Guwahati Airport (GAU) Guide

Before security

• Entry: boarding pass/ticket plus photo ID checked at terminal entry gates.
• Modern technology in the new terminal is designed to streamline check-in and security screening, reducing typical wait times.
• A PRM (reduced mobility) desk is located in front of departure gate 1 for passengers needing assistance.

Good to know

• Guwahati’s climate is genuinely humid year-round — pack light, breathable clothing and stay hydrated, especially if you have a longer wait before your flight.
• Some of GAU’s earliest departures head to long-haul destinations — Air India has scheduled very early departures (e.g. around midnight) on select long-distance routes, so check your specific time.

In the arrivals hall

• Free trolleys are provided throughout the terminal.
• Currency exchange counters and ATMs are available — though it’s wise to carry some Indian Rupees before arriving, especially if you plan to explore beyond the airport straight away.
• Baggage issues: contact the arrival staff of your specific airline directly.

Meeting someone?

• Greeters wait outside the terminal exits — entry to secure zones requires a ticket.
• Cab rental service companies are located both inside and outside the departure terminal, with clear signage directing to pick-up and drop-off zones.

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 GAU’s new T2 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 e-Visa lane at immigration — carry the printed ETA approval. Note that some parts of Northeast India (near international borders) have additional permit requirements — check separately if your itinerary goes beyond Guwahati into border areas.
• Regular visas use the standard foreigner queue; 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

• Lounges are available at GAU for pre-flight relaxation, likely upgraded as part of the new terminal’s amenities — access typically via card benefits, Priority Pass, airline premium cabins, or walk-in.
• Card note: bank lounge programmes changed across India in late 2025 — confirm your card’s current access before relying on it.

ATMs & forex

• ATMs and currency exchange counters are both available at the airport.
• Given how spread out Northeast India’s onward destinations can be, carrying some cash is genuinely more useful here than at India’s bigger metro airports.
• India runs heavily on UPI; a working international card plus a small cash reserve covers most travellers.

Shopping

Duty-free shopping is available for international passengers. Look for genuine Assam (Muga) silk and Assam tea as authentic, high-quality souvenirs distinct to the region.

Food

The new terminal’s dining options span local and international cuisine. Try Assamese specialties like khar (an alkaline stew) or duck curry if available, alongside the standard mix of cafés and fast food.

Restrooms & essentials

Restrooms are frequent and well-signed with accessible facilities. The airport also offers a nursery/child care room, clinic and pharmacy services, and free (2-hour, Indian mobile number required) Wi-Fi.

The basics

T1 and T2 are separate buildings within the same airport campus. Given the terminal transition is still recent, allow extra time and check current signage/shuttle arrangements — this is one area where the situation may keep improving as the transition matures through 2026.

Connecting flights

International→domestic: you still clear immigration, collect bags, and check in again — keep at least 2.5–3 hours. If both your flights are now with Air India/Air India Express, you’ll likely stay within the same new T2 building, which simplifies things considerably post-March 2026.

Bus

• ASTC (Assam State Transport Corporation) buses connect the airport to the city’s main transit hubs, including the railway station and central bus terminus — roughly ₹100–150, the most budget-friendly option.

Taxi & ride-hailing

• Prepaid taxi counters offer reliable, fixed-fare transport — the recommended option for first-time visitors.
• Taxis and auto-rickshaws operate near the terminals for shorter or more flexible trips.
• Journey time to the city centre: roughly 45–60 minutes depending on traffic.

Rail

• Guwahati Railway Station is about 25 km away — one of Northeast India’s busiest rail hubs, useful if you’re continuing by train.

Under 30 min away

• Kamakhya Temple — one of Hinduism’s most important Shakti Peethas and a major tantric pilgrimage centre, ~17 km / 25-30 min from the airport.
• Umananda Temple — a temple on the smallest inhabited river island in the world, in the middle of the Brahmaputra.

Worth it with a full day (or more)

• Kaziranga National Park — genuinely a multi-hour drive (~4-5 hours) or a short domestic flight/connection away, not a same-day layover trip, but the reason many travellers fly into GAU at all.
• Brahmaputra river cruise — a relaxed way to see Guwahati from the water, with sunset cruises widely available.

Closest to the airport

• Kamakhya Temple — arguably Assam’s most significant religious site, one of the 51 Shakti Peethas, and a major centre of Tantric Hindu worship, drawing pilgrims from across India.

Guwahati’s icons

• Umananda Temple — a Shiva temple on a tiny Brahmaputra river island, reached by a short ferry ride.
• Basistha Temple — a serene temple complex associated with the sage Vashishtha, set beside a scenic stream.
• Navagraha Temple — the “Temple of Nine Planets,” an important astrological pilgrimage site on Chitrachal Hill.

Lost something at the airport?

• Report to the terminal’s lost & found desk, or check lgbia-guwahati.adaniairports.com for the current process — particularly worth confirming given the recent terminal transition.
• Left something on the plane? That goes to your airline, not the airport — contact the airline directly.
• Baggage issues: contact the arrival staff of your specific airline.

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 (now operating entirely from T2)
• 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

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

Major hospitals within ~30–45 min

• GNRC Hospitals — a well-regarded multi-speciality hospital network in Guwahati.
• Nemcare Hospital — established private hospital serving the region.
• Guwahati Medical College Hospital — one of the largest government hospitals in Northeast India.

In Guwahati

Some countries with regional interests (particularly neighbouring Bhutan and Bangladesh, given the proximity) may maintain a consular or trade office presence — check current listings before you travel, as this is a developing area for the city.

If Guwahati can’t help

• Fuller consular services for most nationalities are in Kolkata, the nearest major diplomatic hub.
• For a lost passport you’ll typically also need a police report (Assam Police supports online lost-property complaints).
• In a genuine emergency, your country’s Delhi embassy can coordinate remotely even without a local consul.

Physical stores

• Pharmacies and convenience stores are available near the airport, along the Borjhar corridor.
• For a fuller supermarket, expect a 30-45 minute drive toward central Guwahati.

The shortcut: delivery apps

Staying near the airport or in the city? Quick-commerce apps — Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy Instamart — deliver groceries, toiletries, chargers, and medicine, with coverage concentrated in central Guwahati (check availability if you’re staying further out near Borjhar).

Hotel dining

Airport-road business hotels offer the closest reliable dining options minutes from the terminal.

Don’t skip: Assamese cuisine

Assamese food is distinct from the rest of India — light, often fish-based, and less spice-heavy. Seek out khar, masor tenga (tangy fish curry), and duck curry at established city restaurants rather than defaulting to generic North Indian menus.

Worth the trip: riverside dining

Guwahati’s Brahmaputra riverfront has a growing scene of cafés and restaurants with river views — worth it if your layover stretches into the city.