How to Get Around West Bengal

Getting in: Kolkata has an international airport; Bagdogra near Siliguri serves the hills.

In Kolkata: the metro was India’s first and is expanding; yellow Ambassador taxis and app cabs work; and the city still runs trams, the last in India, which are slow, cheap and worth riding for their own sake. The ferry across the Hooghly is quicker than the bridge at rush hour.

To Darjeeling: fly or take an overnight train to New Jalpaiguri, then a shared jeep up — about three hours of switchbacks. The toy train runs the route too, taking most of a day, with joy rides available on the upper section.

To the Sundarbans: road to Godkhali or Sonakhali, then boat; permits are arranged by operators.

Trains reach everywhere and are the sensible option for distance.