How to Reach Pelling, Sikkim: By Air, Train & Road

Pelling has no airport or railway station of its own — every route in runs through Siliguri, at the base of the hills. Here's how the journey actually breaks down.

By Air: Via Bagdogra Airport

Bagdogra International Airport (IXB), near Siliguri in West Bengal, is the practical gateway to Pelling. It's well connected to Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati, Mumbai and Bengaluru. From Bagdogra, it's roughly a 5 to 6 hour drive up into the hills to Pelling — shared jeeps, prepaid taxis, and private cabs are all available right outside the terminal.

Sikkim also has its own airport, Pakyong (PYG), closer to Gangtok in East Sikkim. It's a shorter hop for Gangtok-bound travellers, but for Pelling in West Sikkim, Bagdogra is usually still the more direct and better-connected option.

By Train: Via New Jalpaiguri (NJP)

New Jalpaiguri (NJP) station is Pelling's nearest railhead, well connected to Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati and most major cities. NJP sits close to Bagdogra Airport, so travel time onward to Pelling is similar — around 5 to 6 hours by road. If you enjoy trains, the historic Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (the "toy train") runs a separate scenic route up toward Darjeeling, though it isn't a practical way to reach Pelling directly.

By Road

From Siliguri, Bagdogra, or NJP, shared jeeps and taxis run regularly up to Pelling on winding but well-travelled hill roads — figure on 5 to 6 hours depending on traffic and road conditions. A few other common routes:

• From Darjeeling — around 3 to 4 hours by road, a scenic but winding hill drive.
• From Gangtok — around 5 hours, crossing from East to West Sikkim.
• From Yuksom (for trekkers) — under 2 hours, useful if you're combining Pelling with the Yuksom-Dzongri trek.

Hill roads in this region can be affected by monsoon-season landslides (June–September) — see our best time to visit guide if you're planning around weather.

Permits

Indian citizens need no special permit for Pelling or most of West Sikkim. Foreign nationals require an Inner Line Permit (ILP), which is a routine, quickly-arranged process at checkposts or online, and is standard for the main Sikkim tourist circuit that includes Pelling.

Getting to Wooden Nest from Pelling town

Once you're in Pelling, we're a short ride into Upper Pelling, right beside the road to the Skywalk. Share your arrival details with us on WhatsApp and we can help arrange pickup from wherever your jeep or taxi drops you.