Sealdah railway station

Understand

Sealdah (SHEE-ahl-dah) is one of India's largest rail complexes with 21 platforms. It is also India's second-busiest station with more than 400 million people using it every year. The station is in North Kolkata amid the city's chaos. Sealdah is a major hub of the Kolkata Suburban Railway across the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, from Lalgola to Namkhana. In addition to nearly 650 suburban trains, Sealdah is also served by over 50 express trains from different parts of India, including the famous Darjeeling Mail that used to be the go-to for North Bengal. Bridges like the Vivekananda Setu, the Jubilee Bridge (later the Sampreeti Setu) and the Nashipur Rail Bridge are the essential links that connect the station to the rest of India.

History The name "Sealdah" is said to be a corruption of the name Shrigāldwīp (শৃগালদ্বীপ), meaning "Jackal Island". Sealdah was one of the villages the East India Company (EIC) obtained from Mughal emperor Farrukhsiyar in 1717. Sealdah Station was opened on 2 December 1862 as part of the Calcutta–Kushtia railway line. At the time, Sealdah consisted of four platforms with a tin-roofed room. Other than Kushtia, the station also had trains to Canning and Ranaghat. The present building was designed by architect Walter Glanville, and was opened in 1869. In the early 1940s, Sealdah was served by trains from different parts of East Bengal and Assam. In 1947, East Bengal became part of Pakistan, which led to a surge of trains full of Hindu refugees from East Bengal to Kolkata. After that, East Bengal (later East Pakistan) was served by three express trains from Sealdah till 1965: East Bengal Express to Goalundo Ghat, East Bengal Mail to Parbatipur and Barisal Express to Khulna. By that time, Sealdah evolved from a major terminal of East Bengal and Assam trains to a major hub of the Kolkata Suburban Railway. Sealdah was also served by horse-drawn trams, and later electric trams. However, the tram terminus was closed in 1981 due to the con

Getting around

On foot The four parts of Sealdah Station are accessible within a single building. From Sealdah Main, walk northwest for "Sealdah North", and walk southeast for "Sealdah South". The metro station is at the Sealdah South side.

By BOV You can take a battery-operated vehicle (BOV) within Sealdah Station to avoid walking long distances. It is particularly useful for people with disabilities.

Buy

Several small stalls can be found around the station selling books. Like most Indian stations, there's a One Station One Product outlet at the station, selling local handicrafts. Automatic teller machines (ATMs) of major banks are available at Sealdah Main and South terminals.