Overview
Phuntsholing is a border town in southern Bhutan in Chukha District. Phuentsholing adjoins the Indian town of Jaigon, and cross-border trade has resulted in a thriving local economy.
Whereas Thimphu is the political capital of Bhutan, Phuentsholing is certainly the commercial capital where the offices and depots of the major oil wholesalers, major merchants and major transporters are located.
South of the border, there is an excellent 2 lane asphalt road (which is being widened to 4 lanes) to Hasimara on NH 31 – a distance of about 17 km. Hasimara is a major commercial town on the highway with train service east and west. It is also home to a military airport of the Indian Airforce.
Plans to join the rail link up to the border with Bhutan have been under discussions for many years but are yet to be materialized due to extensive problems arising from the need to acquire the necessary land for building the railway tracks. Any progress in this regard should not be expected in the near future.
North of Phuentsholing, the national highway maintained by Dantak joins both Paro and Thimphu.
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Border Crossing Location and Contact |
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Name of Border Crossing |
Bhutan: Phuentsholing |
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Province or District |
Chukha |
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Nearest Town or City with Distance from Border Crossing |
Paro Distance 165 km Thimphu Distance 172 km |
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Latitude |
26°51'37.05"N |
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Longitude |
89°23'37.65"E |
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Managing Authority / Agency |
Customs and Immigration |
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Contact Person |
NA |
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Travel Times |
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Nearest International Airport |
Paro (Bhutan); Bagdora (India) Distance 165 km (Paro) ; 158 km (Bagdora) Truck Travel Time: 4 – 6 hours (Paro); 3-4 hours (Bagdora) Car Travel time: 4 hours (Paro); 2.5-3 hours (Bagdora) |
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Nearest Port |
Kolkota Distance 707 km via NH 12 Truck Travel Time: 15 – 20 hours Car Travel time: 14 hours |
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Nearest location with functioning wholesale markets, or with significant manufacturing or production capacity |
Name: Siliguru (West Bengal, India) Distance in km: 155 km Truck Travel Time: 5-6 hr Car Travel time: 3-4 hr |
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Other Information
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Not applicable, route not traversed |
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Hours of Operation |
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Mondays |
0900 – 1700 Summer 0900 – 1600 Winter |
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Tuesdays |
0900 – 1700 Summer 0900 – 1600 Winter |
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Wednesdays |
0900 – 1700 Summer 0900 – 1600 Winter |
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Thursdays |
0900 – 1700 Summer 0900 – 1600 Winter |
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Fridays |
0900 – 1700 Summer 0900 – 1600 Winter |
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Saturdays |
0900 – 1700 Summer 0900 – 1600 Winter |
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Sundays |
0900 – 1700 Summer 0900 – 1600 Winter |
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National Holidays
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All government departments closed on national holidays. Private companies remain open. |
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Seasonal Constraints |
The river Ammo which flows from the district of Haa is subject to flooding in the estuary which adjoins Phuentsholing. Major works are being carried out to divert the river to the west of Phuentsholing and reclaim land for further expansion. |
Daily Capacity
This border crossing is the major commercial hub and entry / exit point between Bhutan and India. The actual border crossing is quite narrow and can result in hold ups for both trucks and cars. Dry port facilities in Phuentsholing are limited at present but major expansion is in the planning to accommodate a major dry port where larger quantities of containers can be stripped and cleared by customs. There is a functional weighbridge in the centre of the town.
Customs Clearance
There is a major customs office in Phuentsholing and the management is acutely aware that Phuentsholing is the principal land entry and exit point for Bhutan.
Facilities are being improved on a regular basis
For more information on government contact details, please see the following link:
