Meghalaya Tour Package from Kolkata: Trains and Plans
Planning a Meghalaya tour from Kolkata? Flights, the Vande Bharat sleeper and Saraighat Express compared, leave-day plans, costs for two and routes that work.
Shillong Trip Travel Desk · Updated · 9 min read
ANKAN · Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0From Kolkata, reach Guwahati by a 1 hour 15 minute flight or an overnight train, then drive about 3 hours to Shillong. The Howrah to Kamakhya Vande Bharat sleeper takes about 14 hours. With two days of leave and overnight trains, a Shillong and Cherrapunji weekend works; four nights adds Dawki and Mawlynnong.
Key takeaways
- Kolkata to Guwahati is about 1 hour 15 minutes by air, with many non-stop flights a day; a few weekly flights also go straight to Shillong's Umroi airport
- The Howrah to Kamakhya Vande Bharat sleeper covers about 970 km in roughly 14 hours overnight, six days a week
- The Saraighat Express is the long-running daily option, leaving Howrah in the afternoon and reaching Guwahati the next morning
- Overnight trains both ways turn a three-night Meghalaya trip into just two days of leave
- Train bookings open 60 days ahead; Puja, Christmas and New Year seats go fast
- Four nights covers Shillong, Sohra, Dawki and Mawlynnong without rushing
On this page 10 sections
- Kolkata to Guwahati: the four ways
- Leave days: what fits your calendar
- The three itineraries Kolkata travellers book most
- Which train class and berth to choose
- Arriving in Guwahati: the first morning
- Can you drive from Kolkata instead
- What it costs for two from Kolkata
- When to go from Kolkata
- Practical tips for the journey
- How we'd plan it
- FAQs
Kolkata is the closest big city to Meghalaya, and that changes how you can plan. You can leave work on a Friday evening, wake up in Assam, and be looking at the Umiam lake by lunch.
We send more Kolkata travellers to Shillong than from anywhere else, and the questions are always the same: train or flight, how many days, and whether it is worth it for a long weekend. Here are the answers, with real timings.
Kolkata to Guwahati: the four ways
Meghalaya's gateway is Guwahati. Shillong has a small airport and no railway, so nearly every trip passes through Guwahati first.
| Option | Journey time | Typical departure | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight, Kolkata to Guwahati | About 1 hr 15 min | Many through the day | Short leave, families with young children |
| Vande Bharat sleeper, Howrah to Kamakhya | About 14 hrs | Evening, arrives next morning | Overnight comfort, saving a hotel night |
| Saraighat Express, Howrah to Guwahati | About 17 to 18 hrs | Afternoon, arrives next morning | Daily service, wider class choice |
| Flight, Kolkata to Shillong (Umroi) | About 1 hr 15 min | A few flights a week | When the schedule fits and you want to skip the drive |
Timetables change and seasonal services come and go, so check current status before you travel. Here is how each works in practice.
Flying to Guwahati
This is the fastest and most flexible option. Several airlines fly the route non-stop. Booked three to four weeks ahead, we typically see one-way economy fares of roughly ₹3,500 to ₹6,500; they climb sharply in Puja week and over New Year. These are indicative only.
From Guwahati airport it is roughly 120 km and 3 to 3.5 hours by road to Shillong, depending on traffic through the city. A morning flight gets you to Shillong by mid-afternoon.
The Vande Bharat sleeper
The Howrah to Kamakhya Vande Bharat sleeper started in January 2026 as India's first sleeper Vande Bharat. It runs six days a week, leaves Howrah in the evening at about 6.20 pm and reaches Kamakhya at about 8.20 am, covering about 970 km in roughly 14 hours. The return leaves Kamakhya at about 6.15 pm and reaches Howrah at about 8.15 am. Classes are AC 3-tier, AC 2-tier and AC First, and meals are included.
For Kolkata travellers this is a real game changer. You leave after work, sleep, and step off at Kamakhya with a full day ahead. Kamakhya station is on the western side of Guwahati; allow about 3.5 hours to Shillong. Seats sold out within hours when bookings first opened, so book as soon as the window opens.
The Saraighat Express
The Saraighat Express (12345) is the long-standing daily superfast from Howrah to Guwahati. It leaves in the afternoon and reaches Guwahati the next morning after about 17 to 18 hours. It offers sleeper class as well as AC classes, so it suits tighter budgets. Guwahati station is central; shared taxis and private cabs to Shillong leave from the Paltan Bazaar side.
Direct flights to Shillong
Shillong's airport at Umroi, about 30 km from the city, has a handful of weekly flights, most of them from Kolkata on small aircraft. When the timing fits, it saves the Guwahati drive. The catch: low frequency and weather-related cancellations in the monsoon. We always keep a road backup.
Leave days: what fits your calendar
The overnight trains are what make Meghalaya from Kolkata special. Two nights on trains mean two hotel nights saved and two fewer leave days.
| Leave days | How it works | Nights in Meghalaya | Fits this trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (Friday) | Thursday night train up, Sunday night train back | 2 | Shillong and Sohra, a tight weekend |
| 2 (Friday and Monday) | Thursday night train up, Monday night train back | 3 | Shillong and Sohra at a comfortable pace |
| 3 to 4 | Fly up Saturday morning, fly back Wednesday or Thursday | 4 | Shillong, Sohra, Dawki and Mawlynnong |
| 5 to 6 | Train or flight, one full week | 6 | Complete Meghalaya with the root bridge trek |
| 7 or more | Add Assam | 5 to 7 | Meghalaya plus a Kaziranga safari |
Check which days each train runs before you fix the plan; the Vande Bharat sleeper does not run every day in each direction.
The three itineraries Kolkata travellers book most
Two nights: the long weekend
Arrive in Guwahati in the morning, drive to Shillong via Umiam lake, and spend the afternoon at Police Bazar and Ward's Lake. Day two is a full Sohra day: Nohkalikai, Mawsmai cave, Seven Sisters falls and the Arwah cave viewpoint. On day three, drive back via Shillong Peak or Elephant Falls in time for the evening train. Our two-night Shillong weekend, from ₹9,500 per person, keeps both nights in Shillong with Sohra as a day trip. The three-night Shillong and Cherrapunji trip, from ₹12,500, adds a night in Sohra so you see Nohkalikai in the morning light instead of racing back to the city.
Four nights: the one most people should do
Night one in Shillong. Day two via Shillong Peak and Elephant Falls to Sohra for the night. Day three for Nohkalikai, then across to Mawlynnong village to sleep. Day four starts with an early boat on the Umngot river at Dawki before the crowds, then back to Shillong. No day has more than about three hours of driving. Our four-night Shillong, Cherrapunji, Dawki and Mawlynnong itinerary, from ₹16,500 per person, follows exactly this pattern. For day-by-day detail, see the Meghalaya 5-day itinerary.
Six nights and beyond
With a full week, add a Laitlum canyons sunrise, a full day for the Nongriat double decker root bridge trek, and Krang Suri falls in the Jaintia Hills after Dawki. The six-night complete Meghalaya tour, from ₹23,500 per person, covers all of these. Or split the time between hills and wildlife with the five-night Shillong, Cherrapunji and Kaziranga trip, from ₹23,000, which ends with safaris in two ranges of Kaziranga before you head home from Guwahati.
Which train class and berth to choose
On the overnight trains, the choice of class shapes how fresh you feel on arrival.
- AC 2-tier is our pick for couples and families. Curtains, fewer berths per bay and a quieter coach mean better sleep before a full sightseeing day.
- AC 3-tier is the value choice. Ask for lower and side-lower berths when travelling with seniors, as the upper berths need a climb.
- AC First on the Vande Bharat sleeper gives lockable cabins. It costs more but suits honeymooners and anyone who wants privacy.
- Sleeper class on the Saraighat Express is the budget option. It is fine in winter but can be hot and crowded in May and June.
On the Vande Bharat sleeper, catering is included in the fare. On other trains, carry dinner from home or order through the e-catering service, as pantry options vary.
Arriving in Guwahati: the first morning
A smooth first morning sets up the whole trip. If you arrive by train at 8 to 10 am, have breakfast near the station or on the highway rather than in the city centre, where traffic builds from about 9 am. The drive up to Shillong climbs from about 55 m at Guwahati to about 1,500 m, with the Umiam lake viewpoint about 15 km before Shillong a natural stop.
If you land by air, the airport is on the far western edge of Guwahati, so the first hour is city traffic. We usually suggest lunch at a highway dhaba near Nongpoh, the halfway point, and arriving in Shillong with enough daylight for a walk around Ward's Lake or Police Bazar.
Travelling with young children or seniors who arrive tired after a night train? Take the first afternoon off entirely. Shillong's cool air does most of the work.
Can you drive from Kolkata instead
Some Kolkata groups ask about driving their own car. It is possible but rarely worth it. The road route runs north through Siliguri and then east across north Bengal and lower Assam, well over 1,000 km to Shillong. That means two long days each way, four days of a week-long holiday spent behind the wheel, plus fuel, tolls and a night halt near Siliguri or Bongaigaon.
Unless the road trip itself is the point, the train or a flight plus a local cab is cheaper per day of holiday and far less tiring. Local drivers also know the plateau roads, the fog patterns around Sohra and where to park at crowded sights.
What it costs for two from Kolkata
These are indicative ranges for two adults for a four-night trip, based on what we see across the season. They are a guide for budgeting, not a quote.
| Tier | Travel from Kolkata, return for two | Stay and ground, 4 nights | How it feels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Sleeper or AC 3-tier train, ₹3,000 to ₹10,000 | Guesthouses, shared cabs where possible | Simple rooms, flexible plans |
| Standard | AC 3-tier or 2-tier train, or economy flights booked early, ₹10,000 to ₹20,000 | 3-star hotels, private cab throughout | Comfortable, the most common choice |
| Premium | Flights, ₹15,000 to ₹30,000 depending on dates | Lake-view and boutique resorts, SUV | Views from the room, slower days |
Hotels and cabs cost most from mid-October to early January. The monsoon months of June to September are cheaper, with full waterfalls as the trade-off for rain. For a line-by-line breakdown, see our Meghalaya trip cost guide, and if you want the lowest total, the Meghalaya on a budget plan uses simple stays and a smaller vehicle.
When to go from Kolkata
Kolkata's holiday calendar lines up well with Meghalaya's good months.
- Durga Puja, usually in October: clear skies and full falls, but the busiest week of the year. Book trains the day the 60-day window opens.
- Christmas and New Year: cold, dry and clear, with Shillong's churches lit up. Hotels fill early.
- February to March: quieter, pleasant days, and the Umngot river is at its clearest.
- Summer vacation, May to June: a cool escape from Kolkata's heat, with rain building from late May.
- Monsoon, July to September: lowest prices and dramatic falls, but mist, slippery trails and occasional road slips.
Our best time to visit Meghalaya guide goes month by month.
Practical tips for the journey
- Book trains the day the window opens. Indian Railways opens reservations 60 days ahead, and the Vande Bharat sleeper and Saraighat Express fill fast for Puja and winter.
- Pick the right Guwahati station. Kamakhya and Guwahati stations are about 8 km apart; tell your driver which one.
- Leave Guwahati early. Traffic through Khanapara on the way out of the city can add 45 minutes after 9 am.
- Carry cash and ID. Village entry, parking and boating fees in Meghalaya are mostly cash, and small. Hotels must register every guest on the state tourism app, so keep photo ID for each adult.
- Book a driver, not a self-drive car. Meghalaya does not allow private cars to be rented to tourists for self-drive.
- Plan the return with a buffer. Leave Shillong by early afternoon for an evening train, and allow extra time in the monsoon.
For more on the road leg, read our Guwahati to Shillong guide.
How we'd plan it
For a Kolkata couple or family with Friday and Monday off, we would book the Thursday night sleeper to Kamakhya, have a driver waiting at the platform, and go straight to Shillong via Umiam. Friday for Shillong, Saturday and Sunday based in Sohra with one day for Dawki and Mawlynnong, then Monday morning back towards Guwahati for the evening train home. That is three nights in hotels, two nights on trains and only two leave days.
If the train timings do not fit your dates, we would fly up on the earliest flight and fly home on the latest, which still leaves three full days on the ground.
Either way, the key is not to over-pack the days. Meghalaya's best moments are the unplanned ones: a village tea stall in the rain, a viewpoint that clears for five minutes. Build in room for them.
Start with our four-night Shillong, Cherrapunji, Dawki and Mawlynnong itinerary and we will tailor the train or flight around it.
