Bhubaneswar is one of the easiest cities in eastern India to reach. Biju Patnaik International Airport (BBI) is only a few kilometres from the centre, and Bhubaneswar railway station (BBS) sits on the main east-coast line between Kolkata and Chennai. The city is also on National Highway 16, the coastal highway linking the two.
The main ways in, compared
| How | Typical journey | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight from Delhi / Mumbai / Bengaluru | About 2–2.5 h non-stop | Varies widely — book early | Time-poor travellers |
| Flight from Kolkata / Hyderabad / Chennai | About 1–2 h | Often inexpensive | Short hops within India |
| Train from Kolkata (Howrah) | About 5–7 h on fast trains | Low to moderate | Comfort and scenery |
| Train from Delhi (Rajdhani) | About a day | Moderate | Overnight rail fans |
| Road from Kolkata or Visakhapatnam | About 8–9 h (≈440 km) | Fuel, tolls or bus fare | Road trips along the coast |
By air
Biju Patnaik International Airport has direct domestic flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and several other Indian cities, and a limited number of international routes. From the airport it is only about 4 km to the Old Town and 5–6 km to the main hotel districts — 15–25 minutes by prepaid taxi or app cab.
By train
Bhubaneswar (station code BBS) is a major stop on the East Coast Railway. Fast trains, including a Vande Bharat service on the Howrah–Puri route, connect it with Kolkata in roughly five to seven hours; the Rajdhani Express links it with New Delhi. Trains also run to Chennai, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Bengaluru and Mumbai. Some long-distance trains use New Bhubaneswar (BBSN) instead — check your ticket.
By road
NH16 runs down the coast from Kolkata through Bhubaneswar to Visakhapatnam and Chennai. Odisha’s state transport (OSRTC) and private operators run buses from Kolkata, Visakhapatnam and cities across Odisha; long-distance buses mostly use the Baramunda bus stand on the west side of the city.
Getting around Bhubaneswar
- App cabs and bike taxis: Ola, Uber and Rapido all work well and remove the need to negotiate fares.
- Auto-rickshaws: everywhere; agree the fare before you set off.
- Mo Bus: the city’s modern bus network is cheap and clean, linking the airport, station, Old Town, Khandagiri and Nandankanan, with some routes towards Cuttack and Puri.
- Private car and driver: the most practical option for a sightseeing day — book one locally or through a tour.
On to Puri, Konark and Chilika
- Puri (60 km): frequent trains (about 1.5–2 hours), buses throughout the day, or 1.5–2 hours by car.
- Konark (65 km): by car via Pipili in 1.5–2 hours, or by bus. From Puri, 35 km along the Marine Drive.
- Chilika Lake: Barkul and Balugaon are about 100 km south-west on NH16 (Balugaon has a railway station); Satapada is best reached from Puri.
- Cuttack (30 km): Odisha’s old capital, 45–60 minutes by road or a short train ride.
