Patna

Understand

The ancient name of Patna was "Pataliputra" and it was the capital of the Maurya and Gupta empires. With a glorious period of history spanning a thousand years (500 BCE–400 CE), Pataliputra is where India's first major kingdoms rose and fell. Patna is on three sacred rivers, the Ganges, the Sone and the Poonpun. Legend has it that a sanctified Ganga had watched with reverence as a hallowed Buddha blessed this place to be a realm of great Kings and their Empires. Belonging to the blue family of cities with a royal heritage, it is the land where the greatest emperors of India walked, and where the greatest saints chose to preach. Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru was born here. For anyone with a taste for history and religion, this place flies high. Ajastshatru, second of the Magadh Kings, built a fort at Pataligram on the banks of the Ganges river. This later became the famous Mauryan metropolis of Pataliputra and was ruled by Chandragupta Maurya, his son Bindusara and his grandson Asoka, acclaimed for the spread of Buddhism across India. Following the fall of the Maurya Empire, the next powerful empire to have its capital in Pataliputra was the Gupta Empire, which reached its zenith under the rule of Chandra Gupta I (not to be confused with Chandragupta Maurya), his son Samudra Gupta and his grandson Chandra Gupta II. Other emperors who ruled from Pataliputra were the Pala Kings, Shershah Suri (16th century) and Azimush-Shan (18th century), the grandson of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, who renamed it Azeemabad. Vestiges of this ancient city can be seen at Kumhrar, Bhikhnapahari, Agamkuan, Bulandi Bag etc. Today, it is apparent that Bihar and Patna have seen better days. Bihar is one of the poorest states of India, and for the first-time foreigner visitor Patna will look a chaotic, noisy city with many signs of poverty even near the city centre. This may change soon, since it has become one of the fastest growing cities of India. With real estate booming at a dizzying pace, shopping malls, theatres, new businesses, food joints it carries the seed for a lively city life, and a tourist haven-to-be. It is an important business and education centre of eastern India. Lying along the banks of the Ganges River, Patna is surrounded by significant religious centres for the Buddhists, Sikhs, and Jains. This city has been home to two great religions, Buddhism and Jainism, and myriad dynasties from ancient to modern times. This article also covers Hajipur, a large and fast-growing city in Mithila, across the river Ganges.

Getting there

By plane 1 Jay Prakash Narayan Airport (Patna Airport or Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Airport, PAT IATA). The domestic airport serving the city. Directly connected to Delhi, Lucknow, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore,Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmadabad, Indore and Ranchi, with daily flights to and from Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.

By train

There are three railway stations serving Patna:

2 Patna Junction ECR (IR code: PNBE). (updated Jun 2026) 3 Hajipur Junction ECR . Trains from Nepal border area (Gorakhpur and Raxaul) as well as some from Delhi, Varanasi and the North-East arrive at Hajipur, on the other side of the Ganges. Although the distance from Patna Junction station is mere 11km, including 6 km on one of India's longest river bridge, you should prepare for 40 minutes to up to 2-hour ride in the bad traffic. There are prepaid and shared taxis/rickshaws available throughout the day between two stations. Shared rickshaws (₹30) leave from south side of Patna Junction. (updated Jun 2026) 4 Rajendra Nagar Terminal ECR (IR code: RJPB). (updated Jun 2026) Long-distance trains arrive from many other major cities including Lucknow, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Vadodara, Surat, Nagpur, Pune, Raipur, Jaipur, Bhubaneswar, Puri, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Ranchi, Chennai, Bangalore, Mysore, Hyderabad, Goa, Mangalore, Kozhikode and Kochi. Some express trains to Patna Junction include:

From Bangalore: Sanghmitra Express From Howrah: Danapur Express, Garib Rath Express, Jan Shatabdi Express, Lal Quila Express, Rajdhani Express (via Patna), Udyan Abha Toofan Express, Vande Bharat Express, Vibhuti Express From Mumbai: Mumbai CSMT–Rajendra Nagar Patna Express, Mumbai LTT–Patna Rajendra Nagar Express From New Delhi: Garib Rath Express, Howrah Rajdhani Express, Lal Quila Express, Magadh Express, Rajendra Nagar Tejas Rajdhani Express, Sampark Kranti Express, Sharamjeevi Express, Udyan Abha Toofan Express, Vikramshila Express From Ranchi: Hatia Express, Jan Shatabdi Express, Vande Bharat Express From Varanasi: Kashi Jan Shatabdi Express, Mathura Express, Vibhuti Express

By car Patna is connected by road with all major cities of the country via (National Highway 30, 31 & 19). Here is the list of destinations by distance from Patna: BodhGaya (130 km), Muzaffarpur (80 km) Rajgir (103 km), Vaishali (40 km), Kolkata (535 km), Varanasi (300 km), Delhi (988 km), Ranchi (350 km), Jamshedpur (470 km), Kathmandu (373 km), Siliguri (380 km), Darjeeling (430 km), Nalanda (90 km). BSTDC (Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation) offers deluxe bus/car rental services for the following destinat

Getting around

By auto-rickshaw Shared 'Tempo' as they are called are the easiest and cheapest way to get around in Patna. Fare is normally in the range of ₹5-15 and drivers rarely try to charge more. However, in case you are trying to reserve an auto, it would be better to know the distance well in advance because that is not the preferred means of transportation for the locals and it would mean being charged exorbitant rates.

By metro The Patna Metro is under construction, consisting of Blue 2 and Red 1 lines. As of 10 October 2025, only three stations of the Blue Line are operational: ISBT, Zero Mile and Bhootnath.

By bus Though public transport is non-existent there are a few buses plying on the main routes. Prices are generally 20-30% less than Tempos. However, they are also less comfortable. After many trials throughout the decade, BSRTC runs multiple buses on all major routes inside and outside the city. Buses originate from the iconic Gandhi Maidan, and most of them visit the main railway station, Patna Junction.

By car There are a few car rental companies available in Patna. But foreign travellers who have not driven in India may find driving the roads in Patna and Bihar a bit stressful due to the poor road conditions and the constant heavy traffic, although the road conditions have improved.

See

1 Golghar. Captain John Garstin built a Golghar for the storage of food for the British army with storing capacity of 140,000 tons in 1786. (updated Oct 2023) 2 Mahatma Gandhi Setu. The bridge over the river Ganges connecting Patna and Hajipur.

Historic sites 3 Agam Kuan. (updated Jun 2026) 4 Kumhrar. Explore the ancient ruins of Pataliputra. Of the 80 pillars (Fa Hien, in 5th century CE, found the pillars shining as bright as glass) excavated at the site; only one remains. (updated Jun 2026)

Museums 5 Bihar Museum, Bailey Rd. Tuesday-Sunday 10:00–19:00. Opened in 2015, the museum shows you the history of Bihar. It has several galleries, including the regional gallery, the contemporary gallery, the historical art galleries and the gallery on Bihari diaspora. The museum is open from 10:00 to 19:00 except Monday. However, the history part is closed after 17:00 hours and only the Children's Gallery is open from 17:00 to 19:00. Ticket costs for Indians are as follows: Adults - ₹100, Children (up to 12 years) - ₹50, Students - ₹50, while for foreigners is: Adults - ₹500, Children (up to 12 years) - ₹250, Camera - ₹100 (updated Oct 2023) Deep Narayan Singh Museum, Hajipur (next to Gandhi Ashram Park). Small local history museum, named after independence hero and first minister of Bihar, Deep Narayan Singh, who was born in Hajipur. (updated May 2019) 6 Gandhi Sangrahalaya (NW of Gandhi Maidan). A public museum showcasing the life and principles of Mahatma Gandhi. It contains an exhibition containing photos, paintings, sculptures, manuscripts and quotations; all the major events in his life are told here. There is also a section containing photographs of his childhood through the various phases of Gandhi's life, including being taken to the crematorium. The building also houses a library which has a rich collection of books, magazine, literature and audio-video material related to Gandhi's life. (updated Oct 2023) 7 Indira Gandhi Planetarium, Bailey Rd. Among the largest and best planetariums in Asia, it attracts a large number of both domestic and foreign tourists. The planetarium has regular film shows on subjects related to astronomy and also holds exhibitions. (updated May 2019) 8 Patna Museum. It has more than 50,000 rare art objects, with many related to India in the ancient, middle ages and the British colonial era. Don't forget to see the Holy Relic Casket with the sacred ashes of Lord Buddha, and the beautiful statue Yakshani. Entry for foreigners ₹250, Indians, ₹10 additional ₹250 to see Holy Relic Casket.. (updated May 2019) 9 Shrikrishna Sci

Do

You can go on excursions to the various religious and historical places in and around Patna. Do not miss a boat ride on the mighty Ganges River.

Maner-Sufi Saint Shrine (30km west of Patna). You can buy famous Maner Ka Ladoo(Sweets). Maner Sweets is one of the popular shops that specializes in these. However, avoid going there in the late evening or night. Take a boat-ride in the Ganges., near Gandhi ghat 1 Sonepur Cattle Fair (Sonepur Mela). Largest cattle and animal fair in Asia. It is held in November in Sonepur which across the Ganges from Patna. (updated Jun 2026)

Parks 2 Buddha Smriti Park (Buddha Memorial Park), Frazer Rd (near Patna Junction ECR ). Closed M. A large park constructed in former jail ground is an oasis from noise and bustle of the city. Quiet meditative place and air conditioned libraries are the real relief even for a waiting time for the train. The large stupa is where ashes of Buddha originally from Vaishali are kept. There is a laser show in the evenings, which is related to the history of Bihar from the Ramayana to present. ₹10, ₹50 for stupa. (updated Oct 2023) 3 Eco Park. (updated Jun 2026) Funtasia Water Park. Contains attractions like waterslides, wave pool, swimming pools, multi-cuisine restaurant, coffee shops, souvenir shops and a banquet hall. (updated Jun 2026) 4 Gandhi Maidan. Gandhi Maidan is the heart of this city today. (updated Oct 2023) 5 Sanjay Gandhi Jaivik Udyan (Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park, Patna Zoo), Bailey Rd. One of the most popular picnic spots in Patna. It consists of a zoo and a botanical garden. (updated Oct 2023) 6 Shaheed Veer Kunwar Singh Azadi Park (Hardinge Park). (updated Jun 2026)

Sports 7 Moin-ul-Haq Stadium. (updated Jun 2026) 8 Patna Golf Club, Bailey Rd, Rajbansi Nagar, ☏ +91 92348 99643. With some very tough holes, this well-maintained course situated downtown will prove interesting to amateur and pros alike. The Patna Golf Club is set in beautiful surroundings.

Buy

Madhubani Paintings can be bought from emporiums at Mauyra Lok, a shopping center located on "Dak- Bunglow" road. You can visit many malls around Frazer road/Dak Bunglow Crossing such as Vishal Mega Mart, Maurya Lok Complex and Patna Market on Ashok Rajpath, Hathwa Market, Bari Path & Alankar Palace and other shopping arcades near Boring Road Crossing Relatively new malls include Patna Central Mall and P&M Mall Patliputra Kurji Road, Patliputra.

Bandhan Boutique, G-9, Pushpanjali Complex, Opp. S.K. Puri Check Post, Boring Road, ☏ +91 8102306282. The Mall. (updated Jun 2026) 1 Maurya Lok. (updated Jun 2026) 2 P&M Mall, Patliputra Kurji Rd. (updated Jun 2026)

Eat

When in Patna, try food typical to the region such as pua-pittha, tilkut, chiwra, makhana, the famed sattu or the farmer's staple, litti chokha, and the famous paan.

Anarsa is one of the finest sweet delicacies of Bihar. It has rice flour shell with khoya filling, with white til in the upper shell. Chaat - Though chaat is a very popular snack item throughout India, the special thing about 'Patna Chaat' is its authentic tamarind flavor, as opposed to the sweet and salty Delhi Chaat. Take the opportunity to relish "samosa chaat" or "tikki chaat". Dahi Chura Chini, which is a mixture of curd, beaten rice and sugar, is the favourite food in North Bihar, especially in the Mithila region! Litti chokha is a local specialty. Litti is a primarily ball-shaped stuffed preparation, and the shape of the ball varies depending on the preparation. With a shell made of wheat flour, the taste of litti very much depends on the filling, which includes gram flour and a combination of condiments and spices. Chokha a preparation of smoked eggplant/brinjal or tomato, accompanies litti. The smoked tomato or eggplant is mashed and dressed with coriander leaves, shredded green chilies and mustard oil, which gives a distinct flavor to the chokha. Makhana is soft fruit grown in water. It is light fried and with little salt it serves the purpose of light snacks. Sweets, especially Peda and Kalakand, which are preparations of condensed milk from Sudha Dairy Parlours. The sweets must be consumed within 7 days. Tilkut, Khaja are other delicacies of Bihar Thekua and Pudukia. (updated Apr 2017)

Restaurants Revolving Restaurant Patna can now boast of a revolving restaurant, the biggest of its kind in the country, situated atop the tallest tower in the city on the 18th floor of Biscomaun Bhawan near Gandhi Maidan. Based on the German technique, the 5HP motor that revolves the restaurant can be fixed to take one revolution in 45, 60 or 90 minutes. Mainland China, Patna Central Mall, Frazer Road Mcdonald's, East Gandhi Maidan Bansi Vihar, Near Dak Bunglow Crossing China Garden, Frazer Road Cloud 9, Boring Road There are three cheap and good Indian restaurants just as you come out of the north train station overpass. The one in the middle has English menus.

Sweets Parlours Cake Palace, New Dak Bunglow Road Cozy Confectioners, Keshav Palace, Bailey Road Kwality Sweets, Boring Road Lucknow Sweets, Dak Bunglow Crossing Maner Sweets, Maurya Lok Complex, New Dak Bungalow Road Sweet Home, Alankar Palace, Boring Road Sweet Garden, Keshav Palace, Bailey Road

Drink & nightlife

Sattu-pani is among the popular drinks, lassi made of curd, dry fruits & sugar.

Country Club International, Patliputra Colony Mamta Anarkali, near Dak Bunglow Crossing Mamta Residency, near Dak Bunglow Crossing Oasis, Boring Road Pind Balluchi, Revolving Floor, Biscomaun Bhawan, Gandhi Maidan (Opposite Gandi Maidan). Pind Balluchi is a well-known chain of restaurants with franchises in various cities, now including Patna. The Purple Lounge, SP Verma Road The Velocity, near Dak Bunglow Crossing

Sleep

Patna is a growing business city, and as such hotels tend to be overpriced for the room provided. It also means that many hotels are full most nights, giving little incentive to improve facilities.

Budget Country Club International, Patliputra colony Hotel Adarsh, near Patna Junction (Railway Station) Hotel Akash , Frazer Road Hotel Clark Inn, Jamal Road Hotel Magadh, Bhatacharya Road-Naya Tola crossing Hotel Marina , Frazer Road Hotel Nand, Bhatacharya Road-Naya Tola crossing Hotel President, Frazer Road Hotel Vijay Shree Deluxe, Exhibition Road, very average looking rooms start from ₹2750 a night. Maharaja Inn, Station Road, Rajendra Path Marwari Awas Grih, Dakbunglow Crossing Other budget accommodation can be found on the road leading from the train station down towards the Mithapur bus stand. Very basic rooms start at ₹400.

Mid-range Hotel Kautilya Vihar, R Block Hotel Samrat International Dak Bunglow Crossing Hotel Satkar International, Frazer Road Hotel Rajasthan, Frazer Road Hotel Republic, Exhibition Road Hotel Windsor, Exhibition Road Crossing Lemon Tree Premier, 876, Exhibition Road (near Gandhi Maidan), ☏ +91 612 2502700, [email protected]. (updated Jan 2018)

Splurge Hotel Panache, South Gandhi Maidan Hotel Gargee Grand, Exhibition Road (near Big Bazaar) Hotel Ashoka, Birchand Patel Path (near IT Office) Hotel Chanakya, R Block Hotel Maurya, South Gandhi Maidan - Landmark of Patna 1 Hotel Patliputra Exotica, Exhibition Road, Patna (Exhibition Rd, Bigbazar, Lodipur), ☏ +91 6123301222, [email protected]. Surrounded by shopping and a 15-minute walk from Gandhi Maidan park, this modern hotel is 1.4 km from the nearest railway station and 2.3 km from the Bihar Museum. Elegant rooms feature wood floors, flat-screen TVs and sitting areas, as well as desks, washers, and balconies or terraces. Suites add dining tables and separate sitting areas. A 24-hour buffet restaurant serves international cuisine. There's also a stylish lounge with a bar and a snack menu, as well as a banquet hall and a fitness room. (updated Apr 2019)

Go next

Bodh Gaya, - The place where Buddha achieved enlightenment Buddhist Bodh circuit: Bodhgaya - Nalanda - Rajgir - Patna - Vaishali - Kesaria. Deo - City of the Sun Temple. Deoghar - A town containing a famous Babadham temple. It is 200 km from Patna By Railway (drop at Jasidih Junction on Patna Howrah Main Line) in Jharkhand State Nalanda - Location of an ancient university with a nearby museum. Pawapuri - The Place of Nirvana (Bhagwan Mahabir) - A holy site for the Jains. Kesariya - Perhaps the oldest Shanti Stupa, it is situated in East Champaran District (Motihari), 170 km from Patna. Munger - A small town on the bank of Ganga famous for Yoga. Nepal and Raxaul - Buses are available to Raxaul and Jogbani at the Nepali border, where you can hop on a bus to Kathmandu and Pokhra. These buses leave at about 07:00 from the Mithapur bus stop 3 km south of the train station. They don't leave at night during summer (tourist off season). The roads going north out of town are particularly bad - sit as far forward in the bus as you can! Rajgir - The place Vishwa Shanti Shutpa you can joy on Areial Ropeway, You can enjoy Venuvana (Beautiful Garden) Ranchi Vaishali - A town on Bank of Ganga famous for its banana, Buddhist temple and handicrafts