Is Birgunj always faster than Siliguri for Kathmandu-bound cargo?

For Kathmandu specifically, yes, typically by 1-2 days on the road leg. For East Nepal or Terai-east cargo, Siliguri still wins. We route based on your specific destination, not on a default.

Are the customs and transit rules the same as via Siliguri?

The India-Nepal transit protocol itself is the same; the specific Indian port of exit (Raxaul vs Panitanki) and the Nepalese entry ICD (Birgunj vs Kakarbhitta) differ. Both are well-established; the choice is really about your onward destination in Nepal.

Can I split cargo — some to Kathmandu via Birgunj, some to East Nepal via Siliguri?

Yes. For larger recurring programmes with cargo destined for both central and eastern Nepal, we can split at Kolkata into two sub-consignments, one per corridor. This is complex but doable for the right volume.

Central Nepal importers

China to Nepal via Birgunj — the central-Nepal corridor.

For Nepalese buyers based in Kathmandu, Bhairahawa, Butwal, Chitwan and central / western Nepal, the Kolkata → Raxaul (India) → Birgunj (Nepal) corridor has the shorter road leg than the Siliguri route. We coordinate ICD Birgunj clearance and onward trucking to Kathmandu.

Route

Guangzhou / Ningbo → Kolkata → Raxaul (India) → Birgunj (Nepal) → onward road

Sea leg

18–25 days port to port

Road leg

3–5 days Kolkata to Birgunj including port + border handling

On-ground

Fortune Imports & Exports (India), Siliguri — coordinating the India-side transit paperwork

Ideal for

Kathmandu, Chitwan, Bhairahawa, Butwal, Pokhara and West Nepal buyers

Section 01

When Birgunj beats Siliguri as a corridor

Geography. From Kolkata port, Raxaul-Birgunj is closer to Kathmandu than Siliguri-Kakarbhitta is. For central and western Nepal buyers, that is 200-400 km of road time saved, and importantly, the border-clearance side of the corridor is well-established at Birgunj ICD — the busiest Nepal border ICD.

Section 02

What is coordinated on this corridor

China origin booking, consolidation and export documentation.
Kolkata port clearance under India-Nepal transit protocol.
Road transit from Kolkata to Raxaul under sealed-container transit rules.
ICD Birgunj clearance and Nepalese customs handover.
Onward road transport to Kathmandu, Bhairahawa or your Nepal warehouse.

Section 03

Categories this corridor handles best

Furniture and hotel FF&E for Kathmandu's hospitality projects, machinery, building materials for Kathmandu-region construction, and general merchandise for Nepali retail chains headquartered in Kathmandu.

Frequently asked