the official website.

Kolkata stretches along the eastern bank of the Hooghly. On the western bank lies Howrah, a major industrial city and the country's main railway hub.

What you'll be most interested in is the central part of the eastern bank. It's divided into three areas: the northern part with old neighborhoods, the central part with the business district of BBD Bagh, and the southern part with museums and parks.

The city center is occupied by the Maidan, a huge park with lawns and walkways. Museums, cathedrals, and the Victoria Memorial are clustered around it, so it's convenient to look for accommodation near Park Street and Sudder Street.

Getting there: the airport and two railway stations

If you're arriving from abroad, you'll land at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, commonly called Dum Dum. It's located northeast of the center and receives daily flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Goa, Hyderabad, and other Indian cities.

Since August 2025, the Yellow Line of the metro reaches the airport, with the Jai Hind Bimanbandar station. You can also get into the city by prepaid taxi from the arrivals hall. Use the official counter rather than drivers inside the hall.

Rail connects Kolkata to the rest of India through two stations. Howrah Station receives trains from other states, while Sealdah Station serves West Bengal and its suburbs.

© Das kr. ( talk ) ( Uploads ) · CC BY-SAPhoto: Das kr. ( talk ) ( Uploads ), CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0), Wikimedia Commons

Next to Howrah Station, the Howrah Bridge spans the river; its official name is Rabindra Setu. During the day, endless streams of buses and cars cross it, and the pedestrian walkways are best walked early in the morning.

City transport: metro, trams, and taxis

The Kolkata Metro was the first in India: the first line opened in 1984, and today the network has grown to roughly 72 km, including an underwater section beneath the Hooghly (as of 09/2026, Wikipedia).

During the morning and evening rush hours, the cars are packed to capacity, so it's best to plan your trip outside those windows. Payment is by tokens and smart card; have banknotes ready in advance.

The tram has remained a symbol of the city for a century and a half. The first horse-drawn tram hit the streets in 1873, and this is India's last operating tram network: today two routes run, Route 5 from Shyambazar to Esplanade and Route 25 from Gariahat to Esplanade (as of 09/2026, Wikipedia). In 2026, state authorities announced that the historic cars will return to the streets.

© Naikshweta747 · CC BY-SAPhoto: Naikshweta747, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0), Wikimedia Commons

You can also get around the city in yellow Ambassador taxis and via the Uber and Ola apps. Hand-pulled rickshaws survive only in certain neighborhoods and aren't suitable for longer trips.

What to see: Victoria Memorial and India's oldest museum

© Biswarup Ganguly · CC BYPhoto: Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), Wikimedia Commons

Start with the Victoria Memorial, a white marble memorial to Queen Victoria in the center of the Maidan. Inside, you'll see a portrait gallery and a painting collection, and around it lies a well-kept garden.

• Holidays: on national holidays, the museum galleries are also closed.
• The catch: ticket counters close half an hour before closing time, so arrive early.

The Indian Museum is a stone's throw from Park Street and is considered the country's oldest and largest museum, founded in 1814 (as of 09/2026, official website).

Important: the museum's website has a notice that some galleries may be closed to visitors in 2026. Check the status on the same page before your trip.

• Cost: entry for children under 18 costs ₹20.

© Subhrajyoti07 · CC BY-SAPhoto: Subhrajyoti07, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

St. Paul's Cathedral was built back under the British, and today it is one of the city's main churches. Nearby stand the National Library and the country's oldest university, the University of Calcutta.

Among other points on the route, the Botanical Garden with its giant banyan tree, Mother Teresa's house, and the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission deserve attention. Fort William remains an active military base with no public access, so it is viewed from the outside from the Maidan.

How Calcutta came to be: the East India Company trading post

The city's name most likely comes from the village of Kolikata on the banks of the Hooghly. In the late 17th century, three fishing settlements stood here: Sutanati, Govindapur, and Kolikata.

The silk and saltpeter trade attracted British merchants to Bengal. At first, the East India Company's main trading post operated in Surat in western India, but the Bengal route quickly became more important.

In 1690, the new nawab invited Job Charnock, an East India Company agent, to return. The British flag was raised over the village of Sutanati (as of Britannica). These villages later grew into the largest city on the eastern coast.

To protect the settlement, Fort William was laid out in the late 17th century, named after King William III. A new fort was built in the 18th century, after the nawab's troops briefly captured the city.

Capital of British India and its legacy

From 1773 to 1911, Calcutta was the center of British possessions in India (as of Britannica). During that time, it grew into a wealthy trading city with Gothic buildings, churches, and boulevards.

Its favorable position on the Hooghly made Calcutta the main port of colonial trade. In the mid-19th century, jute mills and factories sprang up here, and the city became the second most important in the empire.

© Paul Hamilton · CC BY-SAPhoto: Paul Hamilton, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

You can still see this legacy today: the High Court building, the old General Post Office, and the Marble Palace recall those times. They are easy to cover in one day on a route around BBD Bagh.

The Victorian buildings around BBD Bagh sit alongside modern offices, and this is the best area for a walk through colonial architecture. Go in the morning, before the heat sets in.

Calcutta after independence

In 1911, the imperial capital was moved to Delhi, and the city's influence waned somewhat (as of Britannica). During World War II, Calcutta was bombed twice by the Japanese, and the famine of 1943 claimed 2-3 million lives.

The partition of India and Pakistan in 1947 triggered a wave of violence and an influx of Hindu refugees from East Bengal. A new wave of migrants arrived after the 1971 war, when independent Bangladesh emerged (as of Britannica).

The economic reforms of the 1990s opened up new opportunities for the city in services and suburban industry. In 2000, the authorities officially renamed Calcutta to Kolkata (as of Britannica).

Today it is one of the largest megacities in the world. Estimates put the city's population at about 4.5 million, with the Greater Kolkata metropolitan area exceeding 14 million (as of Britannica).

A significant share of residents were born in other states, primarily Bihar and Odisha. Kolkata's main problems are the same as those of other Asian megacities: air pollution and overcrowding.

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need for Kolkata?

Two full days are enough for the essentials: the Maidan, Victoria Memorial, Indian Museum, St. Paul's Cathedral, and a walk to Howrah Bridge. On the third day, add the Botanical Garden or temples on the outskirts. If you're interested in colonial history, plan for four days without hesitation.

When is the best time to visit Kolkata?

The most comfortable period is from November to February, when the heat subsides. In summer, temperatures rise above 35 degrees and the rainy season begins, and in October the city celebrates Durga Puja and the streets are packed. For museums, choose the dry season and a weekday.

What to do on Monday if the museums are closed?

Victoria Memorial, Indian Museum, and most galleries are closed on Mondays. On that day, walk around the Maidan, look at the colonial facades around BBD Bagh, or head to Howrah Bridge. The Victoria Memorial garden is open daily, so you can visit that too.

How to get from the airport to the center?

The most convenient option is the Yellow Line metro or a prepaid taxi from the arrivals hall. The distance is short, but because of traffic jams the trip takes noticeably longer than the map shows. Uber and Ola apps work; you should get in at the official pickup zone.

Is Kolkata safe, and what about money?

As in any large Indian city, take the usual precautions: don't carry large amounts of cash and don't walk through deserted lanes at night. For museum tickets and the metro, keep cash rupees on hand: cards aren't accepted everywhere.

In short: what to book

Kolkata doesn't require lengthy preparation: two or three days, comfortable shoes, and cash rupees cover almost everything.

• If you have two days: stay in the Park Street area and explore the Maidan on foot.
• If you arrive in the heat: plan museums for the morning and walks for the evening.
• If you're traveling with kids: Indian Museum and the Victoria Memorial garden are better than long walks.
• If history matters to you: set aside a day for the colonial facades around BBD Bagh.

Check tickets and opening hours on the official museum websites, and it's convenient to browse city tours and excursions in advance: tours and excursions on GetYourGuide.