Mountain town in West Bengal, India
Internet in Darjeeling: speed, SIM cards and coworking
Is the internet good in Darjeeling?
Median fixed broadband in India is 64 Mbps and mobile is 128 Mbps (Speedtest Global Index, 2026-08). Café wifi is slow and unreliable; Jio and Airtel 4G work in town but fade on trails.
Getting online in Darjeeling
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Home fibre | Fibre is limited; hotels and homes often rely on mobile broadband. Not ideal for long remote-work stays. |
| Cafés and coworking | Café wifi is slow and unreliable; Jio and Airtel 4G work in town but fade on trails. |
| Outages | Power cuts and landslide-related outages during monsoon |
| Tourist SIM | Airtel kiosks in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru arrivals halls; passport, visa and photo needed. About ₹350–450 for 28 days with 1.5–2 GB a day. |
| eSIM | Local carriers sell eSIMs to visitors. |
| Carriers | Jio, Airtel, Vi |
| Monthly data plan | ₹350–600 ($3.6–6.2) |
| Blocked services | TikTok, WeChat and many other Chinese apps are banned since 2020; VPNs are legal. Regional mobile-internet shutdowns happen during unrest. |
Coworking in Darjeeling
There's no dedicated coworking scene here; people work from cafés and accommodation.
Internet speeds in South Asia
National medians, Speedtest Global Index.
| Country | Fixed | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Nepal | 89 Mbps | — |
| Bangladesh | 71 Mbps | 39 Mbps |
| India | 64 Mbps | 128 Mbps |
| Sri Lanka | 37 Mbps | 59 Mbps |
| Pakistan | 18 Mbps | 32 Mbps |
| Afghanistan | 6 Mbps | 19 Mbps |
Quick answers
Is the internet fast in Darjeeling?
Median fixed broadband in India is 64 Mbps and mobile is 128 Mbps (Speedtest Global Index, 2026-08). Café wifi is slow and unreliable; Jio and Airtel 4G work in town but fade on trails.
Which SIM card should I get in Darjeeling?
Airtel kiosks in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru arrivals halls; passport, visa and photo needed. About ₹350–450 for 28 days with 1.5–2 GB a day.
Can I use an eSIM in India?
Yes. Local carriers sell eSIMs to visitors, and travel eSIMs work too.
More about Darjeeling
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Sources
- Speedtest Global Index: India
- Jio
- Airtel
- Vi
- Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
- West Bengal Tourism
- Indian Railways (IRCTC)
Speeds are medians from Ookla's Speedtest Global Index, cited for reference. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.