About Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar (ଭୁବନେଶ୍ୱର), the capital of Odisha, is also popularly known as the “Temple City of India”. Situated near the ruins of Sisupalgarh and Khandagiri, Bhubaneswar has a long and vibrant heritage. Between the 8^th and 12^th centuries, hundreds of temples were built across the city. However, it was only in 1948 that the foundation stone for the modern city was laid. Since the capital of Odisha was shifted here in 1949, Bhubaneswar has slowly grown in size, from a small village to a metropolis. With a large airport, well-connected railway network, museums, temples, etc., Bhubaneswar is an ideal tourist destination.

Bhubaneswar

Local Name	ଭୁବନେଶ୍ୱର
District	Khordha, Odisha, India
Timezone	UTC + 5:30

Area	167.27 sq. km
Population	1,381,000 (2026)
STD Code	0674

Our Climate

Bhubaneswar has a warm monsoon climate. Here, the summer lasts from March to June, and the rains come shortly thereafter. Some information about our climate is presented below.

	Chart
Temperature
Rainfall
Humidity

Air Connectivity

Bhubaneswar’s airport is called Biju Patnaik International Airport. Our airport is connected to many cities across India and beyond. The airport has 2 terminals – T1 (domestic) and T2 (international). It is located about 45 minutes (28 km) from IIT Bhubaneswar. The destinations accessible from here are listed below.

Bhubaneswar Airport - Destinations
India	Andhra Pradesh	Visakhapatnam
	Assam	Guwahati
	Bihar	Patna
	Chhattisgarh	Raipur
	Delhi NCT	New Delhi - IGI Airport
	Gujarat	Ahmedabad
	Jharkhand	Jamshedpur
	Jharkhand	Ranchi
	Karnataka	Bengaluru
	Madhya Pradesh	Indore
	Maharashtra	Mumbai - CSMIA
	Maharashtra	Pune
	Odisha	Bhawanipatna
		Jeypore
		Jharsuguda
		Rourkela
	Tamil Nadu	Chennai
	Telengana	Hyderabad
	Uttar Pradesh	Prayagraj
	Uttar Pradesh	Varanasi
	West Bengal	Kolkata
Thailand		Bangkok

Rail Connectivity

Bhubaneswar is well connected to the railway network. Bhubaneswar’s main railway station, Bhubaneswar Railway Station (BBS), is the headquarters of the East Coast Railway Zone. Built in 1896, it was modernized in the 1970s to accommodate travel to and from the state capital. It was again modernized from 2024-26 to convert it into a airport-style world-class railway station. The railway station is connected to many cities via many major trains, as listed below.
However, BBS Railway Station is 45 minutes (30 km) away from IIT Bhubaneswar. Another major railway station Khurda Road Jn. (KUR) is located just 15 minutes (6 km) away from the IIT. Most trains coming to and from BBS stop here.

Railways - To and From Bhubanesar / Khurda Road
Train Name	Stations
Howrah - Puri Vande Bharat Exp.	Howrah, Kharagpur, Cuttack, Puri
Puri - Rourkela Vande Bharat Exp.	Puri, Dhenkanal, Sambalpur, Rourkela
Bhubaneswar - Visakhapatnam Vande Bharat Exp.	Brahmapur, Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam
Tatanagar - Brahmapur Vande Bharat Exp.	Tatanagar, Kendujhargarh, Cuttack, Puri
Howrah - Puri Shatabdi Exp.	Howrah, Kharagpur, Cuttack, Puri
Bhubaneswar - New Delhi Duronto Exp.	Mughalsarai, Kanpur, New Delhi
Howrah - SMVT Bengaluru Duronto Exp.	Howrah, Visakhapatnam, Vijaywada, Bengaluru

Road Connectivity

Bhubaneswar is located on the NH – 16, which runs from Kolkata to Chennai. Bhubaneswar is also located on the NH – 316, NH – 57, etc. Thus, Bhubaneswar is well connected by road to the rest of India. The central bus stop of the city is located at Baramunda. Buses ply from here to destinations across the country. This bus stop is 45 minutes (25 km) from the IIT.
Bhubaneswar also has a wide bus network run by the government called “Ama Bus”. It connects Bhubaneswar with the neighboring cities of Cuttack (Kataka), Puri, Konark, Jatani and Khordha. The travel times to various places by road (not by bus) from IIT Bhubaneswar are listed below.

Place	Time
Bhubaneswar	45 min (27 km)
Puri	1.5 hrs (58 km)
Cuttack (Kataka)	1.5 hrs (52 km)
Konark	2 hrs (64 km)
Kolkata	9 hrs (468 km)
Vizag	7 hrs (409 km)
Chennai	21 hrs (1,221 km)
Hyderabad	17 hrs (987 km)
Delhi	28 hrs (1,749 km)
Mumbai	27 hrs (1,619 km)
Bengaluru	24 hrs (1,438 km)
Varanasi	18.5 hrs (954 km)

Places to Visit

Bhubaneswar has many different types of places to visit, including ancient temples, marvelous museums, serene forests, wonderful beaches, etc. Some of them are listed below.

Temple City, Bhubaneswar
Lingaraj Temple Lingaraj Temple is one of the oldest temples in Bhubaneswar. Built in the late 11^th century, it is one of the finest temples in India. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Mukteshwar Temple Built around 950 CE, Mukteshwar is called "the gem of Odia architecture". It is famous for its unique archway. It is possible to walk between Lingaraj and it, and see many temples on the way, like the Ananta Vasudeva Temple.
Parsurameswar Temple The oldest well-preserved temple in all of Odisha (from around 650 CE), the Parsurameswar Temple is a magnificent piece of architecture covered with intricate carvings. It is located near Mukteshwar.
Green Spaces of Bhubaneswar
Nandankanan Zoological Park Located in the north of Bhubaneswar, Nandankanan is one of the largest zoos in India. Spread over 1080 acres, it hosts over 160 different species.
Chandaka Located on the north-western border of Odisha, Chandaka is a vast elephant sanctuary. Spread over 175.79 sq. km, Chandaka has elephant safaris, jungle resorts, and large dams for boating.
Ekamra Kanan Ekamra Kanan is a botanical gardens located in the heart of Bhubaneswar. Many types of plants are grown here, including a rose garden, a cactus garden, etc.
Ancient Caves of Bhubaneswar
Khandagiri & Udayagiri Caves Located in the eastern regions of Bhubaneswar, Khandagiri and Udayagiri are a pair of cave clusters. Once the capital of the mighty king Kharavela (2^nd century BCE), they are a marvellous specimen of Odia heritage.
Puri - Konark - Pipili Heritage Corridor
Konark Sun Temple The icon of Odisha, Konark's Sun Temple is one of the only Sun temples of India. Built around 1250 CE, it is famous for its wheel which has become the symbol of Odia culture.
Puri Jagannath Temple One of the four "Char Dham" (4 holiest temples), Jagannath Temple is a temple dedicated to Lord Jagannath, an avatar of Vishnu. Built in the 12^th century, it is famous for the yearly Rath Yatra festival celebrated in June-July.
Puri Beach Puri Beach is a wide, unparalleled beach located in the holy city of Puri itself. Stretching over 10 km, a part of this beach has been designated a "Blue Flag Beach".
Pipili Appliques En route on the way to Konark, Pipili is famous for its wonderful applique works. Here, you can see artisans design appliques and purchase them too.
Dhauli The site of the Kalinga War (261 BCE), Dhauli is located on a hill next to the Daya River. It is here that the King Ashoka gave up violence after seeing the casualities of the war. An inscription of that era can be found here. Alongside that, a peace pagoda located atop the hill is famous for its depictions of the Buddha and its serene location.
Wonderful Day - Trips
Chilika Lake One of the largest lagoons in the world, Chilika spreads over 1,100 km². Mangalajodi (for bird-watching), Satapada (for dolphins), and Rambha (serene bay at the end of Chilika) are some of the most popular attractions here. Many well-developed eco-tourism facilities are located around the lagoon.
Diamond Triangle The Diamond Triangle is a triplet of Buddhist sites - Ratnagiri, Udayagiri, and Lalitgiri. Built in the 5^th century onwards, these monuments are relics of Buddhism in Odisha and Odisha's architectural expertise. They are located around 100 km away from Bhubaneswar.