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Patna

Pop: 1.2 million Phone Code: 0612

Patna, situated on the bank of the Ganges, is the capital of Bihar. There is little to do in this town. Travelers might come here on their way to and from Nepal, or to visit some of the Buddhist sites in the area.

History
Emperor Ajatasatru moved the capital of the Magadha Empire from Rajgir to Patna in the 5th century BC, at which time the city was called Pataliputra. Some of the remains of this city can be seen at Kumrahar. Under Emperors xe "Chandragupta" Chandragupta and xe "Ashoka" Ashoka (274–237 BC), Pataliputra was the capital of an empire that ruled a major portion of India and was the largest city in the world. The Mauryas built a road that went from Taxila in Pakistan to the Bay of Bengal. After the Maurya Empire fell, Pataliputra lost its importance, but in the 16th century after Sher Shah defeated Humayun, Patna again became the capital of Northern India.

The British took control of the city after the Battle of Buxar in 1764.

Orientation
Patna extends along the southern bank of the Ganges for about 14km. The old city is in the east section of the city. The main railway and bus stations, along with most of the hotels are in the western part of the city. Fraser Rd (renamed Muzharul Haque Raj Path), near the railway station, is where the state tourist office and many of the hotels and restaurants are located.

Tourist Offices
The useful Government of India Tourist Office (345-776), Sudama Palace Complex, 5th fl., Kankarbagh Rd, near the Jaisarmil Hotel, organizes a weekend tour that goes to sites in Patna, Nalanda, Pawapuri, and Rajgir. The only sign from the outside of the building is on the balcony of the 5th floor. Open Mon to Fri 9 am to 6 pm & Sat 9 am to 1 pm.

The Bihar State Government Tourist Office (210-219) is on Fraser Rd. There are also counters at the airport and railway station. Open Mon to Sat 10 am to 5 pm. They run a tour of Patna, Nalanda, Rajgir, and Pawapuri on Sat and Sun for Rs 125.

Information
You can change money at the State Bank of India on West Gandhi Maidan, the large park near the river. Trade Wings, near the Maurya Patna Hotel, changes cash, travelers cheques, and gives advances on some credit cards. They are efficient. Some five-star hotels such as the Maurya Patna also change money.

Ashok Travel & Tours, in the Hotel Pataliputra Ashok, and Travel Corporation of India, Maurya Patna Complex, are reliable travel agents.
The British Library (224-198) is on Bank Rd, near Gandhi Maidan. There are some decent bookshops on Fraser Rd.

The pool in the Hotel Maurya Patna can be used by non-guests for Rs 150.

Raj Lakshmi Nursing home (352-225), Kankarbagh Rd, is a possible hospital.
Internet can be used at the British Library.

Patna Museum
The Patna Museum is an interesting place with an excellent collection of ancient stone and metal sculptures. The Mauryan yakshi female (3rd century BC) in the middle of the first floor hall is considered an important sculpture. There is a good collection of Tibetan artifacts and thangkas. This museum is worth seeing. Open daily except Monday 10.30 am to 4.30 pm.

Located on Old Bypass Road between Patna Junction station and Patna Sahib station. Open daily 9 am to 5 pm.

Other Places
The Ganges, when it reaches Patna, is extremely wide. The Mahatma Gandhi Bridge, built in 1983, is 7km long and is one of the longest bridges in the world.

The Golghar is an egg-shaped grain storage bin built in 1786 by the British as a reserve in case of famine. It was never used. You can climb to the top of it (29m) and get a view of the city and the Ganges. It is near Gandhi Maiden.

Where to Stay—Lower
There are Retiring Rooms in the railway station for Rs 150 and Rs 225 with A/C. A dorm bed is Rs 60.
Ruby Hotel, SP Verma Rd, has basic rooms for Rs 85/125. It is quiet. 24-hour checkout.
Hotel Shyama (655-539), Exhibition Rd, is one of the best budget places. It has rooms with bath for Rs 90/125.
Rajkumar (655-011) has rooms for Rs 100/150.
Indrasen (226-872), Fraser Rd. by the railway station, is a good value.
Hotel Amar (224-157), just off Fraser Rd, near the Hotel Samrat, has good budget rooms for Rs 150/175.
Hotel Yash (227-210) has clean rooms for Rs 300/350 and Rs 650 with A/C. It is a good place.
The new Hotel Swayam Sidhi (655-312) has clean, good-sized rooms with bath for Rs 225/400. It is a good place.

Where to Stay—Middle
Hotel Mayur (224-149), on Fraser Rd, not far from the railway station, is a good place that has clean spacious rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 200/275.
Hotel Sheodar (227-210) has good clean rooms for Rs 225 and Rs 400 with A/C.
Hotel Anand Lok (223-960), Station Rd, next to the railway station, has rooms with bath for Rs 250/350.
Hotel Republic (655-021), Exhibition Rd, has room for Rs 650/800 and Rs 900/1050 for an A/C room. It has a good vegetarian restaurant.
Rajasthan Hotel (225-102), Fraser Rd, has rooms for Rs 450 and Rs 750 with A/C.
Hotel President (220-600), on a side street off Fraser Rd, has rooms with hot water for Rs 400/450 and Rs 700/800 with A/C.
Kautilya Vihar Tourist Bungalow (225-411), R-Block on Beer Chand Patel Path, has rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 300/400 and dorm beds for Rs 100.
Hotel Samrat International (220-560; fax 226-386) is a good place with comfortable rooms with hot water for Rs 1050/1150 and Rs 1200/1400 with A/C.
Satkar International Hotel (220-551; fax 220-556), Fraser Rd, has rooms for Rs 600/800 and Rs 800/1000 with A/C.

Where to Stay—High
The three-star Hotel Chanakya (220-590; fax 220-598), by the Tourist Bungalow, has comfortable rooms for Rs 1700/2200. It is popular with businessmen.
The luxury Welcomgroup Maurya Patna (222-061; fax 222-069), well located near Gandhi Maiden, is the best hotel in town. It has a pool, and the rooms are Rs 2600/2800.
The friendly Pataliputra Ashok (226-270; fax 223-467), Bir Chand Patel Path, has rooms for Rs 1700/2400. It has a pool and a good restaurant. Half-day rates available.

Where to Eat
Rajasthan Hotel, Fraser Rd, near the Bihar Tourist Office, has a good, recommended veg restaurant with good ice cream.
Bansi Vihar, Fraser Rd, serves good South Indian food and has A/C.
Hasty Tasty, Fraser Rd, near the railway station, is a popular, inexpensive place.
Sri Krishna Sandwich Bar, on Dak Bungalow Rd, serves pizzas and sandwiches.
Gaurav’s Restaurant, in the Hotel Swayam Siddhi, is a good vegetarian place.
Amrali, same building as Hotel Kautilya Vihara, BC Patel Path, has very good vegetarian food and good service. Recommended.
Mayfair Ice Cream Parlour, Fraser Rd, serves dosas and other snacks, and an assortment of ice cream.

Local Travel
Shared auto-rickshaws go between the railway station and Gulzarbagh (Rs 5 per person). They also go from the railway station to Gandhi Maiden bus stand (Rs 4 per person).

Travel
Air  There are flights to Calcutta (2 daily, $90), Delhi (3 daily, $130), Lucknow (2 daily, $90) and Mumbai (2 daily, $195). The Indian Airlines office (226–433; fax 227-310; Airport: 238-939) is on South Gandhi Maidan. Sahara Air (661-109; fax 673-084; Airport: 228-307) may have a daily flight to Varanasi.
The airport is 7km west of the city. There is an Indian Airlines bus that goes to the airport departing from near Gandhi Maidan. A taxi to the airport is Rs 125; an auto-rickshaw Rs 75. 

Train There are three railway stations in Patna. The main one is Patna Junction, which is on the Calcutta-Delhi line. There are trains to Calcutta (9 hr), Delhi (13 hr), Varanasi (5 hr), Puri, Guwahati, New Jalpaiguri, and Mumbai. To get to Darjeeling there is a train to New Jalpaiguri (10 pm, 12 hr), and from there you take the “toy train” or a bus.
Calcutta Rajdhani Exp #2306 (5.33 am, 7 hr, Mon, Fri), Poova Exp #2304 (7.45 am, 10½ hr, Wed, Th, Sat, Sun), Danapur-Howrah Exp (7.25 pm, 11 hr); Chennai Patna-Chennai Exp #6044 (2.45 pm, 30 hr); Delhi Rajdhani Exp #2305 (9.05 pm, Wed, Sun, 13 hr), Brahmaputra Mail #4055 (1.20 pm, 15 hr); Gaya Patna-Hatia Exp (9.50 am, 92km, 2½ hr); Guwahati NE Exp #5622 (10.15 pm, 21 hr); Mumbai Patna-Kurla Exp #3201 (11.20 pm, 13 hr); Varanasi Amritsar Mail #3005 (5.10 am, 5½ hr), several other trains daily.

Bus The main bus station is at Harding Park, half a km west of the Patna Junction railway station. Buses to Gaya (3 hr), Varanasi, Siliguri (12 hr), and Ranchi (10 hr) leave from there. Buses depart to Raxaul (6 hr) via Muzaffarpur from Gate 6.
Many government buses depart for places all over Bihar from the Gandhi Maidan Bus Stand. From this station there are buses to Siliguri (3 pm) and Raxaul (6 hr).

To and From Nepal
The border crossing near Patna is a 5 to 6 hour drive north at Raxaul/Birganj. It is better to take a bus to the border than a train, as there are no direct trains. There are some direct buses to Raxaul from the main bus stand, and others depart from the government bus stand. You can also catch a bus to Muzaffarpur and from there catch another bus to Raxaul. If you are coming from Delhi or Varanasi, it is better to cross the border at Gorakhpur/Sunauli.

You can buy a through ticket to Kathmandu from a travel agent in Patna that includes a bus to the border, a rickshaw for the border crossing, basic accommodation in Raxaul, and a bus from the Nepal border to Kathmandu. It is just as easy, much cheaper, and much more reliable, to do it yourself. When you come out of the train station, if you ask a rickshaw driver to take you to the bus to xe "Nepal:Travel to" Nepal, there is a good chance you will be taken to one of these private operators, since the rickshaw drivers receive a commission on your ticket. There is really no reason to deal with these characters. More than likely they will charge you two to three times the price of what you could have arranged yourself.

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