Dhaka to Kolkata by Train & Bus: Benapole Border Crossing, Maitree Express Status & Complete BDT Cost Guide (2026)

By Farhan Momen (Founder & Travel Editor) · Published October 15, 2026 · Updated 2026-10-15 · 8 min read

India is a major overland destination for Bangladeshi travelers, and the Dhaka–Kolkata land corridor via Benapole–Petrapole is the primary road route. Cross-border passenger trains (Maitree, Bandhan, and Mitali Express) have been suspended since July 2024 with no confirmed restart date as of our October 15, 2026 review. This guide covers the suspended rail status and Padma Bridge reroute proposal, active Dhaka–Benapole–Petrapole–Kolkata bus legs, the step-by-step border procedure, IVAC sticker-visa requirements (e-Visa is not available for Bangladeshi passports; verify live appointment availability at ivacbd.com), and an indicative 3-day Kolkata planning budget of BDT 8,000–18,000.

India is one of the most frequently visited international destinations for Bangladeshi passport holders, and the Dhaka–Kolkata overland corridor via Benapole–Petrapole is the primary road route. Cross-border passenger trains (Maitree Express, Bandhan Express, and Mitali Express) have been suspended since July 2024, with no confirmed restart timetable as of our 15 October 2026 review [1, 3]. While rail service remains on hold, travelers with a valid Indian sticker visa endorsed for the Haridaspur/Benapole checkpost use direct or split-leg buses across the Benapole–Petrapole land border. An indicative 3-day, 2-night overland Kolkata trip budget remains BDT 8,000–18,000 per person as a planning reference, not a live quote.

This guide was reviewed against official rail, visa, tax, and land-port portals on 15 October 2026. Because cross-border rail resumption, IVAC appointment availability, border taxes, and operator fares can change without notice, verify live status on the cited official portals before booking non-refundable travel [1–10].

1. Is the Maitree Express Running in 2026? No — cross-border passenger trains have been suspended since July 2024. The Maitree Express (Dhaka Cantonment–Kolkata Chitpur), Bandhan Express (Khulna–Kolkata), and Mitali Express (Dhaka–New Jalpaiguri) were all halted in mid-2024. As of 15 October 2026, neither Bangladesh Railway nor Indian Railways has published a confirmed resumption date or booking schedule. Check the official Bangladesh Railway portal (railway.gov.bd), the Bangladesh Railway e-ticketing service (eticket.railway.gov.bd), and Indian Railways (indianrailways.gov.in) before planning around train travel [1–3].

What Could Change: Padma Bridge Reroute Proposal: Railway officials have previously discussed routing the Dhaka–Kolkata passenger train over the Padma Bridge corridor instead of the longer Jamuna Bridge–Darsana alignment: - **Proposed journey time:** projected to drop from roughly 8–10 hours to around 6 hours if implemented. - **Fare & schedule status:** any Padma Bridge timetable or fare adjustment remains an unconfirmed proposal pending bilateral operational agreement [1, 3].

2. Pre-Suspension Rail Fare Benchmarks (Planning Reference Only) While cross-border trains are suspended, historical rail tariffs help travelers compare overland transport against buses and flights. Distinguish between domestic Bangladesh Railway intercity fares to the border and international Maitree Express cross-border fares [1–3]: - **Maitree Express cross-border benchmark (suspended):** prior to suspension, international Dhaka Cantonment–Kolkata fares were pegged in USD (roughly USD 20 for AC Chair and USD 30 for AC Seat/Cabin before Bangladesh travel tax, VAT, and exchange-rate adjustments), issued through designated railway counters [1, 3]. - **Domestic Bangladesh Railway intercity benchmark (Dhaka–Benapole route):** domestic intercity classes on the Bangladesh Railway network (such as Shovon Chair, Snigdha AC Chair, AC Seat, and AC Berth on eticket.railway.gov.bd) historically ranged from roughly BDT 319 to BDT 1,181 depending on seat class and route table, before any seasonal or tax revisions [1–2]. - **Verification rule:** do not treat historical or domestic tariff figures as a live international ticket quote. Confirm current fares and counter rules on railway.gov.bd and indianrailways.gov.in if service resumes [1–3].

3. How to Cross the Benapole–Petrapole Land Border (Step by Step) Until cross-border passenger rail resumes, the Benapole (Jashore District, Bangladesh) to ICP Petrapole (North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India) land crossing is the main overland passenger corridor between Dhaka and Kolkata [9–10]. Ensure your Indian visa explicitly allows entry and exit via **Haridaspur / Benapole** (or the matching endorsement printed on your visa sticker) [4–6].

Step 1: Travel from Dhaka to Benapole by Road Major bus operators run AC and non-AC coaches from Dhaka (Gabtoli, Kalyanpur, Arambagh, and Malibagh terminals) to Benapole via the Padma Bridge highway in roughly 4.5 to 6 hours, depending on traffic: - **Through-ticket cross-border operators (Green Line, Shyamoli, Desh Travels, Souhardo):** many operators sell coordinated Dhaka–Kolkata journeys where passengers change coaches at the Benapole–Petrapole border after completing immigration on foot. - **Split-leg booking:** travelers can also take a domestic bus from Dhaka to Benapole (indicative planning range: BDT 500–1,200 depending on non-AC vs AC coach class), cross the border independently, and board an onward bus or local train from Petrapole/Bongaon to Kolkata. - **Timing tip:** overnight buses leaving Dhaka late in the evening typically reach Benapole around dawn so passengers can join the morning immigration queue when the land port opens.

Step 2: Complete Exit and Entry Formalities at Benapole–Petrapole For an outbound journey from Dhaka to Kolkata, you clear Bangladesh exit controls at Benapole first, walk across no-man's land, and then clear Indian entry controls at ICP Petrapole [8–10]: - **1. Bangladesh Exit — Benapole Land Port (Jashore):** enter the Benapole passenger terminal, pay the mandatory Bangladesh government land-border travel/departure tax at the designated bank/port counter (or through your bus operator's handling desk, which may add a small service charge; keep the official receipt), and present your passport, valid Indian visa, and occupational NOC/GO (if applicable) to Bangladesh Immigration Police for your exit stamp [8–9]. - **2. No-Man's Land Walk:** walk roughly 200–500 meters between the Bangladesh and India passenger terminals with your luggage (authorized porters are available at posted port rates; agree on any fee before handing over bags) [9–10]. - **3. India Entry — ICP Petrapole (West Bengal):** pass the Border Security Force (BSF) checkpoint, submit your passport, Indian visa, and arrival disembarkation slip at Indian Bureau of Immigration counters, and clear Indian Customs with your baggage [10]. - **Border operating hours:** passenger immigration at Benapole–Petrapole generally operates during daytime hours (typically around 6:00 AM–6:00 PM local border schedule; confirm holiday or security adjustments before travel). Crossing between 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM usually avoids the heaviest midday queues [9–10].

Step 3: Continue from Petrapole to Kolkata (or Return to Dhaka) - **Petrapole → Kolkata by bus:** connecting AC coaches operated by cross-border bus companies wait outside the Petrapole terminal for the roughly 3 to 4 hour drive to Kolkata Esplanade / Marquis Street (indicative local leg: INR 300–400, or included in a through-ticket of roughly INR 1,400–1,800 / BDT equivalent depending on operator and class). - **Petrapole → Bongaon → Kolkata Sealdah by suburban train:** budget travelers sometimes take an auto-rickshaw from Petrapole border to Bongaon Junction and ride the Eastern Railway suburban train to Kolkata Sealdah Station [3].

4. India Visa for Bangladeshi Passport Holders (IVAC Process & Caveats) Important caveat — live IVAC appointment availability was not measured in this 15 October 2026 review: Indian visa processing capacity and appointment slots for Bangladeshi citizens have fluctuated since 2024. While secondary travel reports in 2026 noted broader resumption of tourist-visa submissions across IVAC centers (Dhaka, Chattogram, Sylhet, Rajshahi, Khulna), the official IVAC Bangladesh portal (ivacbd.com) and High Commission of India Dhaka (hcidhaka.gov.in) notices remain the sole authority on current slot availability and eligible categories [4–7]. - **No Indian e-Visa for Bangladeshi passports:** ordinary Bangladeshi passport holders are not eligible for the Indian e-Visa and must apply for a physical sticker visa through the IVAC process [4–6]. - **Visa fee vs IVAC processing charge:** under bilateral arrangements, the Government of India does not charge a visa fee for Bangladeshi nationals, while IVAC Bangladesh collects a mandatory Visa Processing Fee (historically published around BDT 800–1,500 plus digital payment charges depending on center and current notice; confirm the exact fee on ivacbd.com before paying) [4–5]. - **Checkpost endorsement:** when filling out the online application at indianvisa-bangladesh.nic.in, select the correct entry/exit checkpost (such as **Haridaspur** for the Benapole–Petrapole land border, and/or **By Air** if you may fly one way) [5–6].

Step-by-Step IVAC Sticker Visa Application: - **Step 1 — Online application:** complete and print the official Indian Visa Application form at indianvisa-bangladesh.nic.in with a recent 2×2 inch white-background photo [6]. - **Step 2 — IVAC fee & appointment:** pay the IVAC processing fee online and book an appointment slot for your jurisdiction at ivacbd.com (walk-in submissions without an appointment are generally not accepted) [4]. - **Step 3 — Document checklist:** prepare your original passport (at least 6 months validity and 2 blank pages) plus all old passports, NID copy, recent utility bill (address proof), 3–6 month bank statement or passport dollar endorsement (minimum USD 150 per official checklist rules; see our Dual-Currency Card Endorsement Guide), occupational proof (employer NOC, GO, trade license, or student ID), and itinerary details [5]. - **Step 4 — Biometrics & passport collection:** submit your file and biometrics at the selected IVAC center and track passport return status on ivacbd.com [4].

5. Indicative 3-Day Kolkata Overland Budget in BDT (Planning Reference) The budget table below preserves the article's 3-day, 2-night overland planning estimate of **BDT 8,000–18,000 per person** from Dhaka via Benapole–Petrapole. It was not re-priced from live operator or hotel checkouts on 15 October 2026; treat it as an indicative planning model rather than a live quote, as actual costs depend on coach class, NBR travel-tax rate, INR/BDT exchange rate, and hotel dates: - **Roundtrip overland transport (Dhaka ↔ Benapole/Petrapole ↔ Kolkata by bus):** roughly BDT 3,500–5,500 (budget split-leg / non-AC to standard AC) or BDT 5,500–7,500 (premium through-coach AC sleeper/business class). - **IVAC visa processing fee & Bangladesh land-border travel tax:** roughly BDT 1,800–2,500 combined (subject to current ivacbd.com processing fee schedule and NBR Finance Act land-border travel tax rate at Benapole) [4, 8]. - **Kolkata accommodation (2 nights, Sudder Street / Esplanade / New Market area):** roughly BDT 1,500–3,000 (budget guesthouse or shared room) or BDT 4,000–6,000 (comfortable mid-range AC hotel, per person sharing). - **Meals, local Kolkata metro/taxi transit & basic sightseeing (3 days):** roughly BDT 1,200–2,000 (budget) or BDT 3,500–4,500 (comfortable). - **Indicative 3-day overland total (per person):** **BDT 8,000–12,000 (Budget tier)** to **BDT 15,000–18,000 (Comfortable tier)**. Excludes shopping, medical consultations, intercity Indian rail beyond Kolkata, and emergency buffer funds.

6. Dhaka–Kolkata by Air: When Flying Makes Sense When cross-border trains are suspended or you want to avoid an overnight road journey and border walk, direct flights between Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka (DAC) and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata (CCU) take about 1 hour 10 minutes. Indicative historical one-way economy fares often start around BDT 6,500–12,000 before seasonal peaks and baggage add-ons on carriers such as Biman Bangladesh Airlines, US-Bangla Airlines, and IndiGo. Because airfares and cabin/checked baggage rules change daily, compare live date-specific fares on our Global Flight Search & Fare Benchmark hub (/flights) and confirm that your Indian visa allows entry **By Air** [5–6].