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Major city · India

Patnaपटना

Give Patna one full day for Golghar, Kumhrar and the Bihar Museum, then use it as the rail base for Bodh Gaya, Rajgir and Nalanda — not as a sightseeing city in its own right.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
INR
Best months
Oct–Mar
avoid Apr–Jun (40 °C+), Jul–Sep (monsoon flooding)
Airport
PAT
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 6
  • South Asia ↗Trekking regions, border districts and several Indian states need separate permits on top of the visa; check the permit before you book transport into them.
  • South Asia ↗Remove shoes (and in many Jain and Hindu temples, leather) before entering; cover shoulders and legs; ask before photographing people or rituals.
  • India ↗Apply for the e-visa only on the official government portal (indianvisaonline.gov.in); lookalike sites charge extra. Check the current rules, fees and how far ahead to apply.
  • India ↗Do not follow anyone who says your hotel is closed, the station ticket office is closed or a road is shut; use the prepaid taxi counter, the metro or an app car.
  • India ↗Carry Indian rupees in small notes (10, 20, 50, 100); change for 500 is often refused.
  • India ↗Parts of the Northeast, Sikkim, Ladakh, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and all border belts need a Protected or Restricted Area Permit or an Inner Line Permit for foreigners; check before you book the route.

Patna is the capital of Bihar and the old Mauryan and Gupta capital of Pataliputra, on the south bank of the Ganges. Most travellers pass through on the Buddhist and Jain circuit: Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, Nalanda, Vaishali and Pawapuri are all day trips from here. The city itself is loud, fast-growing and short on polished sights, so plan one or two nights, not a week.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Patna, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Street or quick mealChai at a street stall₹10–20 (≈ under US$1)
  • Museum or sight ticketBihar Museum entry (Indian / foreign adult)Camera ₹100 extra; closed Monday.₹100 (≈ US$2)₹500 (≈ US$6)
  • Budget bedHostel or guesthouse bed, a night, per person₹500 (≈ US$6)
  • Mid-range bedMid-range double room, a night, per room₹2,500 (≈ US$30)
  • High-end bedMid-range double room, a night, per room₹5,000 (≈ US$60)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget ₹1,500 (≈ US$18) · Mid ₹3,500 (≈ US$40) · High ₹8,000 (≈ US$95)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Pataliputra ruins at KumhrarGolghar granaryBihar MuseumTakht Sri Patna Sahib (Sikh)Gateway to Bodh Gaya, Rajgir and Nalanda
Airports
PAT Jay Prakash Narayan Airport (Domestic only; daily flights to Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, about 6 km from the centre.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Patna: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

22°C

9°C

2 rd

Feb

26°C

13°C

2 rd

Mar

32°C

17°C

2 rd

Apr

37°C

22°C

3 rd

May

38°C

25°C

5 rd

Jun

36°C

27°C

10 rd

Jul

33°C

27°C

16 rd

Aug

33°C

27°C

15 rd

Sep

33°C

26°C

11 rd

Oct

32°C

22°C

3 rd

Nov

29°C

15°C

1 rd

Dec

24°C

11°C

1 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Shared auto-rickshaws ('tempos') are the cheapest way around, roughly ₹5–15 a hop. Reserve autos cost far more — agree the fare first. Patna Metro is partly open (Blue Line: ISBT, Zero Mile, Bhootnath as of late 2025); the rest is under construction. City buses run from Gandhi Maidan and are cheaper but slower. Driving yourself is not advised for visitors.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Bodh Gaya

overnight

Door to door: 2.5–3.5 h each way

Train or bus to Gaya, then a 20-min auto; or a direct car

Mahabodhi Temple and the meditation centres deserve a night, not a rushed return.

Rajgir

go

Door to door: 2–2.5 h each way

Train to Rajgir, about 2 h, or a car on NH20

Ropeway to the hilltop stupa, hot springs and the Cyclopean wall; a full day.

Nalanda

go

Door to door: 2–2.5 h each way

Car or bus via Rajgir, about 90 km

Combine with Rajgir in one day; the ruins open in daylight hours only.

Vaishali

go

Door to door: 1.5–2 h each way

Car or bus north across the Ganges, about 40 km

Ashokan pillar and the relic stupa; half a day is enough.

Pawapuri

go

Door to door: 2–2.5 h each way

Car via Bihar Sharif, about 90 km

Jain temple on the water; pairs well with Nalanda and Rajgir.

Bihar Sharif

caution

Door to door: 1.5–2 h each way

Train or car, about 80 km

Mainly a stop on the way to Nalanda and Pawapuri, not a destination on its own.

Deo

caution

Door to door: 3 h+ each way

Car or bus via Gaya district

Sun temple and a local fair; only worth it if you are already in the area.

Simultala

skip

Door to door: 3 h+ each way

Train on the Jhajha line, about 3 h

Hill station for locals; too far for a day return from Patna.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Fraser Road / Patna Junction

Walk to the station, Buddha Smriti Park and the main bazaar streets; best for one night with bags.

Bailey Road

Quieter, greener, near the Bihar Museum and the planetarium; 10–15 min by auto from the station.

Gandhi Maidan

Central for buses, Gandhi Sangrahalaya and the river ghats; mid-range hotels and offices.

Patna Sahib (east)

For the Sikh takht and the older riverside quarter; 30–40 min from the station in traffic.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
₹1,500–3,000 (≈ US$18–35) excl. bed
Mid
₹3,000–6,000 (≈ US$35–70) excl. bed
High
₹6,000 (≈ US$70)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Mid-range double room1 × 2 nights × ₹2,500₹5,000
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × ₹3,500₹14,000
Airport to centre by prepaid taxi1 × ₹500 · check₹500
Shared tempo, one hop2 × ₹20₹30
eSIM, about a week of data2 × ₹800₹1,600
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge₹2,110
Trip total≈ ₹5,810 per person per day, bed included₹23,240≈ US$300

2026 estimate in rupees; flights and long-distance trains excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Chai at a street stall₹10–20 (≈ under US$1)
Thali or biryani in a mid-range restaurant₹150–400 (≈ US$2–5)
Bihar Museum entry (Indian / foreign adult)Camera ₹100 extra; closed Monday.₹100 (≈ US$2) / ₹500 (≈ US$6)
Patna Museum entry (Indian / foreign)Extra ₹250 for the Holy Relic Casket.₹10 (≈ under US$1) / ₹250 (≈ US$3)
Buddha Smriti Park entry / stupaClosed Monday.₹10 (≈ under US$1) / ₹50 (≈ under US$1)
Auto-rickshaw across the centreAgree first; shared tempos are far cheaper.₹100–250 (≈ US$2–3)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Patna is busy and poor, not especially dangerous for visitors. The real risks are heat, traffic, monsoon flooding and touts at the station — keep valuables out of sight, use prepaid taxis and don't walk the older riverside lanes after dark.
  • Summer heat from April: 40 °C+ and humid; carry water and plan indoor stops midday.
  • Monsoon (Jul–Sep) brings street flooding and delays; the Ganges can rise fast.
  • Touts at Patna Junction offer 'help' with tickets and taxis — book trains on the official IRCTC site.
  • Agree auto fares before boarding; meters are rare.
  • Some riverside ghats and older quarters are poorly lit after dark — take an auto back, not a walk.

Emergency numbers

All services (police, fire, ambulance)
112
Tourist helpline (national, 24 h)
1363

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Patnaपटना

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

इस पते पर ले चलिएTo this address, please

Emergency

  • All services112
  • Tourist helpline (24 h)1363

Embassy

No embassies in Patna; the US, UK and most others are in New Delhi. Consulates for some countries are in Kolkata.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Airport → Fraser Road, prepaid taxi: ₹400–600 (≈ US$5–7), about 20–30 min (check)
  • Patna Junction → Patna Sahib, auto: ₹250–400 (≈ US$3–5), 30–40 min in traffic (check)
  • Shared tempo, one hop: ₹5–15 (≈ under US$1)

Say or show

  • नमस्ते — Hello / Namaste (namaste)
  • धन्यवाद — Thank you (dhanyavaad)
  • कितना है? — How much is it? (kitna hai)
  • बहुत महंगा है — Too expensive (bahut mehnga hai)
  • शौचालय कहाँ है? — Where is the toilet? (shauchalay kahan hai)
  • कृपया मुझे इस पते पर ले चलिए — Please take me to this address (kripya mujhe is pate par le chaliye)

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Patna. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Oct–Mar · avoid Apr–Jun (40 °C+), Jul–Sep (monsoon flooding) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 8 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for PAT: last flights in, prepaid taxi rates, and a station-area hotel rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Fraser Road and Patna Junction, Gandhi Maidan and the river, Bailey Road museums, Patna Sahib.
  3. Place pages with verified hours (Bihar Museum, Patna Museum, Golghar, Kumhrar, Buddha Smriti Park) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Day-trip fixtures for Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, Nalanda and Vaishali with train times and car-hire rates.

Meanwhile

Back to India

Sources