Sleeping in Airports

Kolkata Airport Guide

Whether you have a layover, overnight sleepover or you are just quickly passing through, our Kolkata Airport Guide is a great place to start planning your visit.  Here, you’ll find information on services and facilities available inside the airport – including details about airport lounges, WiFi, mobile charging points, lockers, 24-hour food options, nearby hotels, and everything in between.

we slept sitting up. The lights remained on all night and we had to dawn our jackets (in India??) because the AC was quite cold. – Mur the Explorer

CCU Airport Overview

To help you plan your layover or overnight sleepover, here is a quick run-down about what to expect during your time at Kolkata Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport (Code: CCU).

What to Expect

Kolkata Airport consists of a modern, six-level L-shaped terminal divided into domestic and international wings. The former domestic terminal still handles a few regional flights, and the former international terminal is used for chartered Hajj flights. The new terminal houses almost three dozen eateries and almost two dozen retail establishments, with almost all of them located on the airside. WiFi is available to help pass the time. Additional comfort can be found through fee-based access to one of the airport’s first class lounges. See Airport Lounges in the guide below for locations and rates.

Kolkata Airport Guide
(Photo courtesy of a Guest Reviewer / 07Dec2018)

Sleeping in Kolkata Airport

Travellers call the airport safe and clean, with plenty of seating.  Unfortunately, armrests make stretching out impossible.  Be prepared to sleep on the floor.  Airport staff are generally tolerant of overnight sleepers, but the terminal is cold, noisy and brightly lit. For those reasons, consider bringing an extra layer or travel blanket, earplugs/noise-cancelling earphones, and eyeshade, if you are intending to spend the night at the airport. For uninterrupted sleep, there are day rooms in the airport and several hotels located nearby. See Airport Hotels in the guide below or read some traveller reviews for more tips.

Good to Know

Mosquitoes have been spotted inside the airport terminal near the gates. Bring mosquito repellent!

To help us keep this guide up-to-date, you can add or update information or write a review to submit airport tips and photos. You can also visit the airport’s web site for current information.  For more airport information continue scrolling down to explore more in our Kolkata Airport Guide.

In this guide we may refer to locations as “landside” and “airside”. Landside is the public area of the terminal located in the non-secure zone, before security. Airside is the secure area of the terminal that you must reach by going through security.  For more information on Europe’s Schengen Area, click here.

airport loungeAirport Lounges

Pay-per-use, Single Visit Passes & Lounge Memberships

Regardless of what class of service you are flying, there are lounges that you can enter by purchasing a lounge pass or through a lounge membership program. Visit the individual lounge page for more details about the lounge itself and to also find out how you can gain lounge access with just an economy class ticket!

  • Travel Club Lounge Annex – Location: Terminal 1, Airside, Mezzanine Level. Domestic flights.  Lounge Access: Lounge membership programs.
  • Travel Club (Domestic) – Location: Terminal 1, Airside, Mezzanine Level. Domestic flights.  Lounge Access: Prepaid lounge pass • Lounge membership programs.
  • Travel Club (International) –  Location: Terminal 2, Airside, Mezzanine Level.  International flights. Lounge Access: Prepaid lounge pass • Lounge membership programs.
  • Travel Club (International, Gate 10) – Location: Terminal 2, Airside, opposite Gate 10. International flights.  Lounge Access: Lounge membership programs.

Related Pages: Kokata Airport Lounges

airport hotelsAirport Hotels & Day Rooms

If sleeping in Kolkata airport sounds like a nightmare, there are retiring room inside the terminal and hotels near the airport:

Retiring Rooms – For passengers with a confirmed onward flight ticket, the airport offers a variety of lodging at the airport. In the Old Terminal (500 meters north of the New Terminal), there are eight furnished retiring rooms, a 10-bed Ladies Dormitory, and a 24-bed Men’s Dormitory. Accommodation is subject to availability, available on a first come first serve basis, and must be requested either in person or via fax to the Airport Manager’s office. Maximum stay is 24 hours. At the time of this update, these were the current rates: Rs 1000/- per bed (twin-sharing) in a Retiring Room, Rs 1500/- per room for a family Retiring Room, and Rs 700/- per bed for the Dormitory. Hours: Open 24 hours. In the New Terminal, Transit travellers have use of 12 double rooms located about 50 M from the luggage carousel. The rooms are fully furnished with attached washroom, wardrobe, television, mini fridge, mobile/laptop charging points, WiFi, complimentary newspapers, drinking water, and tea/coffee. Check-in available 24 hours a day. Rates start at RS 1,000. See the airport manager office on the departure level, which is accessible through Gate-3C or by sending a fax to 033-25118877.

Hotels near the airport

  • Holiday Inn Express Kolkata Airport  – 800m walk from the International Airport.  No airport shuttle is available.  » Check Rates
  • Hotel Airways – Located across from the Domestic Terminal building outside of the airport area. There is a fee for airport pick up, but airport drop off is free.  » Check Rates

For more options, visit Tripadvisor to see a list of hotels near Kolkata Airport that can be sorted by price, distance, traveller rating and popularity.

wifiAirport WiFi/Internet

Free WiFi is available at Kolkata Airport for 45 minutes. Connect to the “Tata Docomo Wi Fi” network, and enter your details at the web log-in page in order to get your WiFi serial number and PIN via SMS.

airport infoMore Services, Facilities & Things To Do On A Layover At The Airport

Communications

  • Post Office – Send your last minute postcards to friends and family from the airport’s post office. Location: Arrivals Level.
  • SIM Cards – A reader says “There is no option inside the airport to buy cellular SIM card. However, after coming out of the airport area, the [SIM cards] are easily available, for which one must possess proof of identity issued by the respective Government of the country to which the buyer belongs.” (October 2023)
  • WiFi – see “Airport WiFi/Internet” above.

Family Services

  • Baby Care Facilities – If you are travelling with an infant, there are Child Care rooms available for breastfeeding and diaper-changing. Locations: 3 are available in Departures and 1 is available in Arrivals, Lower Level.

Food & Drinks

  • Food & Drinks – Food concessions throughout the airport operate with varying schedules. At the time of this update, we are unable to confirm the availability of 24-hour dining, but we can tell you that there is a wide variety of options located throughout the landside and airside areas of the airport.

Luggage

  • Baggage Trolleys – Need a hand with your luggage? Baggage trolleys are available free of charge.
  • Luggage Storage & Lockers – Luggage can be stored up to 30 days in the Left Luggage Facility. Rates are Rs.20/- per bag for a period up to 24 hours, and Rs.40/- per bag, per day for every day beyond that, up to 30 days. Luggage is subject to x-ray and random hand search. Two locations: Arrivals, Counter 18 (near Gate 3C) or Departures, Airport Manager’s office, near Gate 3C. Hours: Open 24 hours.
  • Luggage Wrapping – Protect your bags from theft and damage by having your bags wrapped in plastic. Location: International Check-in area. Rates: Rs. 399/ bag.

Medical Services

  • Medical Services – For urgent and emergency medical assistance, there is a Medical Inspection Room located on both Departures and Arrivals levels. Hours: Open 24 hours.
  • Pharmacy – Apollo Pharmacy is available, Domestic Hall, Landside.

Mobile Charging

  • Mobile Charging – A reader tells us that mobile charging facilities are available in domestic departure area. The number of sockets is limited, but free of charge. An Indian power adapter is required needed.

Money

  • ATMs / Cash Machines – Need cash? ATMs are available. Fees may apply, so be sure to check your bank’s fee schedule and your daily withdrawal limit if you are travelling internationally. You may also want to notify your bank of your travel plans. Locations: multiple ATM’s are available all throughout the airport.
  • Currency Exchange – There are 7 foreign currency exchange counters available at the airport. At the time of this update they all appear to be located in the Arrivals area.

Prayer

  • Prayer Room – Location: unknown.

Rest & Relaxation

Shopping

  • Duty Free & Shopping – Duty-free shopping is available on both Arrivals and Departures levels of the International wing of the terminal. In addition, there is a small variety of shops selling clothing, shoes, teas and other items, located throughout the airport.

Showers, Salon & Spa

  • Showers – Not available.
  • Spa – Masti Health and Beauty offers spa services in the Domestic Hall, Airside.

Smoking

  • Smoking Lounge – Smoking is prohibited in the airport, except in the designated smoking rooms located both airside and landside.

airport hoursAirport Hours

The airport is open 24 hours.

airlinesAirlines

Kolkata airport is served by the following airlines: Air India • Air Asia • Bhutan Airlines • Biman Bangladesh • China Eastern Airlines • Dragon Air • Druk Air • Emirates • Go Air • IndiGo • Jet Konnect • Qatar Airways • Regent Airways • Singapore Airlines • SpiceJet • Thai Airways • United Airlines.

transportationAirport Transportation: Getting To/From The Airport

Buses

The airport is served by West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation (WBSTC) with air-conditioned buses connecting passengers to a variety of destinations.

Car Rentals

Wenzcars offers car rental services onsite and is open 24 hours.

Hotel Shuttles

At the time of this update, we were able to find only one hotel that provided airport transportation: Hotel Airways.

See also Airport Hotels above.

Taxis

Prepaid and on-demand taxis are available.

Trains

A reader says “There is no railway connectivity from the CCU airport to the suburban or any railway network at present. Metro Railway connectivity to the airport is under construction and is likely to take 03 (Three) years to become operational.” (October 2023)

Airport Photo Gallery

Related Pages: Kolkata Airport Photos

Last updated: 2024-02-06

This guide is for informational purposes only to assist with your planning.  All information, including rates and hours, is subject to change at any time without notice.   The information in this airport guide is based on information collected and/or received from the airports, lounges, hotels, transportation providers, and their websites. We are not representatives of any of the above-mentioned service providers. To report errors or to add/update any items mentioned in the guide: update the airport guide or  write a review.