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Fast Facts
How to get there
The nearest airport is Bhubaneshwar, 62 kms away. A taxi will charge about
Rs 500 to do the journey from the airport to Puri. Trains pull in daily into Puri
from New Delhi and Calcutta and into Bhubaneshwar from Calcutta, Madras
and New Delhi.
From New Delhi the Nilanchal Express is the best train to take. It departs
from New Delhi at 0635 hours on Tuesdays Fridays and Sundays and
reaches Puri at 2035 hours the next day. Or the Purshottam Express which
departs from New Delhi daily at 2235 hours and reaches Puri at 0735 hours
two days later. An AC sleeper ticket on these trains is priced at Rs 1,849 and a
sleeper ticket is priced at Rs 446.
From Calcutta the Howrah Puri Express is the best train to take. It departs
from Howrah at 2145 hours on Tuesdays Fridays and Sundays and reaches
Puri at 0840 hours the next day. An AC sleeper ticket on these trains is priced
at Rs 846 and a sleeper ticket is priced at Rs 194.
Indian Airlines flies into Bhubaneshwar daily from Calcutta, Madras and
Bombay. To check the flight schedules try this link:
Air schedules and availability
Approximate one way fares (return is double):
Calcutta-Bhubaneshwar: Rs 2,510
Madras-Bhubaneshwar: Rs 5,905
Bombay-Bhubaneshwar: Rs 7,285.
Child fares for children below 12: 67 per cent of adult fares.
Child fares for children below 2: 10 per cent of adult fares. US dollar fares are 30 per cent higher. Business fares are 32 per cent higher.
Where to stay and eat
Puri has a very good hotel situation. A good variety of cheap and nice places are available.
Most of these hotel cater to non-guests dining at its hotel restaurant:
- Hans Coco Palms, Goudbadsahi, Swargadwar. Phone: 06752-30038, 30951, 30952. Fax: 06752-30165. Presently closed for renovation. Will open in October. Double rooms are available for approximately Rs 2,500 per night. Each room has a balcony. Good spot. Good atmosphere. If you can afford it go for it. Good for children.
- Mayfair Beach Resort, Chakratirtha road. Phone: 06752-27800, 24041, 24042. Fax: 06752-24242: Doubles rooms are available for Rs 2,450 per night. Cottages are available for Rs 2,750 per night. Suites are available for Rs 3,750 per night. Posh but comfy place to stay. Some rooms a have sea view. Mayfair has a swimming pool. Good but pricey food available for non-residents too.
- Bengal Nagpur Railway Hotel (BNR) also called South Eastern Railway Hotel, Chakratirtha road. Phone: 06752-22063. Non-AC double rooms with no meals are available for Rs 650. Non-AC double rooms on the ground floor are available for Rs 1,000 with meals. Non- AC double rooms are available for Rs 1,200 per night with meals. AC double rooms are available for Rs 1,500 per night with meals. Reasonable and extremely atmospheric place to stay. A Raj era hotel. Great choice.
- Toshali Sands, Konark Marine Drive. Phone: 06752-22888, 23573, 23571, 23573. Fax: 06752-23899. Single/double rooms are available for Rs 2,090 per night plus 15 per cent taxes. Double rooms are available in cottages for Rs 3,290 per night plus 15 per cent taxes. Suites are available for Rs 4,390 to Rs 6,190 per night plus 15 per cent taxes. Apartments are available for Rs 4,390 plus 15 per cent taxes. Very pleasant atmosphere. Located in a palm grove 2 km from beach. Good for children. Toshali has a swimming pool.
- Shankar International, near Chakratirtha road. Phone: 06752-22696: Non-AC double rooms are available for between Rs 200-250, non-AC rooms with four beds are available for Rs 500 per night and rooms within cottages are available for Rs 400. Old style, simple but very pleasant hotel. Many of the rooms have beach view. Good value for money.
- Gandhara International, Chakratirtha road. Phone: 06752-24117. Fax: 06752-22154: Non-AC double rooms are available for between Rs 450 per night. AC double rooms are available for Rs 750 per night. Rs 30 dorm beds available. Simple, decent hotel. Recommended. Will even serve tasty Japanese food. Sea view.
- Love and Life, Chakratirtha road. Phone: 06752-24433. Fax: 06752-26093. Doubles rooms are available for Rs 200-250 per night. Cottages are available for Rs 200 per night. Rs 35 dorm beds available. Simple, modest but comfortable enough hotel. Good value for money. Popular with foreigners. Does Japanese food.
- OTDC Panthanivas, Chakratirtha road. Phone: 06752-22740. Email: Panthanivas: Fairly well run OTDC resort. Near the ocean. Try the new rooms. Non-AC double rooms are available for between Rs 350 and Rs 550 and AC rooms for Rs 750 per night. Hotel has an in-house restaurant and bar.
- Hotel Vijoya, Chakratirtha road. Phone: 06752-22702, 23705. Fax: 06752-22881. Non- AC double rooms are available for Rs 660 per night. AC double rooms are available for Rs 990 per night. Deluxe suites with four beds are available for between Rs 1,210 and Rs 1,650 per night. Good value for money. Modest but good hotel. Restaurant faces the sea.
- Z, Chakratirtha road. Phone: 06752-22554. Email: Z. Non-AC double rooms are available for Rs 350 per night. Shared non-AC rooms are available for Rs 200 per night. Beds in a dormitory available for women for Rs 50 and up. A very popular choice with foreigners -- cheap, clean and fun. Located in an old bungalow. They prefer foreigners and do not take advance bookings from Indian tourists,
- Santana, Chakratirtha road, Pentakota. Phone: 06752-23491: Non-AC single rooms are available for Rs 100 per night and double rooms for Rs 200 per night. Clean and cheaper shared rooms available for Rs 40 and up. Another tourist haunt.
For meals also try:
- Harry's, Chakratirtha road: Good fresh fish.
- Holiday Resort,, Chakratirtha road: Good Bengali lunches.
- Mickey Mouse, Chakratirtha road: Pubby, happy place.
- Wild Grass, junction of VIP and College road: Garden restaurant serving all types of cuisine including good seafood.
- Trupti, C T road: Good veg food.
When to go
June or July. The rath yatra usually takes place during a full moon fortnight in these months during the monsoon.
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