Advice on travelling to Sikkim
Air to/from Bagdogra
Sikkim does not have any airports or railheads because of its rough terrain, however, the first airport of the state is expected to be ready by 2011 in Pakyong, 30 km (19 mi) away from Gangtok.
Bagdora airport
The closest airport is Bagdogra Airport which is West Bengal( the state below Sikkim), it is a military airport that is also open for civilian flights. The airport is located in the town of Bagdogra, about 16 km (9.9 mi) from the city of Siliguri in the Darjeeling district in Northern West Bengal, The airport is a major stop in the region with flights connecting Kolkata, New Delhi, Mumbai and Guwahati. The airport sees thousands of tourists annually, most destined to the hill station towns of Darjeeling, Kurseong, Mirik, and Kalimpong and the state of Sikkim.
Below is a list of Airlines which provide a service to Bagdogra
| Airline | Destinations |
| Druk Air | Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi, Kathmandu, Paro |
| Kingfisher Airlines | Delhi, Guwahati, Kolkata |
| Jet Airways | Delhi, Guwahati, Kolkata |
| Indian | Delhi, Guwahati, Kolkata |
| GoAir | Delhi, Guwahati |
| SpiceJet | Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Kolkata |
Helicopter service
There is also a regular helicopter service run by the Sikkim Helicopter Service which connects Gangtok to Bagdogra. (Departure times do not necessarily match arrivals by air from Delhi or Calcutta. So check ahead!) The flight is about 30/40 minutes long, operates only once a day, and can carry 4 people. The Gangtok helipad is the only civilian helipad in the state.
| Time: Depart Gangtok – 12:30 hrs · Depart Bagdogra – 14:30 Except on Mondays/Fridays when departure time is moved to 15:30 hrs to accommodate the arrival of the Indian Airlines flight from Calcutta. |
| Duration: 30/40 minutes |
| Fare: (Indian Rupees) Rs. 1500.00 per person. (last checked 2010!) |
| Contact: RNC Enterprise, M.G.Marg, Gangtok · Phone [91] (0-3592) 23556 · Fax 23556 or Department of Tourism, Govt. of Sikkim · Ph:[91] (3592) 22064 / 22634 |
Rail
The closest railway stations are Siliguri and New Jalpaiguri. New Sikkim Railway Project has been launched to connect Rangpo town of Sikkim with Sevoke which is expected to complete in 2015.
Road
National Highway 31A and National Highway 31 together link Siliguri to Gangtok. The Sikkim National Transport runs bus and truck services. Privately run bus, tourist taxi and jeep services are plentyful throughout Sikkim and also connect it to Siliguri. A branch of the highway from Melli connects western Sikkim. Towns in southern and western Sikkim are connected to the northern West Bengal hill stations of Kalimpong and Darjeeling. The state is connected to China by Nathu La.