“When is the best time to visit Calcutta?” I had asked my friend living in Calcutta.

“During Durga Puja,” he said, without having to think much.

After having spent three days in The City of Joy during Durga Puja, I can assure that he was right. I don't think there's any person who has spent those last four-five days of Durga Puja in Calcutta, but didn't enjoy it.

Whether you're an extrovert or not, whether you love crowds or not, whether you're a party animal or not, you'll love Durga Puja in Calcutta. After all, where else can you see streets filled with people dressed in newly purchased apparels and footwears? Where can you find an eight-year old and an eighty-year old waiting in a queue of thousands at 2 a.m. just to get a glimpse of one of the most worshipped Gods in this part of the world?

Durga Puja is not just a festival in Calcutta, it's something ineffable. You have to experience it yourself to understand what it is ... or try to understand.

However, I did face quite a few problems with the transport facilities the people here are provided with. During my stay in the cultural city of West Bengal, I was looking for the best possible medium of transportation to travel around the city. Since it was the festive season of Durga Puja, the already overcrowded metropolitan city was even more crowded.
Getting around became extremely difficult.

Why is it difficult to get around? Because of two major factors - population and cheap cost - use of public transportation is well exploited. After learning the lesson the hard way, I decided to do some research so as to make travelling using public transport - during any season - easier in Calcutta.

1. Take the nearest possible seat to the entrance/exit in a bus - Buses in Calcutta get extremely crowded between 10 in the morning to 9 at night. It's so badly crowded that it's almost impossible to move from one place to another. So, it's always advisable to get a seat which is close to the entrance/exit.
2. Metro Smart Card - One of the most popular mode of transport used by the people in Calcutta is travelling by metro rail. However, since it is so popular, it gets overcrowded, no matter what time you travel. One easy way of saving time and money is by purchasing a smart card. It would allow you to avoid the unnecessary hassle of getting in a long queue to get a metro token for every journey, and would also be more cheap compared to purchasing a token for every for every metro ride.
3. Auto Rickshaw - Unlike in Bombay, Delhi, and Bangalore, auto rickshaws in Calcutta do not run by meters. In the City of Joy, auto rickshaws have fixed routes pretty much all around the city, and that makes it much cheaper than its siblings in other metros. But like in any other city in this part of the world, auto rickshaws here are fast … dangerously fast.
4. Uber and Ola Cabs - If you come from a city where Uber or Ola hasn't been introduced, yet - say, Darjeeling - and you have never used Uber and/or Ola Cab services before, download it and install it on your phone and get the first ride free with either cab. Even if you have used their services and have exhausted the first free ride, you can still look for the discounts they often provide during non-office hours. They are  by far the most convenient and easy mode of transport in the city.
5. Share the local taxi - If you are an outsider travelling to Calcutta alone, and you want to visit, say, Victoria Memorial from your hotel which is 5 kms away, quickly, one of the best and an inexpensive thing to try would be to share the local taxi. Since the most popular places to visit in Calcutta are located at the centre of the city, including Victoria Memorial, you can try your luck by looking for fellow outsiders wanting to go to the same or nearby location. Chances are, you will find someone.
6. Hitchhike - In spite of being a metropolitan, many Calcuttans, at times, are willing to go out of their way to help a traveller. Calcuttans are usually very helpful, and unlike in cities such as Bombay or Delhi, there isn't much rush. Asking for help is always an option. Remember, if you don't ask, you won't get a free ride, but if you do ask, you may get one. However, be sure of whom you are asking for a lift. If you are not certain, do not consider this option. Calcutta can be as safe or dangerous as any other major city in the world.
7. Tram: There's an adage, “Slow and steady, wins the race.” It's absolutely true in Calcutta. Trams in Calcutta can be really effective, for they're really, really cheap.Albeit slow, the trams run at a pretty steady pace, unless blocked by some other vehicle.And it's the cheapest mode of transport in the city, with fares starting from four rupees, going up to 10 rupees. Fun fact -Calcutta is the only Indian city where tram still runs.

So visit Calcutta, and get lost in the beautiful, chaotic city.

Blog Image Credits - Biswarup Ganguly, Under Creative Commons, Edited