Book Everything Months in Advance
The single most important rule for a Puja trip to Kolkata is to plan ahead. Flights, trains, and hotels are often booked out months, sometimes even a year, in advance. As soon as the festival dates are announced, Bengalis from around the world start booking
their tickets to come home. To avoid exorbitant prices and a lack of options, make your travel and accommodation arrangements as early as possible. Last-minute plans are a recipe for frustration, with prices for remaining hotel rooms often doubling or tripling. Waiting until September for an October Puja means you will likely be left with the least desirable or most expensive options.
Your Metro Pass Is Your Best Friend
During the five main days of Puja, Kolkata's roads become gridlocked, especially from the evening until the early morning hours. Driving a car is impractical, and app-based cabs become slow, expensive, and often subject to diversions and road closures. Your lifeline is the Kolkata Metro. It runs special, extended services during the festival, often operating until the early hours of the morning on the busiest days like Saptami and Ashtami. Metro Railway has also announced additional weekend services in the run-up to the 2026 Puja to manage the shopping rush. Plan your pandal-hopping routes along the metro lines to bypass the worst of the traffic. For shorter distances between pandals in the same area, walking is often the fastest and only option.
Choose Your Accommodation Wisely
Where you stay dictates your entire Puja experience. Staying in South Kolkata, near areas like Gariahat, Ballygunge, or Deshapriya Park, places you at the epicentre of the grand, thematic pandals. However, this also means constant crowds and noise. North Kolkata offers a more traditional, heritage-focused experience with its old 'Bonedi Bari' (ancestral home) pujas. For first-time visitors, a strategic choice is Central Kolkata, around Park Street or Esplanade. This area offers excellent connectivity via the Metro's North-South line, allowing you to easily travel to both North and South Kolkata pandals while providing a slight refuge from the most intense crowds. The key is to book a hotel near a Metro station, which is more crucial than being near a specific pandal.
The Art of Strategic Pandal Hopping
Trying to see everything is a common mistake that leads to exhaustion. A smarter approach is to plan your days by zone. Dedicate one day to North Kolkata and another to the large-scale pandals of the South. The biggest crowds predictably surge between 7 PM and midnight. To appreciate the artistry without being constantly jostled, go against the flow. Seasoned pandal-hoppers swear by two golden windows: early mornings (between 8 AM and 11 AM) or very late nights (after 2 AM). Some even start as early as 5 AM. While you miss some of the evening lighting, you gain the space to actually see the idols and decorations in relative peace. Visiting on the earlier days, like Panchami and Shashthi, can also help you beat the main rush.
Pack for a Marathon, Not a Sprint
Pandal hopping is a physical workout. You will walk for kilometres every day, often on barricaded roads where vehicles are not allowed. Comfortable footwear, like sneakers or broken-in flats, is not a suggestion—it's a necessity. October in Kolkata can still be hot and humid, and the dense crowds generate their own heat. Dress in light, breathable fabrics like cotton or linen. Carry a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated, as food and drink stalls will have long queues. A power bank is also essential, as your phone's battery will drain quickly from navigating, taking photos, and trying to stay connected with your group in areas with patchy network coverage.
