Shillong Getting there & around

Getting there & away

Indian Airlines (2223015; Sheba Travels, Ward’s Lake Rd) flies from Kolkata to Shillong (Rs 6030) returning via either Jorhat (Monday) or Tezpur (Wednesday). The airstrip is at Umroi, 35km north of Shillong (Rs 600 by taxi).

From an air force base 8km towards Cherrapunjee, Meghalaya Transport Corporation (2223129) offers helicopter flights to Guwahati (Rs 725, 30 minutes, twice daily except Sunday) and Tura (Rs 1525, 1½ hours, thrice weekly). Book at the MTC bus station (Jail Rd).

The MTC bus station also has a computerised railway-reservation counter (nearest train station is Guwahati), hourly minibuses to Guwahati (Rs 64, 3½ hours), and overnight buses to Silchar (Rs 151, 10 hours) and Tura (Rs 202, 12 hours via Guwahati).

More comfortable private buses for Siliguri (Rs 350, 18 hours), Agartala (Rs 450, 21 hours), Silchar, Dimapur and Aizawl depart from the Polo Ground; book tickets from counters around Police Bazaar, including Network Travels (2222747; Shop 44, MUDA Complex, Police Bazaar) and Deep (9836047198; Ward’s Lake Rd).

From a Kacheri Rd parking area, shared taxis/sumos leave frequently to Guwahati (Rs 125/90, 3½ hours). Some shared taxis continue to Guwahati airport (Rs 170).

For most destinations within Meghalaya buses are infrequent and antiquated. Faster and much more frequent, shared jeeps leave when full from various points around Bara Bazaar, including to Cherrapunjee (Sohra; Rs 40, 1½ hours), Dawki (Rs 70, two hours), Jowai (Rs 50, 1¾ hours) and Barapani (Rs 20, 40 minutes).