Howrah to NJP via Satabdi Express | Darjeeling trip
On 8th March 2024, I started my one of the most long awaiting journeys, to Darjeeling, along with my family members. It was my first ever trip to Darjeeling and that too in the month of March. The duration of our program was from 8th March to 11th March 2024. As you know from all of my blogs that wherever I go, I take my family along with me and the most important factor is my father, who had already got cerebral stroke 2 times, and this time also, I was around my father like a wrapper, so that I could support him always during his needs.
On 8th March 2024, I began my journey to New Jalpaiguri railway station from Howrah Station along with my family members, via 12041 Satabdi Express. The 12041 Satabdi Express resumed at 2:25 pm from Howrah station and we were full of cheers to enjoy the rest of the journey till New Jalpaiguri station. We booked our ticket for satabdi Express in AC Chair Car (CC) from the Ixigo application. The train was neat and clean and very well maintained with proper arrangements of seats and reasonable gaps between each row of seats. Toilets were also neat and clean and I think it’s the duty of every passenger to keep the toilet neat and clean. The temperature inside the compartment was quiet cold. If you feel like increasing the temperature, you can ask the same to the staffs and they will do the necessary things. Okay one thing I can say that, during the journey from Howarh station to NJP station, most of the people get off the train at Bolpur station, which means most of the seats get vacant from Bolpur station onwards.
First I thought that, we would be given lunch after the train started its journey, but later I came to know that we would be given evening snacks and dinner. So, do not think of getting lunch after you step into Howarh-NJP Satabdi Express. Likewise, we were served with evening snacks that consisted of sandwiches, a packet of peanut, a packet of bhujiya and one khasta kochuri. The food was good in quality and the staffs were also very good and polite in nature. At around 8:30-9:00 pm, we were served with non-veg dinner that consisted of rice, roti, dry aloo matar, daal, chicken (2 pieces), two sweets (rasogolla), and a cup of curd. For those who have opted for veg dinner, they were given the same food like daal, sabji, rice, roti, and paneer. However, the quality of the food was very good and fresh. Finally the train reached New Jalpaiguri station at the correct time (10:55 pm).
It as quiet night when we stepped in to New Jalpaiguri station and we took the over bridge to reach to the car pools available outside the railway station. However, I already booked one night stay in a hotel named “RADHA RANI” lodge, which is approximately 800 meters away from NJP station. You may find this hotel from many online hotel applications, but, you can call them directly over phone also, as their contact number is provided over the internet. I called them directly over the phone and they asked us to send them some advance rupees, which we did. The hotel cost for one night charged us Rs. 900/- per room (accommodation of 2 people per room).
Hence, we took a shuttle cab and reached the RADHA RANI Lodge within 10 minutes from NJP station. The driver was very good in behaviour and he took Rs. 500 to take us to the hotel. The driver gave his phone number to us, in case we need further travelling assistance. Our plan was to check out from the hotel ( RADHA RANI Lodge) at morning on the very next day (9th March 2024), and start our journey to Darjeeling. However, I also had booked a hotel in Darjeeling named “NRS Norling Retreat”. So, the hotel RADHA RANI Lodge was more or less good with good staffs. The rooms were quiet large and the toilet was also cleaned. But one thing I must say that, one must carry any mosquito coil or ask the hotel staff to arrange any mosquito coil, because there were too many mosquitoes at night. However the hotel staffs arranged mosquito coil for us and we encountered very few mosquitoes at night. On the next morning, we took bath and became fresh to prepare ourselves to start our journey to Darjeeling. There is a Hanuman temple beside the RADHA RANI Lodge, and you can easily offer Puja in the morning. So, as I said earlier that the driver who took us to the hotel RADHA RANI Lodge last night (8th March 2024) from NJP station, was very good and polite in nature, we decided to hire him to take us to Darjeeling via his car as he took Rs, 3300 to take us to the hotel “NRS Norling Retreat” in Darjeeling.
