Birganj
Pop: 100,000 Area Code 051
Foreigners can cross the border here into India. As this place is
a dirty, polluted, industrial city, you most likely will want to leave
this town as soon as you get to it. If you are coming from Calcutta
or Patna, Birganj is the best place to enter Nepal, otherwise there
is no reason to come here. If you are coming to Nepal from Delhi or
Varanasi, it is best to enter at Sunauli.
Four km south of here is the Indian town of Raxaul.
Rickshaw will bring you from Birganj to Raxaul for Rs 50.
Information
Birganj and Raxaul Bazaar on the Indian side of the border are basically
connected. The bus stations in the two towns are about a 30 minutes
rickshaw ride apart. The Birganj bus station is 500m east of the clock
tower on Ring Road.
Nepalese immigration is open 24 hours (maybe 6 am to 7 pm), but after
7 pm you may have to find the immigration officer. When entering Nepal
it is best to have the exact amount in US dollars, or you may have
to wait hours for change.
Most businesses in Birganj accept Indian rupees at the
official rate.
The Nepal Bank (Monday to Friday, 11 am to 5 pm, Saturday,
11 am to 3 pm and Rastriya Banijya Bank changes money. Other banks
also change money between 8 am and 7 pm. There is a place to change
money on the main street that takes cash and travelers cheques. There
is a place that changes money conveniently across form the Hotel Makalu.
Most businesses in Birganj take Indian rupees at the official rate.
Where to Stay and Eat
The cheaper places in town are real dumps.
Hotel Prakash is a cheap run-down budget place. Unless you are really
pushed for cash it is best avoided.
Hotel Kailash (23084; fax 22410) has rooms for Rs 150/250 with common
bath, Rs 300/500 with bath and Rs 1000/1100 with A/C. It has a good
A/C restaurant.
Hotel Diyalo (22370; fax 25375), next door, is a well-managed place
with clean, good rooms with bath for Rs 500/600, Rs 700/800 with air-cooling,
and Rs 1200/1500 with A/C. It is a good value and has a good restaurant.
Hotel Cottage Fulbari (21103) has rooms Rs 450/500 and Rs 1200/1500
with A/C. It has a good restaurant.
Hotel Makalu (23054; email: hmakalu@mos.com.np) has A/C rooms and
is one of the best places in town.
Hotel Heera Plaza (23988; fax 23916) is a comfortable place.
Hotel Samjhana (22122; fax 22535), in the north part of town, has
a nice garden and a pool (may be dirty). It has comfortable rooms
in the new wing for Rs 1800/2200. The older rooms are not a good value
at Rs 800/1000. They may give a discount.
Where to Eat
Kanchha Sweets has good sweet, snacks and dosas.
New Angan has Indian food.
Hariyali Restaurant in the Hotel Samjhana has very good Indian and
Continental food.
Himanchal Cabin, on the main road, has good South Indian food.
Hotel Kalilash, Hotel Diyalo, and Hotel Cottage Fulwari have good
restaurants.
Travel
To and From India
It is a half-hour bus ride from the Birganj bus station to the border
(Rs 20 Nepali). From the border it is another 20 minute rickshaw ride
to the Raxaul bus station (Rs 25 Indian). It is a good idea to hire
the same rickshaw to bring you from one bus station to the other and
add on a fee for waiting time (Rs 40 per hour, best arranged in advance).
Confirm that the fare is Nepali rupees, as when you arrive you may
be asked for Indian rupees.
There are regular buses to Patna (Rs 75 Indian) from Raxaul Bazaar.
To and From Nepal
Lumbini Airway (20453), RNAC and Cosmic Air has flight to
Kathmandu from Simara, where the airport is located near Birganj for
Rs $48.
The bus station is 1km east of the clocktower. There are many buses
to Kathmandu (10 hr, 6 and 9 am and 7 to 9 pm). Day buses are around
Rs 125 and night buses are Rs 155.
There are buses to Pokhara (6 am to 3 pm, Rs 130 & 7 to 9 pm,
Rs 160), Sauraha for Chitwan (Rs 70) and Janakpur (Rs100).
