Kolkata to Digha Bus Service – AC Deluxe Buses & Volvo Buses

It was a fantastic tour to Digha but a bit hectic because we didn’t have enough days in hand to relax and travel. We set off on 10th of August at night and returned on 12th of August at night.

I wanted to share my travel experience with you all but thought of sharing the journey from Kolkata to Digha by a AC Deluxe bus is much more needed and it would surely help you make your decision when you book a ticket in a AC Deluxe bus for your trip to Digha from Kolkata. This was the first time I opted for a bus journey at night from Esplanade to Digha. I have visited Digha for more than ten times now but every time either I opted for the bus that departs from our locality or by train. There was only a time when I took a CSTC bus from Esplanade to Digha because I didn’t get booking in any other bus and train. I knew there are some travel agencies which operate AC Deluxe coaches from Esplanade to Digha. Some of them claim to run Volvo services which is just a lie. Most of the buses are AC Super Deluxe buses which really do not match Volvo standards but agencies like Jai Dada and Ex Servicemen have got Volvo services. Just make sure which one you are opting for and confirm it before booking your tickets.

I wanted to book a ticket in one of the Volvo coaches being operated by the “Ex Servicemen” and “Jai Dada”– renowned Tours and Travels agencies which operate Volvo bus services to different parts of the city and outside from the city. We were sure to get four tickets to Digha but unfortunately there were no buses being run by them after 7pm on the date of our journey due to less demand. So, they referred us to another agency that runs AC Super Deluxe buses to Digha from Kolkata. We went to the counter of “Friends Travels” and booked our four tickets to Digha that was supposed to depart late at night at 10.45pm.

We reached the spot well before the time of depart, had our dinner and were ready to grab our seat in the bus. When the door opened we took our seats and the bus started off on time and we were on our way to Digha from Kolkata for our short trip. The bus was well decorated and looked classy. The air conditioner was working fine, there were speakers above our head with spot lights that enable a passenger to light up the space around without disturbing others. I put on my head phones and was listening to some Bollywood numbers but after a certain period of time we all felt that the seats were not scientifically made and we were suffering from back pain. We had nothing to do but to manage because a report to the driver or the attendant present in the bus would not bring us any help. The space was too less to extend your legs and we had to somehow fold our legs because when the passengers before us pushed back their seats, our legs suffered. There was a drunken fellow in the bus who consumed more alcohol than his capacity (we guessed so) and turned on the speakers above his head which brought in more trouble because neither could we listen to the songs on our head phones nor we could sleep though that problem had been resolved shortly when most of the passengers stood up.

Finally we reached Digha in the wee hours and the bus dropped us in Old Digha which was the last stoppage. We had no other option than to seat by the sea because we didn’t want to disturb the care taker and others in the flat we stayed in, built by the PWD employees. Hotels and resorts would not allow you to check in so early in the morning. A personal request or any bond would do that but that is not for all.

Pros and Cons – AC Deluxe Bus – Kolkata-Digha

Pros:

• Air conditioner works fine
• You can control the AC outlets above your head
• Audio system – Speakers above your head
• Spot lights above your head
• Push back seats
• Window glasses are not fixed(you can open it in case AC doesn’t work)
• Video system – Television in a high platform in the front
• Driver’s chamber is separated by a door (good news for the smokers)
• One can request the driver for a halt (a Govt. bus would hardly listen to you)
• Comfortable journey compared to other buses

Cons:

• Audio system – you have to bear the sound if another guy turns on the speaker
• Hardly any space to extend your legs
• Seats are not scientifically made – one might suffer from back pain
• Seats are narrow
• No head phones for every seat
• No plug points for mobile charging in every seat

AC Deluxe, Super Deluxe and Volvo Bus Service – Kolkata To Digha

• Ex Servicemen
• Jai Dada Travels
• Royal Cruiser

These three operators are the best bus operators between Kolkata and Digha. They have all type of buses like AC Deluxe, AC Super Deluxe and Volvo. There are many other operators but I would refer these three operators because other operators say that they would give you Volvo service but in actual the buses will be deluxe buses unlike Volvo.

Kolkata TO Digha AC Buses From Esplanade

Bookings: All these operators have their booking counters in Esplanade bus depot. You can visit the place find one to book your tickets. These operators run buses according to the demand.If you want to save your time or you don’t find time to visit the counters, you can book online.

Kolkata To Digha Bus Timings

Services: These operators run buses from day to night. Most of the buses run in morning, a few in the evening and less in the nights. When it is season time or there is an increase in demand, they increase the number of buses to accommodate the passengers. These buses take around 4 to 5 hours to reach Old Digha on an average depending on the jam created by the Kolaghat Bridge on the national highway. The journey would take much less time when the Kolaghat bridges on both sides presently under construction are finished.

Bus Fares From Kolkata To Digha

Fare and cost: The general cost of a ticket in an AC Deluxe or Super Deluxe bus is Rs.250 where as fare in a Volvo is much higher to the extent of Rs. 400 In peak time when there is a huge demand of tickets it is hard to book a ticket. So I would suggest to book tickets well in advance. There are some touts who can manage you a ticket but would charge much more than the actual price.

Bus Journey From Kolkata To Digha – My experience

My experiences: I went by a bus which is operated by “Friends Travels” because I didn’t get a ticket of “Ex Servicemen” as I have mentioned earlier. The journey was not comfortable as it was expected to be. The bus was not a Volvo but an AC Deluxe. I couldn’t sleep (I needed that badly) because someone turned on the speaker over his head and I had to bear that for a certain period till we objected. Had there been a head phone system, I would have had a nice sleep. Seats were not spacious and that brought in trouble too.

Kolkata To Digha Bus – My Suggestions

Suggestions: Make sure that the bus booked is of a Volvo brand if the authority claims so. I have doubt if any one of the operators has a Volvo bus except the operators mentioned above. All the buses are super deluxe but do not match Volvo standards (I guess so). Only the three operators run Volvo standard buses.

Hope all the information and facts shared above comes to your help when you book a ticket for your Digha trip in a AC Deluxe coach from Kolkata to Digha. Stay tuned to Traveldias.com for more updates on my recent Digha trip that would help you to come across some offbeat destinations in Digha and the unexplored things in Digha. Thank you for landing in my blog, looking forward to your next visit soon.

Keep traveling, keep smiling. 🙂