Kolkata to Delhi

The quickest way from Kolkata to Delhi is a non-stop flight from CCU to DEL, about 2 hours 15 minutes, with many departures a day. The classic overland option is the overnight Rajdhani Express from Howrah or Sealdah, around 17–19 hours. Stay in Connaught Place for a first visit, give the city three or four days, and go between October and March.

Getting from Kolkata to Delhi

By air

Kolkata–Delhi is one of India’s busiest domestic routes, with non-stop flights from early morning to late night operated by several Indian airlines. Flights leave from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU) and land at Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL), about 15–20 km south-west of central Delhi. Check which terminal your airline uses in Delhi, as DEL has more than one domestic terminal.

From DEL, the Airport Express metro line reaches New Delhi station in roughly 20 minutes, which is the fastest way to Connaught Place. Prepaid taxis and app cabs are available outside arrivals.

By train

The Howrah Rajdhani and Sealdah Rajdhani are the premium overnight trains, with AC sleeper classes and meals included. They arrive at New Delhi station, a short ride from Connaught Place. Several other express trains run the route more slowly. Book early through IRCTC, especially for festival dates.

By road

Driving is around 1,450–1,550 km along the Grand Trunk Road corridor and usually takes two days. It only makes sense if you want to stop in Varanasi, Prayagraj or Agra on the way.

Where to stay in Delhi

Top things to do in Delhi

1. Red Fort — the seventeenth-century Mughal fortress in Old Delhi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
2. Jama Masjid and Chandni Chowk — one of India’s largest mosques, then the lanes of Old Delhi for parathas, jalebis and spice markets.
3. Humayun’s Tomb — the garden tomb that inspired the Taj Mahal, also UNESCO-listed.
4. Qutub Minar — the soaring early-thirteenth-century minaret in Mehrauli, another World Heritage Site.
5. India Gate and Kartavya Path — the ceremonial heart of New Delhi, best at dusk.
6. Lodhi Garden — fifteenth-century tombs in a park loved by morning walkers.
7. Akshardham — a vast modern temple complex on the east bank of the Yamuna.
8. National Museum — five thousand years of Indian art, from the Harappan civilisation onwards.
9. Hauz Khas Village — medieval ruins by a lake, surrounded by cafés and galleries.
10. Chittaranjan Park — Delhi’s Bengali neighbourhood, with fish markets, sweet shops and a big Durga Puja. A taste of home for Kolkatans.

Three days in Delhi

• Day 1 — Old Delhi: Red Fort in the morning, Jama Masjid, a rickshaw through Chandni Chowk and lunch at a Paranthe Wali Gali stall; evening at India Gate.
• Day 2 — Mughal and Sultanate Delhi: Humayun’s Tomb, the Nizamuddin Dargah neighbourhood, Lodhi Garden and Qutub Minar; dinner in Hauz Khas.
• Day 3 — New Delhi: National Museum, Connaught Place, Agrasen ki Baoli stepwell and an evening at Akshardham or in Chittaranjan Park.

With more time, add a day trip to Agra for the Taj Mahal — around two hours each way on the Gatimaan or Vande Bharat express trains — or two nights in Jaipur.

Best time to visit Delhi

October to March is the best window: dry, with cool mornings and pleasant days. December and January nights can be cold — colder than most Kolkatans expect — so pack a warm jacket. November and December often bring severe smog; check the air quality index and carry an N95 mask. April to June is extremely hot, regularly above 40°C, and the monsoon runs roughly July to September.

Getting around Delhi

• Delhi Metro: extensive, clean and the easiest way to reach most sights; buy a card or use QR tickets.
• App cabs and autos: Uber, Ola and app-booked autorickshaws are widely available; agree fares in advance for street autos.
• Walking: great in Lodhi Garden and Hauz Khas, harder in Old Delhi’s crowded lanes — keep valuables close.

Delhi vs Kolkata: what feels different

Delhi is larger and more spread out than Kolkata, so plan your days by area and use the metro. Food leans north Indian — kebabs, chole bhature and butter chicken rather than fish and mishti — though Chittaranjan Park keeps Bengali kitchens alive. Winters are much colder, summers much drier, and distances between sights longer, but the Mughal monuments have no equal in eastern India.

More from Kolkata

Sources: airline and Indian Railways (IRCTC) schedules, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, UNESCO World Heritage List. Times are approximate — check before you travel. Editorial review: 3 November 2026.