Kolkata Airport (CCU) Guide

Before security

• Entry: boarding pass/ticket plus photo ID checked at terminal entry gates.
• DigiYatra is active at CCU — register in the app for faster biometric entry.
• 128 CUTE check-in counters keep queues moving even during CCU’s substantial daily traffic.

Good to know

• 2026 saw the start of dedicated Hajj flight operations from CCU (from 18 April) — expect seasonal scheduling changes around the Hajj period.
• The terminal’s scale (six levels, L-shaped) means real walking distances to some gates — allow extra time.

In the arrivals hall

• SIM cards: telecom counters in international arrivals — bring your passport and a photo.
• Duty-free shops are available for arriving/departing international passengers.
• A prayer area is available within the terminal.

Meeting someone?

• Greeters wait outside the terminal exits — entry to secure zones requires a ticket.
• Given CCU’s peak-hour congestion, allow extra time if you’re picking someone up during 6–9 AM or 5–9 PM.

Indian citizens

• Immigration applies to international trips only — passport, boarding pass, and destination visa where needed.
• Fast Track Immigration (FTI-TTP) e-gates are being rolled out at major Indian airports — check current availability at CCU before relying on it.
• Returning residents get a duty-free allowance (general goods up to a rupee limit, plus limited alcohol and tobacco) — check current CBIC limits before shopping abroad.

OCI holders & PRs abroad

• OCI card holders use visa-free entry with a valid foreign passport + OCI card.
• Indian-origin travellers with foreign PR (e.g. US green card) but no OCI need a visa/e-visa like other foreign nationals.

Foreign nationals

• e-Visa holders: follow the dedicated e-Visa lanes at immigration — carry the printed ETA approval. Many neighbouring-country visitors (Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan) transit through CCU given its Eastern-India location.
• Regular visas use the standard foreigner queues; complete the arrival card from the plane or the hall.
• Customs: green channel if nothing to declare; currency above prescribed limits (foreign cash beyond ~US$5,000, or higher total instruments) must be declared.

Lounges

• Air India-operated lounges serve premium cabin and Star Alliance Gold passengers.
• Priority Pass lounges are available in the terminal — check the current Priority Pass directory for exact locations, since these can shift with terminal upgrades.
• Card note: bank lounge programmes changed across India in late 2025 — confirm your card’s current access before relying on it.

ATMs & forex

• ATMs are available throughout the terminal.
• Currency exchange counters serve international passengers — airport rates carry a premium, so change only what you need.
• India runs heavily on UPI; a working international card plus a small cash reserve covers most travellers.

Shopping

Duty-free shops are available for international passengers. Look for genuine Bengal specialties — Darjeeling tea and traditional handloom textiles — as souvenirs worth more than generic duty-free items.

Food

Both Indian and Western food outlets operate across the terminal. Don’t miss trying genuine Bengali sweets before you fly — roshogolla (Kolkata’s own invention) and mishti doi — alongside the usual cafés and fast food.

Restrooms & essentials

Restrooms are frequent and well-signed with accessible facilities across the terminal’s six levels. A prayer area and standard traveller amenities are also available.

The good news

Because domestic and international halls are within the same integrated building, there’s no shuttle bus or cross-campus trek — just navigation between levels and halls within one large structure.

Connecting flights

International→domestic: you still clear immigration, collect bags, and check in again — keep at least 2.5–3 hours, given the terminal’s real scale (six levels, L-shaped layout) even without a building-to-building transfer.

Metro (the best option)

The Kolkata Metro Orange Line (Line 6) connects directly to the airport — the station is accessible from inside the terminal via a covered walkway. Fares run ₹5–55 depending on destination, and the ride to Salt Lake Sector V takes about 15–20 minutes. This is by far the cheapest, most reliable way to beat Kolkata’s notorious road traffic.

Taxi & ride-hailing

• Uber/Ola operate from a designated pickup zone outside arrivals — expect ₹350–650 to central Kolkata (Esplanade, Park Street, Howrah), more with surge pricing.
• Prepaid taxi counters are also available for a fixed-fare option.

Bus

• AC Volvo buses connect the airport to various parts of the city — an affordable middle-ground between the metro and a private cab.

Under 30 min away

• Dakshineswar Kali Temple — a hugely significant riverside temple associated with Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, ~25–30 min.
• Belur Math — headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, a serene riverside complex, ~30 min.

Worth it with 6+ hours

• Victoria Memorial & Park Street — Kolkata’s grandest colonial-era monument and its café/dining strip, ~45–60 min via metro or taxi.
• Howrah Bridge & the ghats — the iconic cantilever bridge over the Hooghly.
• Jorasanko Thakurbari — Rabindranath Tagore’s ancestral home, now a museum.

Closest to the airport

• Dakshineswar Kali Temple — one of Bengal’s most significant Kali temples, deeply tied to the life of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, ~25–30 min.
• Belur Math — the Ramakrishna Mission’s headquarters, architecturally unique for blending Hindu, Christian, and Islamic design elements in one building.

Kolkata’s icons

• Kalighat Kali Temple — one of the 51 Shakti Peethas of Hinduism, and reputedly the source of the city’s own name.
• St. Paul’s Cathedral — a major Anglican cathedral and striking piece of colonial-era architecture.
• Nakhoda Mosque — Kolkata’s largest mosque, in the old quarter near Chandni Chowk.
• Maghen David Synagogue — a beautiful, historic reminder of Kolkata’s small but significant Jewish community.

Lost something at the airport?

• CCU is operated by the Airports Authority of India — report lost items at the terminal’s lost & found desk, or check aai.aero/en/airports/kolkata for the current process and contact numbers.
• Left something on the plane? That goes to your airline, not the airport — contact the airline directly.

Airline customer service

Use only the contact details on airlines’ official websites — fake “customer care numbers” planted in search results are a common scam in India:

• Air India — airindia.com → Contact Us
• IndiGo — goindigo.in → Contact Us (24/7 chat in-app)
• SpiceJet — spicejet.com → Contact Us
• Akasa Air — akasaair.com → Support
• International carriers: use the airline’s own site, or their terminal ticketing counters.

At the airport

Basic medical assistance is available on-site — ask any airport staff member for the nearest facility. India’s all-in-one emergency number is 112 (ambulance also via 102/108).

Major hospitals within ~25–30 min

• AMRI Hospitals, Salt Lake / Kolkata — well-regarded private hospital network.
• Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals — flagship of a major private chain in the city.
• Tata Medical Center, Rajarhat — specialised cancer care hospital, notably closer to the airport than the city centre.

Major missions

Kolkata has consulates or deputy high commissions for the United States, United Kingdom, Bangladesh (a particularly high-traffic post given cross-border ties), China, Japan, Nepal, and others — Bangladesh’s consulate here handles an especially large visa caseload given the proximity and travel volume between the two countries.

Before you go

• Nearly all consulates require an appointment — check the official website; walk-ins are usually only for citizen emergencies.
• Most consular sections work weekday mornings only.
• For a lost passport you’ll typically also need a police report (West Bengal Police supports online lost-property complaints).

Physical stores

• Rajarhat and VIP Road — pharmacies, supermarkets and malls minutes from the airport, a well-developed commercial corridor.
• Salt Lake City — a short metro ride or drive further, with a wider range of options.

The shortcut: delivery apps

Staying near the airport? Quick-commerce apps — Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy Instamart — deliver groceries, toiletries, chargers, and medicine, with strong coverage across Kolkata’s built-up eastern suburbs.

Hotel dining & bars

JW Marriott and Novotel Kolkata in Rajarhat both welcome non-guests and are the reliable choice for a proper meal or a drink minutes from the airport.

Don’t skip: Kolkata’s food culture

If your layover allows a trip toward the city, Kolkata’s food scene is one of India’s best — kathi rolls, Kolkata biryani (lighter and potato-inclusive, distinct from Hyderabadi biryani), and street snacks like puchka (the local name for pani puri) are all worth seeking out.

Worth the trip: Park Street

Kolkata’s most storied dining and nightlife strip, with restaurants and bars dating back generations — genuinely worth it on a long layover, ~45–60 minutes away.