Patna
Discover Patna
Patna (Hindi: पटना Patnā) is the capital of Bihar and the second largest metropolis in eastern India. The city has a glorious past and is now a bustling up-and-coming metropolis. It is a gateway to the Buddhist and Jain pilgrim centres of Vaishali, Rajgir, Nalanda, Bodhgaya, Keshariya and Pawapuri. The ancient name of Patna was "Pataliputra" and it was the capital of the Maurya and Gupta empires. With a glorious period of history spanning a thousand years (500 BCE–400 CE), Pataliputra is where India's first major kingdoms rose and fell.
What to Experience in Patna
Taste of Patna...
There are three cheap and good Indian restaurants just as you come out of the north train station overpass. The one in the middle has English menus. Sattu-pani is among the popular drinks, lassi made of curd, dry fruits & sugar. Patna is a growing business city, and as such hotels tend to be overpriced for the room provided. It also means that many hotels are full most nights, giving little incentive to improve facilities. Other budget accommodation can be found on the road leading from the train station down towards the Mithapur bus stand. Very basic rooms start at ₹400. There have been reports that British citizens are being discriminated against in Patna. Hotel staff may claim to have no vacancy whenever they see a guest with British passport, and direct you to the most expensive hotels in the city instead. Patna has one of the highest rates of murder and abduction in India. While incidents typically involve local residents rather than travellers, it's still wise to remain vigilant and avoid unnecessary conflicts or confrontations.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple Options25.6025685.1368242 Patna Junction ECR (PNBE) is on Howrah–Delhi main line. Trains from Nepal border area (Gorakhpur and Raxaul) as well as some from Delhi, Varanasi and the North-East arrive at 25.70290985.21553 Hajipur Junction ECR , located on the other side of the Ganges. Although the distance from Patna Junction station is mere 11km, including 6 km on one of India's longest river bridge, you should prepare for 40 minutes to up to 2-hour ride in the bad traffic. There are prepaid and shared taxis/rickshaws available throughout the day between two stations. Shared rickshaws (₹30) leave from south side of Patna Junction. Long-distance trains arrive from many other major cities including Lucknow, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Vadodara, Surat, Nagpur, Pune, Raipur, Jaipur, Bhubaneswar, Puri, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Ranchi, Chennai, Bangalore, Mysore, Hyderabad, Goa, Mangalore, Kozhikode and Kochi. Patna is connected by road with all major cities of the country via (National Highway 30, 31 & 19)....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
There are a few car rental companies available in Patna. But foreign travellers who have not driven in India may find driving the roads in Patna and Bihar a bit stressful due to the poor road conditions and the constant heavy traffic, although the road conditions have improved. Shared 'Tempo' as they are called are the easiest and cheapest way to get around in Patna. Fare is normally in the range of ₹5-15 and drivers rarely try to charge more. However, in case you are trying to reserve an auto, it would be better to know the distance well in advance because that is not the preferred means of transportation for the locals and it would mean being charged exorbitant rates. The Patna Metro is under construction, consisting of Blue Blue and Red Red lines. As of 10 October 2025, only three stations of the Blue Line are operational: ISBT, Zero Mile and Bhootnath. Though public transport is non-existent there are a few buses plying on the main routes.
Where to Stay
Patna is a growing business city, and as such hotels tend to be overpriced for the room provided. It also means that many hotels are full most nights, giving little incentive to improve facilities. Other budget accommodation can be found on the road leading from the train station down towards the Mithapur bus stand. Very basic rooms start at ₹400. There have been reports that British citizens are being discriminated against in Patna. Hotel staff may claim to have no vacancy whenever they see a guest with British passport, and direct you to the most expensive hotels in the city instead. Patna has one of the highest rates of murder and abduction in India. While incidents typically involve local residents rather than travellers, it's still wise to remain vigilant and avoid unnecessary conflicts or confrontations.
Money & Budget
Madhubani Paintings can be bought from emporiums at Mauyra Lok, a shopping center located on "Dak- Bunglow" road. You can visit many malls around Frazer road/Dak Bunglow Crossing such as Vishal Mega Mart, Maurya Lok Complex and Patna Market on Ashok Rajpath, Hathwa Market, Bari Path & Alankar Palace and other shopping arcades near Boring Road Crossing Relatively new malls include Patna Central Mall and P&M Mall Patliputra Kurji Road, Patliputra. There are three cheap and good Indian restaurants just as you come out of the north train station overpass. The one in the middle has English menus. Sattu-pani is among the popular drinks, lassi made of curd, dry fruits & sugar. Patna is a growing business city, and as such hotels tend to be overpriced for the room provided.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
There have been reports that British citizens are being discriminated against in Patna. Hotel staff may claim to have no vacancy whenever they see a guest with British passport, and direct you to the most expensive hotels in the city instead. Patna has one of the highest rates of murder and abduction in India. While incidents typically involve local residents rather than travellers, it's still wise to remain vigilant and avoid unnecessary conflicts or confrontations.
Nearby Destinations
Glimpses of Patna
a large building with a dome on top of it
Buddha Smriti Park Patna
grey concrete bridge pillars at the bay
a group of people standing in front of a white building
a building with a large glass front
a boat on the water
a large building with a dome and a tree in front of it
Beauty Unfolding: Embracing the Marvels of the Natural World
Rakshabandhan rakhi photography Patna Bihar photography
Weeding bride shoot 📍
a large building with a dome on top of it
Buddha Smriti Park Patna
grey concrete bridge pillars at the bay