Cheap flights to Patna
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Quick summary
Country
India
Continent
Asia
Airport
PAT
Currency
Indian rupee (INR)
Time zone
UTC+5:30 (IST), no daylight saving
Deals already spotted to Patna
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Why track Patna with SniperAir
The capital of Bihar and gateway to the Buddhist circuit
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Patna is the capital of Bihar state in north-eastern India, on the south bank of the Ganges. Once called Pataliputra, it was the capital of the Maurya and Gupta empires (Wikivoyage EN). The Greek ambassador Megasthenes described it around 300 BCE as the biggest city he knew, and the Chinese monk Faxian spent months there around the year 400 (Wikipedia FR, DE). Under the Mughals it was called Azimabad (Wikipedia FR; Wikivoyage EN). Wikivoyage (EN) presents it as a gateway to the Buddhist and Jain centres of Vaishali, Rajgir, Nalanda and Bodh Gaya.
A frank word about first impressions: Wikivoyage (EN, DE) warns that the city can feel noisy, chaotic and marked by poverty, while changing quickly. This page focuses on Patna and on Nalanda and Bodh Gaya, its best-known neighbours; for the rest of the country, see the India page. SniperAir tracks flight prices and alerts you when one drops below your budget; we do not sell or book anything.
Airport and transfer
Jay Prakash Narayan Airport (PAT), 5 km from the centre
Jay Prakash Narayan Airport (PAT)
The airport lies about 5 km south-west of the city (Wikipedia FR, DE). It is mainly served by domestic flights: Wikivoyage (EN) lists Delhi, Lucknow, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Indore and Ranchi, with daily flights to Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. Airlines and schedules change, so check before booking.
Distance PAT to Patna centre: about 5 km. No taxi fare is quoted here.
Patna Junction station is served by Rajdhani Express trains from New Delhi (Wikivoyage EN). For excursions, count about 90 km to Nalanda, 103 km to Rajgir and 40 km to Vaishali; Bodh Gaya is 100 to 130 km away depending on the source and the route (Wikivoyage EN, DE; Wikipedia FR). Entry rules for India depend on your nationality: check with the authorities before booking.
Landmarks and sights
Golghar, Buddha Smriti Park, Nalanda and Bodh Gaya
Patna has more than two thousand years of history, but its ancient remains are modest; its most visible heritage dates from the colonial era. The places pictured below mix the city and two nearby UNESCO sites; others are described afterwards in text only.
The Golghar
This beehive-shaped granary was designed by Captain John Garstin for the East India Company and completed in 1786 (Wikipedia EN; Wikivoyage EN). It was meant to be the first in a series of great granaries to prevent famine, but no others were built (Wikipedia EN). A spiral stairway on the outside leads to the top, which gives a view over the city and the Ganges (Wikipedia EN): check access conditions.
Buddha Smriti Park
Laid out on former jail grounds, this park is an oasis of calm near the station. According to Wikivoyage (EN), its large stupa holds ashes of the Buddha brought from Vaishali, and an evening light-and-sound show tells the history of Bihar. The park is closed on Mondays according to the same source: check days and hours.
Nalanda, a great Buddhist monastery
About 90 km south-east of Patna (Wikipedia EN; Wikivoyage EN), Nalanda was a major Buddhist centre of learning, founded in the 5th century under the Guptas, said to have held up to 10,000 students and monks (Wikipedia FR, DE). The site has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2016 (Wikipedia EN, FR, DE). You walk between walls, courtyards and galleries of red brick.
The decorated brickwork of Nalanda
The walls of Nalanda's temples and monasteries carry niches, mouldings and decoration worked in brick. The ruins are extensive and the sun is strong: bring water, a hat and good shoes.
Bodh Gaya and the Mahabodhi Temple
At Bodh Gaya, the Mahabodhi Temple marks the place where Siddhartha Gautama reached enlightenment beneath a Bodhi tree; the site has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002 (Wikipedia FR, DE, ES). The temple walls are covered with niches holding Buddhas. Wikipedia (FR) puts Bodh Gaya about a hundred kilometres south of Patna; Wikivoyage (EN) says 130 km: the time depends on the road.
Among the places without a photo: Takht Sri Patna Sahib, one of the great Sikh sites, where the tenth guru, Gobind Singh, was born (Wikivoyage EN; Wikipedia ES); Kumhrar, where the foundations of a hall of eighty pillars from ancient Pataliputra were found (Wikivoyage EN, DE); the Mahatma Gandhi Setu bridge over the Ganges; and the Gandhi Maidan, a vast open ground at the heart of the city (Wikivoyage EN, DE).
Museums and culture
Patna Museum, Bihar Museum and the Khuda Baksh library
Patna Museum
Wikivoyage (EN) mentions more than 50,000 art objects, among them the casket holding ashes of the Buddha and the Yakshini statue. Days, hours and prices change, so check before you go. We do not quote ticket prices.
Bihar Museum
Opened in 2015, it traces the history of Bihar through several galleries (Wikivoyage EN); Wikivoyage (DE) says most of the finds from Kumhrar are kept there. Days and hours vary.
Memory and learning
The Gandhi Sangrahalaya, devoted to Gandhi's life, the Indira Gandhi Planetarium and the Khuda Baksh Oriental Library round out the cultural offer (Wikivoyage EN). Wikivoyage (EN) also mentions the big Sonepur fair in November, across the Ganges: check the dates for your year.
A city of many faiths
Patna was visited by the Buddha and by Mahavira, founder of Jainism (Wikipedia DE), and remains a Sikh centre, with Takht Sri Patna Sahib. Churches such as Padri Ki Haveli and mosques such as the Sher Shah Suri mosque show the diversity (Wikivoyage EN).
Food and drink
Litti chokha, sattu and Bihari sweets
Bihari dishes
Wikivoyage (EN) lists litti chokha, a stuffed wheat-flour ball served with a smoked vegetable mash, sattu, chiwra, makhana, pua-pittha and tilkut, a sesame sweet. Patna chaat stands out for its tamarind flavour.
Sweets and drinks
Sweets such as anarsa, peda or kalakand are best eaten fresh; Wikivoyage (EN) advises eating them within a week. Sattu-pani and lassi are common drinks. Hajipur, across the river, is known for its bananas (Wikivoyage EN, DE).
A rice named after the city
Patna rice, a medium-grain variety, takes its name from the city, long a trading centre for farm produce (Wikipedia FR).
Where to eat
The main shopping roads, such as those near Dak Bunglow Road and Boring Road, group restaurants and sweet shops (Wikivoyage EN). We do not list addresses, which change.
Getting around
Tempos, buses and the Ganges ghats
Tempos and rickshaws
Tempos, shared motorised rickshaws, are the easiest and cheapest way to get around town (Wikivoyage EN). If you book an auto on your own, agree the price before you get in.
Buses and metro
Buses leave from Gandhi Maidan and pass by Patna Junction (Wikivoyage EN, DE). A metro is under construction and opening in sections: we do not guarantee its progress.
By car
Wikivoyage (EN) finds driving in Patna and Bihar stressful for a traveller not used to it: heavy traffic and variable road conditions. For excursions, the Bihar tourism body offers coach or car trips to Bodh Gaya, Nalanda and Rajgir (Wikivoyage EN).
On the river
Boat rides on the Ganges leave from several ghats (Wikivoyage EN, DE).
Budget and precautions
A budget to check, health to plan for
Price level
We do not publish price ranges for Patna: the amounts quoted by sources are old, from different dates and not cross-checked. Watching the flight price in advance is the simplest way to control the budget.
Health
Before you go, see a doctor or a travel medicine clinic: risks such as dengue, malaria and food- or water-borne illness vary by region and season.
Safety
Wikivoyage (EN) advises staying alert and avoiding unnecessary confrontations, as in any large city. Official travel advice varies depending on the country you depart from: read your own government's before booking and before any movement in the region.
When to go
Cool winter, scorching summer, monsoon from June to September
November to February
Cool nights and days that are sometimes misty, sometimes sunny (Wikipedia FR): the most comfortable time to visit Nalanda and Bodh Gaya.
Late March to June
Scorching summers, with very hot days (Wikipedia FR); early morning is better for outdoor sites.
Late June to September
Monsoon: heavy rain, and slower roads for excursions (Wikipedia FR, DE).
October
Fine weather gradually returns after the monsoon; check forecasts before planning outings.
The climate is humid subtropical according to Wikipedia (FR); rain falls almost only during the summer monsoon (Wikipedia DE). We do not publish temperature or rainfall figures because the sources disagree. The time zone is UTC+5:30 all year, with no daylight saving.
By length of stay
How many days to spend in Patna
Patna and its museums
The Golghar, the Bihar Museum or Patna Museum, Buddha Smriti Park and an evening by the Ganges.
With Nalanda
Add an excursion to Nalanda, or Rajgir too, by road, with a full day on the ground.
With Bodh Gaya
Plan at least one night in Bodh Gaya for the Mahabodhi Temple; the Bodh Gaya - Nalanda - Rajgir circuit can also be done in one very full day according to guides.
In pictures
Patna and its surroundings in pictures
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions about flights to Patna
Where is Patna airport (PAT)?
Jay Prakash Narayan Airport is about 5 km south-west of the centre. It is mainly served by domestic flights; check schedules with the airlines.
How do I get from Patna to Bodh Gaya and Nalanda?
By road: about 90 km to Nalanda and 100 to 130 km to Bodh Gaya depending on the source and route. Coach or car trips are offered by Bihar tourism; check schedules.
What is there to see in Patna?
The Golghar, Buddha Smriti Park, Takht Sri Patna Sahib, Kumhrar, the Bihar Museum and Patna Museum; then, outside the city, Nalanda and Bodh Gaya.
Are Nalanda and Bodh Gaya in Patna?
No: they are 90 to 130 km from Patna, which serves as the gateway. Both sites are UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Nalanda in 2016, Bodh Gaya in 2002).
When is the best time to visit Patna?
November to February, for cool nights and milder days. Summer is scorching and the monsoon runs from late June to September.
Is it safe to travel to Patna and Bihar?
As in any large city, stay alert. Official travel advice varies depending on the country you depart from: read it before planning. SniperAir does not replace it.
How long should I stay in Patna?
One day for the city, two with Nalanda, three or more with Bodh Gaya.
How do I get alerted when a flight to Patna drops below my budget?
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