Transportation Guide

How to Reach Bandarban

There is no train service to Bandarban — Bangladesh Railway does not reach this hill district. The nearest airport is Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram (Chittagong), about 92 km / roughly 3 hours away by road.

From Dhaka

Direct AC/non-AC buses cover the roughly 325 km route in about 7–8 hours. Buses depart from Dhaka's Saidabad, Kamalapur, Fakirapool, Arambagh, and Gabtali terminals. Operators commonly running this route include Hanif Enterprise, Shyamoli Paribahan (NR), Saint Martin Paribahan, Eagle Paribahan, Dolphin, Unique, and S. Alam.

From Chittagong

Buses run from the Baddarhat terminal, roughly every 30 minutes in season, taking about 2–3 hours. Operators include Purbani, Purobi, and Pubali bus services.

Within the district

Travel to the remoter upazilas (Ruma, Thanchi, Alikadam) is by local jeep, known locally as "chander gari." Beyond Ruma or Thanchi bazars — for example toward Boga Lake, Remakri, or Nafakhum — travel continues by boat and on foot, and often requires a local guide and, at times, army/BGB clearance given the security situation in parts of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Check current local conditions before planning any trip into the remote southern upazilas.