Is Kolkata Safe in January 2026?

Kolkata's famous yellow Ambassador taxis are supposed to use meters, but drivers frequently refuse or claim the meter is broken, quoting flat rates well above the metered fare especially from the airport and for tourists heading to the Victoria Memorial or Sudder Street.

How to avoid: Use Ola or Uber for fixed transparent pricing. If using a yellow cab, insist on the meter before moving — say "meter chharu" (start the meter). Refuse any taxi whose driver declines to meter the fare. Pre-paid taxi counters at Kolkata airport offer fixed rates.

Outside Howrah and Sealdah stations, touts tell tourists the ticket office is closed or trains are fully booked, then offer to "help" buy tickets through their shop, which they claim is government-approved. Hidden charges inflate the price by 200–300%.

How to avoid: Buy all train tickets online through the Indian Railways official website (irctc.co.in) or at the authorized Tourist Quota counter inside the station — clearly marked with signs. Never buy from anyone outside the station regardless of what they tell you about availability.

A scammer gives change for a large note but switches a genuine bill with a damaged or counterfeit one, then claims you gave them the damaged note. This is especially common with 500 and 2000 rupee notes and happens quickly enough that tourists often do not notice.

How to avoid: Inspect every note received as change before putting it away. Use UPI apps (Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm) for payments wherever possible — this eliminates cash handling risk entirely. When using cash, give exact change and avoid needing large-note change from street vendors.

Touts and friendly strangers near Park Street and the New Market area steer tourists toward restaurants that present two menus — a regular menu in Bengali and an inflated "tourist menu" in English. Bills sometimes include mysterious service charges, cover charges, and items never ordered. Complaints are met with aggressive staff and threats to call security.

How to avoid: Ask to see the Bengali menu or confirm prices before ordering. Check whether a restaurant is listed and reviewed on Google Maps with recent photos. Be wary of any establishment recommended by a stranger you met on the street — commission arrangements are common.

Vendors in and around New Market (Sir Stuart Hogg Market) on Lindsay Street market acrylic or synthetic fabric as genuine Pashmina or Banarasi silk. The fabric is displayed in dim lighting inside the stall and the weave test or burn test is refused or faked. Prices are initially high to create an impression of authenticity before a theatrical discount to still-inflated levels.

How to avoid: Request a burn test: genuine wool or silk burns slowly and smells of hair; synthetics melt and smell of plastic. Buy textiles from government-certified emporiums on Jawaharlal Nehru Road for guaranteed quality.