10 Hour Layover at CCU - What to do?
 

I have a 10 hour layover at CCU in a couple of days and I'm hoping there is some decent place to spend the time.

I'm arriving at 3:50 pm via S2 domestic. I'm departing on a 9W international flight at 1:30 am.

The flights are booked together, so I assume my baggage will be transferred?

I'm guessing I need to change terminals?

I can't find any information on transit hotel facilities (I don't really need to sleep anyway). Any chance to pay into a decent lounge?

Other suggestions how/where to spend the time?

I've been to Kolkata before so I don't feel like I need to run around and sightsee for a couple of hours, but if leaving the airport is the best option, I'll probably leave.

The domestic terminal has a Oberoi restaurant that you could use to sit around. Otherwise its a basic mix of shops and airline/car rental/taxi booths.

The walk over to the International terminal is doable and would take max 5 min.

http://local.google.com/maps?q=ccu+a...15000&t=h&z=18

S2 and 9W are pretty much the same airline, so I presume they will take of luggage, but this is Kolkata, so I would wait at the belt to see if your luggage doesn't appear. You have plenty of time after all ;)

The international terminal really has nothing to speak of. The restaurant is basic and dark. The clipper lounge operated by oberoi is by invite only. The few decent rooms IAAI used to rent out there have been closed down when I checked earlier this year. They have a few rows of seats between the main hall and the place where the arriving pax come out of immigration where you could stretch out.

Thanks.

Is the restaurant in the domestic terminal landside or airside? If it's airside, I'm really hoping my luggage is checked through. Otherwise I really will need to leave the airport, I fear. I don't think I can spend, say, 8 hours landside...

I'm guessing I'll need to clear security again in the International terminal. Any suggestion for how early I should head over there for my late night flight?

Any other suggestions, please share.

And if anyone else is stuck at CCU this Wednesday (Aug 3), let me know. Company welcome!

The restaurant is landside up one level overlooking the area where the luggage arrives.

I assume the domestic terminal closes sometime around 11pm. I'd head over to the intl terminal around 10.30p. Yes security is required but its after immigration and the duty free store just before the holding pen that is in front of the gate. :D

Don't know how feasible this would be, but there's a Swissotel Hotel quite near the airport. If your luggage is going to be checked on thru, you could leave the airport and hang at the hotel for a few hours until it's time to head back and check-in for your next flight.

Good tip, didn't think of that. The Swissotel is in the middle of New Town and could be a nicer place to spend time. To get there you can just book a prepaid taxi opposite baggage claim in the domestic terminal. Getting back you might have to take the hotel shuttle (a lot of crews stay there), but the shuttle will not be free.

http://www.swissotel.com/EN/Destinat...SubGallery.htm

Decent restaurant with new decor. The outdoor stuff will probably not usable due to the monsoon rains.

Could also engage a taxi for the entire duration of one's stopover at CCU. So that way you could get dropped off at the hotel and the taxi waits there and gets you back to the airport a few hours later. Might be cheaper as opposed to using the hotel car.

good advice....^^

the op could also get the number for the taxi driver & call when its time to head back to the airport....lots of taxi drivers would be willing to do this....

I'm liking this idea more and more. Thanks.

I have a few INR to burn, so the taxi each way shouldn't be a problem. And this has to be more pleasant than hanging around CCU for 10 hours....

Better food, too, I would presume....

I have an Airtel SIM, so this would be easy as well... And, as pointed out, much cheaper than the hotel car is likely to be.

Now I just need to hope the expected bandh in Imphal tomorrow doesn't keep me from getting to the airport here and on my way to CCU!

The airline wouldn't check my luggage through, so I need to pick it up at CCU . Any idea how early I can recheck it at the international terminal? Guess I'm stuck at the airport after all.

normally about 3 hours before your flight....

you should still head out to the hotel to kill a few hours....

Dragging the luggage along will just make it that much more difficult, though. Will the hotel freak out if I bring luggage even though I'm just dining? Security is so tight in many of the big hotels.

Or maybe there's a left luggage facility ?

hotel won't have a problem with luggage even if you are just dining....

I'm happily ensconced at the Swissotel bar on wi-fi right now. MUCH better idea than the airport for 10 hours.

They bell desk is happy to keep my luggage. And they've even arranged for a regular taxi (as opposed to hotel car) to take me back to the airport at 11:00 pm for 250 Rs.

I would have taken the taxi driver's number to call him, but my mobile was missing after the flight from Guahati to Kolkata. Didn't realize it until I got in the terminal. So no more Indian mobile for me. (Phone was retrieved later after departing India.)