London to Kolkata (LHR–CCU) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

British passport holders need a visa to enter India. The eVisa (indianvisaonline.gov.in) comes in three tourist tiers: 30 days ($25, double-entry, April to March pricing varies by season), 1 year ($40, multiple-entry), and 5 years ($80, multiple-entry). Each entry allows a maximum continuous stay of 90 days. Processing takes 3 to 5 working days. Passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the arrival date with at least two blank pages.

The eVisa application requires a passport photo page scan, a passport-style digital photo (white background, 2x2 inches, JPEG 10KB to 1MB), and the address of your first hotel in India. The photo requirements are strict, and applications are frequently rejected for non-compliant images. For the regular tourist visa (up to 10 years for UK nationals, $161.15), apply through VFS Global in London, Edinburgh, or Birmingham, with biometrics and 5 to 10 working days processing.

Direct flights from London Heathrow to Delhi run about 8 hours 15 minutes, to Mumbai about 9 hours, on Air India, British Airways, and Virgin Atlantic. One-stop connections via the Gulf hubs (Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi) serve dozens of Indian cities for 10 to 14 hours total. The Indian rupee (INR) trades at roughly 85 INR per $1. No mandatory vaccinations for direct UK arrivals. Yellow fever vaccination is required if arriving from an endemic country. Indian customs allows duty-free import of goods worth up to INR 50,000.

Heathrow Express runs from London Paddington to T5 and T2/T3 in 15–21 minutes (£37 single, cheaper booked online or via the Heathrow app). Elizabeth line (Crossrail) is a lower-cost alternative; Paddington to T5 in 34 minutes from £13.50 with an Oyster/contactless cap of £14.90. The Elizabeth line also serves central London stations including Bond Street, Farringdon, and Liverpool Street.London Underground Piccadilly line serves all terminals (T2/T3/T4/T5) from central London in 40–60 minutes (£6 with Oyster). Taxis (black cabs) from central London cost £55–90 depending on traffic. Coach services from Victoria Coach Station (National Express) cost from £10 booked in advance.