Kolkata Tram Museum & Heritage Tram Ride: 4 Hours

Ride the trams that shaped Kolkata's streets for over a century

A 4-hour walking and transit tour of Kolkata that starts at the heritage sweet shop K.C. Das, visits the Tram Museum "Smaranika" housed in a working 1938 tram, includes a ride on Asia's first underwater metro, and ends with a heritage tram joyride past 25 landmark sites. The tour covers colonial-era mosques and churches, Raj Bhavan, and moves through the city on the same tram system that has operated since 1902. Pickup is included approximately 45 minutes before departure; the guide speaks English, Hindi, Bengali or Urdu; water, snacks, coffee and tea are provided.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Kolkata's heritage and transport

• Meet at K. C. Das sweet shop
• Taste signature sweet
• Visit Tipu Sultan Shahi Mosque
• See Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
• View Raj Bhavan from outside
• Tour Kolkata Tram Museum Smaranika
• Ride underwater metro between Esplanade and Howrah
• Enjoy Heritage Tram Joyride to Shyambazar/Gariahat
• Pass by Thoburn Memorial Methodist Church

The experience

K.C. Das, a heritage sweet shop in central Kolkata, is where the tour begins. You'll taste the shop's signature sweet before setting out on foot. From there, the route moves through four stops within walking distance: the Tipu Sultan Shahi Mosque on Dharamtalla Street, the Sacred Heart Church with its marble stations of the Cross and stained glass windows, the exterior of Raj Bhavan (built in 1803 as Government House), and finally the Kolkata Tram Museum itself. The museum occupies two vintage trams from 1938, one fitted as a cafeteria and the other displaying nearly 150 years of tram history: old tickets, conductor caps, coins, and mechanical parts that show how the system evolved.

After the museum, you board Asia's first underwater metro rail, which runs between Esplanade and Howrah stations. The ride itself is the experience: you travel beneath the Hooghly River on a line that opened in 2020, then return to Esplanade. From there, the heritage tram joyride takes over. You'll ride the working vintage tram line from Esplanade toward Shyambazar or Gariahat and back, passing more than 25 heritage sites along the way, including the Thoburn Memorial Methodist Church, established in 1873 and the largest Methodist church in Calcutta. The tram's bell-clanging conductors and rattling carriages are part of the experience itself. This is the oldest operating tram system in India, still moving through the city much as it has for over a century.

The full tour runs approximately 4 hours. Stairs are minimal: no more than 10 at any single location, with escalators and lifts available elsewhere. Pickup is arranged about 45 minutes before the tour begins. The guide is a live person speaking English, Hindi, Bengali or Urdu, and the inclusions cover water, snacks, coffee and tea throughout.

What’s included

• Bottled water and snacks.
• coffee and tea.
• live guide in English, Hindi, Bengali or Urdu.
• all fees and taxes.
• hotel pickup approximately 45 minutes before departure.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except ThursdayDeparts at 13:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (18 to 64 years) · Senior (65 and older) · Youth (6 to 17 years) · Child (2 to 5 years) · Infant (under 2): free

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish, Bangla, Hindi and Urdu

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Trips & Tours

Is this one for you?This tour works best for small groups and individual travelers who want to move through Kolkata's history on foot and by transit rather than by car, experiencing the tram system itself as both transport and the main attraction.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Hindi, Bangla and Urdu.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (6 to 17 years); Child (2 to 5 years); Infant (under 2): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Kolkata Tram Museum and what will I see inside?

The Kolkata Tram Museum "Smaranika" is housed inside two vintage trams built in 1938, one of which still operates. One car serves as a cafeteria. The other displays exhibits spanning nearly 150 years of tram history: photographs, old tickets and passes, conductor pens and caps, coins, and mechanical parts like Pull-Off Springs and Governor Switches. You can sit in the cafeteria and watch a documentary on Kolkata's trams if you wish.

What is the underwater metro and how does it fit into this tour?

Asia's first underwater metro rail runs between Esplanade and Howrah stations, passing beneath the Hooghly River. On this tour, you ride the line up and down, experiencing the engineering that opened in 2020 as part of Kolkata's modern transit system: a contrast to the heritage trams you ride afterward.

How many heritage sites will I pass during the tram joyride?

The heritage tram joyride passes more than 25 landmark heritage sites as it runs from Esplanade toward Shyambazar or Gariahat and back. One notable stop you'll pass is the Thoburn Memorial Methodist Church, established in 1873 and the largest Methodist church in Calcutta.

Is this tour physically demanding, and are there stairs?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Stairs are minimal (no more than 10 at any single location) with escalators and lifts available elsewhere. The tour is not wheelchair accessible.

What's included in the tour price?

The tour includes a live guide in your choice of English, Hindi, Bengali or Urdu; bottled water and snacks throughout; coffee and tea; all fees and taxes; and hotel pickup approximately 45 minutes before the tour begins.