Darjeeling is a gem of location which is well known for its youthful vibes with modern and colonial charm. It is located on the ranges of Mahabharata or lesser ranges of Himalayas with an average elevation of 6710 ft. (2045.2m). It is remarkable for the tea industry and Darjeeling has also been conferred as one of the world heritage by UNESCO. The existence and development of towns dates back to 19th century mid, when the colonial administration of British had set up sanatorium and the depot of Military. The Tea of Darjeeling has been recognized internationally and is ranked as top most black teas. It does conjures vision of snows peak, vibrant green hills which are steeped in splendour, a land with majestic and breath taking beauty. The crest of the Kanchenjunga does shine in the dawn which truly lights its beauty.
It is well connected to rest of the India and Kolkata via Air, train and road.
The closest airport to Darjeeling is Bagdogra which is about 94-96 kms away from it. There are few direct flights connections from Guwahati, Calcutta and Delhi. Tourists who are heading towards Darjeeling could reach out to direct taxis/cabs from airport. Even you could head towards Siliguri first and then can take transport from there.
Apart from Darjeeling railway station the two nearby railway stations are New Jalpaiguri (88Kms)and Siliguri(80 Kms). They are having direct links with stations like Delhi, Guwahati, Kolkata and Varanasi along with other major cities of India.
The major access to Darjeeling would be via Siliguri which is connected to all major cities. It is also well connected to Bhutan, Sikkim, Nepal and other surrounding hills.
For local transport you could reach out to different models of taxi which are available for sightseeing in and around the city at specified rate. Ponies could also be hired for local sightseeing of Chowrasta.
For ropeway, there is no advance reservation required. However, during the major seasons there are often long queues for the rides. The location is from Singamari which is 3 KM away from the Chowk Bazaar. You would be able to get shared jeeps as well as cabs from Chowk Bazar which just takes 15 minutes to reach if there is no traffic jam.
Darjeeling is having numerous hotels along with lodges. However, on a whole, accommodation of budget is quite poor value as compared to other Indian places. Most of the places do target groups coming in from West Bengal. There are numerous forest guest houses in Darjeeling location. In case you need to stay in forest locations then do take a special permit from West Bengal forest Department. Some of the options for the spurges are as under- Mayfair, Hotel Sinclairs, Elgin etc.