Traveling by land through India.
You can also travel to or from Bhutan by road through the border with India. However, currently, there are no border crossings to China (including the Tibet Autonomous Region), and there are no plans for such crossings in the foreseeable future.
Crossing the border by land is another option for entering or leaving Bhutan. There are three main land border crossings:
- Phuntsholing, which borders the town of Jaigon in West Bengal, is approximately a 6-hour drive away in Bagdogra. Nearby towns like Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Gangtok in Sikkim are reachable within 6 to 8 hours by road. Direct buses to or from Kolkata are also available, with a travel time of around 12 hours.
- Gelephu, which borders Assam, is a one-day drive from both Bagdogra and Guwahati airports.
- Samdrup Jongkhar, also bordering Assam, is just a 3-hour drive from Guwahati, which offers frequent and reasonably priced flight connections to Delhi and other Indian cities.
When is it worthwhile to consider traveling by land?
- If you plan to visit interesting places in India along the way, such as Darjeeling, Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, or Arunachal Pradesh,
- If you’re on a budget and want to save money on flight tickets, however, this is more cost-effective for longer trips, as spending too much time in the car during your stay in Bhutan might not be ideal.
- If you’re unable to find flight tickets for the dates you need, traveling to the nearest airport in India and continuing by road could be a viable option
- If your main destination is Eastern Bhutan, it’s better to avoid flying to Paro and instead travel from Guwahati, as it’s a quicker and easier journey to the eastern regions from there.
Important note regarding Indian e-Visas and multiple passports:
When entering India overland from Bhutan, your Indian visa must be stamped in your passport. Entry using an Indian visa is not permitted. However, if you have previously entered India on an eVisa by flight or sea and have had your visa stamped into your passport, you can enter Bhutan overland. Otherwise, you will need a regular visa issued by an Indian diplomatic mission.
If you have multiple passports and are entering Bhutan from India, your Bhutanese visa must be applied for in the same passport where you have your Indian visa. However, when entering India from Bhutan, the passport used does not matter.