Take an early flight from Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport; the flight is usually around 2–2½ hours, but allow at least 3 hours door-to-door from Gurugram, plus check-in and airport time. Book a prepaid taxi or app cab from the airport to your hotel—central Kolkata generally takes 45–75 minutes depending on traffic. Leave your luggage at the hotel, freshen up, and use the Yellow Line Metro or a taxi toward Esplanade for the afternoon. Keep the day flexible: Puja-season traffic can make even short journeys slow.
Start at the Indian Museum, usually open roughly 10:00 AM–5:00 PM and closed on Mondays; allow about two hours for the archaeological galleries, sculptures, fossils, and the famous Egyptian collection. Entry is inexpensive, generally around ₹50–₹100 for Indian visitors, though special galleries may cost extra. From Chowringhee, take a taxi or the metro toward College Street, then settle into College Street Coffee House for a traditional Bengali adda—coffee, fish fry, sandwiches, and unhurried conversation cost approximately ₹150–₹300 per person. The service is relaxed rather than quick, which is exactly the point; browse the pavement bookstalls afterward if time allows.
Take a taxi to Kumartuli before dusk, allowing 30–45 minutes in festival traffic. Walk respectfully through the narrow lanes and look into the open-front workshops where artisans finish the clay figures; ask before taking close-up photographs, especially inside working studios. Around sunset, continue by taxi or auto toward Bagbazar Sarbojanin Durgotsav. After dark, this is atmospheric but crowded, so walk the final stretch and follow police barricades rather than trying to reach the entrance by car. Spend 1–1½ hours taking in the pandal, dhak, lights, and devotional atmosphere, then return to your hotel by app cab; expect surge pricing and delays during Puja, so arrange pickup from a slightly quieter lane nearby.
Leave your Kolkata hotel around 6:00 AM for Sealdah Main Station, allowing extra time for security, platform changes, and Durga Puja crowds. Take a Sealdah–Naihati local departing around 6:30–7:00 AM; the ride normally takes 1–1½ hours and costs roughly ₹20–30. Buy a ticket at the station or through the official UTS app, and avoid boarding an express service unless it is clearly marked to stop at Naihati Junction. From the station, take an e-rickshaw or auto to Boro Maa Kali Temple—usually 10–15 minutes, depending on traffic and festival diversions.
Set aside two to three hours at Boro Maa Kali Temple. The queue may be substantially longer than usual around Puja season, so carry water, keep valuables secure, and wear easy-to-remove footwear; temple entry and offerings are generally inexpensive, but confirm any special-darshan arrangements locally rather than paying unofficial touts. After darshan, take an auto toward the Naihati riverside and Hooghly ghats for a slower 45-minute walk. The riverfront is best enjoyed before the afternoon heat, with working boats, open sky, and a much quieter atmosphere than central Kolkata. Stay on the busier lit sections and avoid isolated stretches if you are travelling alone.
Have lunch near Naihati Station at a busy local Bengali restaurant, choosing rice with fish curry, vegetables, dal, or a vegetarian thali; budget ₹250–500 per person and allow about an hour. Return to Naihati Junction around 2:00–3:00 PM for a Sealdah-bound local, then rest at your hotel before heading out again. In the evening, visit Suruchi Sangha Durga Puja in New Alipore—take the Metro or a taxi depending on your hotel, and expect the final approach to be pedestrian-only. Allow about two hours for the pandal and nearby food stalls; go after 8:00 PM if you want the lights and atmosphere, but be prepared for dense crowds and slower taxis. Check the 2026 puja schedule and local traffic restrictions on the day, since opening hours and queue arrangements can change.
After breakfast, head to Victoria Memorial Hall in Maidan by around 8:30–9:00 AM, before the city’s Puja traffic and crowds build. The museum usually opens around 10:00 AM and is closed on Mondays, so check the holiday schedule and ticket availability before setting out; allow roughly two hours for the galleries and gardens. From there, walk about 10 minutes through Maidan to St. Paul’s Cathedral, where you can spend 30–45 minutes admiring the Gothic nave, memorials, and stained glass. Keep shoulders and knees respectfully covered, and remember that services may limit access to parts of the cathedral.
Take a short taxi or app cab to Mocambo on Park Street for lunch—roughly 10–15 minutes outside heavy traffic. This old Kolkata favourite is best for classics such as devilled crab, chicken à la Kiev, fish preparations, and sizzlers; expect about ₹700–1,200 per person and allow 1½ hours. Afterwards, stroll along Park Street toward New Market and Esplanade, browsing colonial-era shopfronts, confectioners, clothing stalls, and seasonal Puja displays. A slow wander is more enjoyable than trying to cover every lane; keep valuables secure in the busiest sections and carry small notes for snacks and purchases.
After a rest at your hotel, take a taxi toward Ekdalia Evergreen Club Durga Puja in Ballygunge, ideally arriving just after sunset before the main evening surge. The pandal is known for its traditional atmosphere and strong neighbourhood participation; allow about 1½ hours, and expect barricades, walking-only approaches, and queues during peak hours. From Park Street or central Kolkata, the ride can take 20–40 minutes depending on Puja diversions, so use the metro or taxi only as far as traffic permits and follow local police routes on foot. When you are ready to leave, allow at least 2½–3 hours before your flight from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport: festival congestion can make the airport journey unpredictable, and app-cab fares may surge.