Sagar Island is about 80 km south of Kolkata, cut off from the main land by Muriganga river. At present there is no road bridge to connect the island to the main land. The Muriganga river can be crossed by ferry service to reach the Sagar Island. After crossing, Sagar & Ganga meeting point can be reached via private taxis also which are generally charging between INR 450 to INR 700 and it takes about 40 minutes to reach that point.
Transport Ferry at Sagar.
Sagar Island can be approached from either Harwood point or Namkhana jetty. Both the points are linked by Calcutta State Transport Corporation (CSTC) or West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation buses. Distance of Harwood Point is around 80 Km. from Kolkata and Namkhana is 13 Kilometers more. Bus fare from Kolkata (Esplanade) to Namkhana is around Rs.40 (as on June 2005; Rs. 60 during Mela 2008). During the Mela busses will end at the ferry crossing in Harwood point (or also called 'Lot 8'), and they will start in Kolkata also from Babughat, Howrah RS and Taratola in South Kolkata.
Both the points Namkhana and Harwood Point can also be reached by train from Sealdah Station. There are direct trains to Kakdwip from Sealdah Station with link trains to Namkhana. Train fare up to Kakdwip is Rs. 18 only. From Kakdwip, Harwood Point is only 5 Km. and Namkhana is 12 Km. by bus or jeep.
During the Mela cycle-rickshaws operate between RS and ferry jetty, price was fixed at 15 Rs per person on a 4 pax rickshaw. Trains tend to be overcrowded and are definitely a challenge during Mela time.
To reach Sagar Island one must cross the Muriganga river/creek by ferry service to reach 'Kachuberia jetty' on the Sagar Island. Ferry service is available in both Harwood point and Namkhana and controlled by West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation. Frequency of crossings are more in Harwood point and it is once in every half an hour. The fare for a single crossing for a person is Rs. 6.50 as in February 2010. The fare increases at the time of Ganagasagar Mela (The Fair; Rs. 40,- during 2008 Mela).
After reaching Sagar Island (Kachuberia jetty) one has to cross the whole stretch of Sagar Island (32 Km.) by local bus or shared taxi. Bus fare should be around Rs.10. A private jeep may charge around Rs 800-900. It was Rs 500/- for a 7 seater Maruti/Suzuki Van for both ways in February 2010 including stay at the destination of southern most point. There is no accommodation available on the point of crossing (Kachuberia), so everybody has to travel the whole stretch of the Island and reach the southernmost part, where accommodations are abundant.
Except from Namkhana and Harwood Point, there is also a direct ferry service available to Kachuberia (Sagar Island) from Haldia.
It is possible to go the entire length by private car or hired car from Kolkata. At Harwood Point there is provision to transport vehicle with the help of a barge locally known as LCT. There are no fixed time for the crossings, because it is totally dependent on the water-level and thus, on the timings of the high tides. The charge for a light or medium vehicle is Rs. 250/- as on December 2005. The fare increases at the time of Ganagasagar Mela (The Fair).
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Sagar Island
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Sagar Island - updated May 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount Sagar Island hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
Sagar Island Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
