Siliguri
Discover Siliguri
The largest city in northern West Bengal, Siliguri (Bengali: শিলিগুড়ি Śiliguṛi, Nepali: सिलगड़ी Silgaṛī) is a liberal and cosmopolitan city that is known for its vibrant music scene and strong youth culture. Located on the banks of the Mahananda River and the Teesta River at the foothills of the Darjeeling Hills, Siliguri is the third-largest urban agglomeration in West Bengal. It is known as the "Gateway of North-Eastern India" as it connects North-Eastern India with mainland India, making it a major trading and transportation hub. It borders Nepal on one side and Bangladesh on the other. Siliguri (Bengali pronunciation: SHIH-lih-GOO-rih /ʃiliɡuɽi/) has a population of 728,000 (2024 estimate) (around 1,000,000 in the metropolitan area), making it the third-largest city in West Bengal.
Taste of Siliguri...
Due to the large number of Nepalese and Tibetans living in Siliguri, the city offers an excellent selection of authentic Tibetan and Nepali delicacies. In addition, there are also several good quality restaurants specializing in Western and Chinese cuisine as well as a considerable number of US fast food outlets. As Siliguri is at the heart of a tea-growing area, it has traditionally been associated with tea. However, following the international trend, coffee culture has made inroads in the city and there are now numerous branches of cafe chains as well as a large number of independent coffee shops in and around Siliguri, and the quality of the coffee served is generally very good. Due to the large number of cafes in Siliguri, only those with a distinct character are listed here. With a young, educated, and liberal population, Siliguri enjoys a vibrant and lively pub scene. Planet Mall is the city's main watering hole, and there are a number of pubs and cafes throughout the mall If you are using Siliguri as an overnight halt, you might consider your hotel options based on the convenience of traveling to your next destination. Bagdogra, Matigara and Darjeeling More areas are convenient for Darjeeling, Kurseong (route 110), and the airport (route 327), while Salugara, 2nd or 3rd mile Sevoke Road addresses are good for Kalimpong, Gangtok and Bhutan (route 10). Many of the modern, up-scale hotels are on Sevoke Road (2nd-3rd mile), near Vega Circle Mall.
Climate
Siliguri has a warm summer, cool winters and a severe monsoon. In summer, the temperature varies from a minimum of 18-22 °C to a maximum of 26-32 °C. The temperature in summer sometimes exceeds 35 °C. On the other hand, the winter maximum temperature hovers around 20-24 °C, and the minimum drops 6-9 °C. January is the coldest month with an average temperature of 16.1 °C. The minimum temperature in winter season sometimes drops 5 °C or below. On an average, Siliguri gets 3340 mm per year. Winters are mostly dry, with the summers being rainy. About 80% of the annual rainfall is felt between June to September, this period is known as monsoons or rainy season in the season cycle. Heavy showers are often felt in May, June, July, August and September. July is the wettest month (804 mm) and January is the driest month (12 mm). Bengali, Hindi, Nepali, and English are all widely spoken in Siliguri.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsNJP is served by four Rajdhani Express trains, two Vistadome Express trains, two Humsafar Express trains, four AC Superfast Express trains, a Shatabdi Express train, and a Vande Bharat Express train from this station. There is also an international train from Bangladesh, called Mitali Express. NJP also connects the mainstream broad-gauge line with the heritage narrow-gauge line. NJP has two double-bedded air-conditioned (AC) retiring rooms, six double-bedded non-AC retiring rooms, one three-bedded dormitory and one twelve-bedded dormitory. Free high-speed Wi-Fi is available at this station. It has IRCTC and other private restaurants. There is also a decommissioned train coach that acts as a restaurant, and tea rooms that serve locally grown tea. The tourist office and pre-paid taxi booth are directly opposite the station main entrance. Moving in and around Siliguri is cheap....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Moving in and around Siliguri is cheap. There are electric rickshaws (locally known as totos), shared vans, an efficient public bus service, and rental cars. App-based car services are also available on Yatri Saathi, Rapido (also bikes) and Uber. Shared e-rickshaws and vans run on established routes: Standard fare: ₹20 per person (₹10 for short routes, ₹30 for long ones) - as of 2025. The core areas can be covered on foot and is very safe, even after dark. There are many places in Siliguri to visit and spend some quality time. You can tour the city yourself by renting a bike or a car. There are many places to watch movies. You can also visit tea estates for a tour where you can see the serene and spacious tea farms in and around the city. There are many exhibitions and sport events around the city. Silguri sells its wares on three streets: Hill Cart Road, Bidhan Road and Sevoke Road.
Where to Stay
If you are using Siliguri as an overnight halt, you might consider your hotel options based on the convenience of traveling to your next destination. Bagdogra, Matigara and Darjeeling More areas are convenient for Darjeeling, Kurseong (route 110), and the airport (route 327), while Salugara, 2nd or 3rd mile Sevoke Road addresses are good for Kalimpong, Gangtok and Bhutan (route 10). Many of the modern, up-scale hotels are on Sevoke Road (2nd-3rd mile), near Vega Circle Mall. As in all of India, travelers may find themselves falling victim to scams and touts. Be on guard for anybody trying to help you by giving you unsolicited directions or travel advice, and so do not openly show that this is your first trip to the city. If you're arriving after midnight, it is advisable to have accommodation pre-booked and an arranged pick-up from the bus terminal or station.
Money & Budget
Silguri sells its wares on three streets: Hill Cart Road, Bidhan Road and Sevoke Road. The former offers more traditional stores and is home to many of the city's hotels, Sevoke is home to several upscale shopping malls and is the centre of the city's banking, while Bidhan Road is primarily known for the street markets that span out from the thoroughfare. As the centre of a tea-growing area, Siliguri is an excellent place to pick up some Darjeeling and other brands of the leaf. Due to the large number of Nepalese and Tibetans living in Siliguri, the city offers an excellent selection of authentic Tibetan and Nepali delicacies. In addition, there are also several good quality restaurants specializing in Western and Chinese cuisine as well as a considerable number of US fast food outlets.
Language & Talk
Bengali, Hindi, Nepali, and English are all widely spoken in Siliguri. However, as a major business and trading hub, the city has attracted numerous people from different ethnic groups, and so it is not uncommon to hear other dialects or languages spoken on the streets and in homes. NJP is served by four Rajdhani Express trains, two Vistadome Express trains, two Humsafar Express trains, four AC Superfast Express trains, a Shatabdi Express train, and a Vande Bharat Express train from this station. There is also an international train from Bangladesh, called Mitali Express. NJP also connects the mainstream broad-gauge line with the heritage narrow-gauge line.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
As in all of India, travelers may find themselves falling victim to scams and touts. Be on guard for anybody trying to help you by giving you unsolicited directions or travel advice, and so do not openly show that this is your first trip to the city. If you're arriving after midnight, it is advisable to have accommodation pre-booked and an arranged pick-up from the bus terminal or station. In general, Siliguri is an extremely safe city with a very low crime rate, and violent crime against international travelers is unheard of. The Siliguri Metropolitan Police is one of the most advanced police forces in North Bengal. There are police patrollers all around the city and can be asked for any help. Cell phone coverage in the city is excellent. There are three major service providers offering a wide variety of plans. Among them are Airtel, VI (formerly Vodafone) and Jio. Airtel is the preferable one as it provides high quality calls and great internet speed all across the city.