TRAVEL INFORMATION FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS

Overview of Travel Arrangements to Gaya, India:

Only direct air link from Bangkok to Gaya is operated by Thai Airways International. Seats are expensive and in short supply due to withdrawal of all competing carriers which formerly landed at the Gaya Airport.

Nearby cities with national airlinks connecting to international flights are Varanasi (VNS, Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport), at a  distance of 250 km from Gaya and Patna (PAT, Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Airport), at a distance of 100 km from Gaya. Jet Airways has direct (1hr20min) and multi-hop flights to Varanasi from Delhi for those traveling from abroad.  Indian Airlines has flights from Delhi to Patna.  Both airlines connect with international arriving flights. Local transport must be arranged between Varanasi-Gaya by bus or train and between Patna-Gaya by bus or taxi.

Another alternative is to arrive in the international gateway cities, like Kolkata/Calcutta (CCU, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport), 500 km from Gaya, or Delhi (DEL, Indira Gandhi International Airport), 1000 km from Gaya, with onward inland transport by bus or train. Onward inland transport mode/bookings should be coordinated prior to arrival due to the complexities of purchasing tickets in India. Ample time must be left for inter-mode connections and for the complexities of Indian customs formalities.

** Note that passport must have at least six months' validity to the date of departure from India. **

Rail Schedules

Delhi to Gaya: about a dozen trains daily; travel time varies between 12 and 18 hours. Calcutta (Kolkata) to Gaya: about a dozen trains daily; travel time between 6-1/2 and 9 hours.

http://www.mustseeindia.com/how-to-reach/from-kolkata-to-bodh-gaya/trains
http://www.mustseeindia.com/Bodh-Gaya/how-to-reach

Another very useful website for making train reservations and finding the schedules & fares is the official Indian Railways site.

http://www.indianrail.gov.in

Travel Bursaries:
The Light of Buddhadharma Foundation International will cover the travel costs (maximum Rs 1500/-) within India of all Bhikkhus whose registration is accepted to attend the seventh International Pali Tipitaka Chanting Ceremony. All confirmed registrants will be issued a registration number. The Foundation will also sponsor a limited number of air tickets, organized through the national sanghas that form the International Chanting Council.

Additional Information:

Map of Gaya District, Bihar

Please click here for a Tourist Map of Bodhgaya
Please see Travisa Outsourcing's site for Indian Visa application (Embassy Liaison)
Please see Center for Disease Control for vaccination and health information.

Medical care in Bodhgaya:
Doctors in town can provide diagnostic services (lab work) if necessary. There are pharmacies to fill needed prescriptions. (Do bring your own prescribed medications). There are a variety of homeopathic and ayurvedic options in town. Gaya Hospital is 12km away, for serious concerns. Shakyamuni Buddha Community Health Care Center, Root Institute, is open weekly for travelers.