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  About Raipur

Raipur is the state capital of Chhattisgarh and is known to have tremendous religious significance. Owing to the many temples that the place inhabits while also being the town where reformer Swami Vivekananda resided for a brief period, there are many things that make Raipur a tourist spot. The city has an agreeable climate and beautiful greenery. The flight connectivity to Raipur from other major cities in the country is also exceptional. While the city is not as developed in comparison to the other big cities in India, Raipur has a charm of its own which makes it worth the visit.

Best time to visit Raipur

For Raipur, the winter months from November to January are considered as ideal. Thanks to the cold and pleasant atmosphere with temperatures ranging between 14 degree Celsius to 28 degree Celsius, it only adds to the beauty of the city. However, the summer months can get extremely hot with temperatures almost reaching 48 degree Celsius. Hence, the best thing to do would be to visit the city only during winters. The flight tickets to Raipur remain standard irrespective of the season.

Places to visit in Raipur

Purkhauti Muktangan

Purkhauti Muktangan is a beautiful park that aims at preserving the bio-cultural medley of Raipur. Inaugurated by the Hon'ble A.P.J Abdul Kalam, the park attracts people for its intriguing setting and the art exhibitions. The place with its stimulating environment has further caught the attention of filmmakers too, who continuously flock over to the park for film shootings.

Mahant Ghasi Memorial Museum

Mahant Ghasi Memorial Museum is a cultural heritage where you will find tribal artefacts, coins, inscriptions and other such objects of historical and cultural relevance. What makes the experience of visiting the Mahant Ghasi Memorial in Raipur special is how it is beautifully nestled amid lush greenery. The complex also has life-size sculptures.

Jatmai Temple

Jatmai Temple is nearly 85 km away from the main city of Raipur. However, the popularity of the Jatmai temple often makes tourists take up that travel expedition. The temple is ideally located amid a dense green expanse and is dedicated to Devi Jatmai. The temple brings together nature, culture, cuisine and calmness.

Kevalya Dham Jain temple

Your pilgrimage can further continue in the city as there are a lot of beautiful temples to check out. The Kevalya Dham Jain Temple is located a little away from the city and is one of the main tourist attractions. What makes this temple an architectural bliss is how it has been constructed entirely with marble. The serenity in the air would certainly do you right.

Things to do in Raipur

Explore Nandan Van Zoo

The Nandan Van Zoo houses a plethora of wildlife and conserves various species from extinction. The zoo also expands into a safari with four main zones. The park can be visited at all times, and you can also book your safari rides to explore more of the wildlife found in the zoo.

Educate yourself at the Energy Park

Also known as Urja Park, the vast expanse of Energy Park follows the theme of renewable energy and propagates the same. The idea behind coming up with such a park is to promote and encourage the use of renewable source of energy. It is an educational tour with special emphasis given to promoting the idea of investing more in renewable energy sources. Visiting the park would be quite an experience as you will get to learn a lot about how renewable energy sources work, how you can incorporate a mechanism to sap energy and more.

Trek up to Champaran

Originally known as Champajhar, Champaran is an important religious site for Hindus. The site is known to be the birthplace of Saint Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya. He was the founder of the Vallabh sect and also a renowned reformer. Around the vicinity, two temples have been constructed, namely Prakatya Baithakji Temple and Mood Prakatya. The temples see a whole new light during festivals conducted by the locals.

Swami Vivekananda Sarovar

The influence of Swami Vivekananda is quite strong in Raipur. Not only is the airport named after the philosopher, but even a structure has been constructed to honour him. The Swami Vivekananda Sarovar is basically built close to the Burha Thalab, which is a lush green lake. It easily becomes one of the most-visited attractions in Raipur as it has a serene and tranquil atmosphere. The lake's calmness adds to the charm of the place. You can actually take up boating on the lake as well as delve into consuming street food that is found close to the Sarovar.

Food and Restaurants in Raipur

Chhattisgarh cuisine is what comfort food is all about. Much of their dishes involve rice, jowar and bajra interspersed with spices that make for a wholesome meal. Right from their classic muthiya, which is a famous breakfast dish, to their spin on the traditional Punjabi chole bhature, their recipes are basic and comfortable. The diversity of their food culture comes from their inspiration from the dishes made in the rest of India. You will find bafauri, a dish made from chana dal and spices is a love substitute for pakodas that the other parts of India enjoy. This dish abounds with flavours that would stay with you even after the plate is empty. Other famous dishes include Dubki kadhi, which is basically kadhi with dumplings prepared from chana dal and Chousela, a sort of poori prepared from rice dough which is usually consumed with masala chhole.

Finding authentic Chattisgarh cuisine could be a challenge in Raipur as the city side has accommodated more popular recipes. Some of the places that you should definitely visit when in Raipur are Dialogue in the Dark, Nukkad, the Teafe, Girnar Restaurant, Cafe Junoon, Pashmina, Sukhsagar, to name a few. These places offer multitudes of cuisine that would satiate the craving for every different mood. For amazing Asian cuisine, you should opt for Yo China. The Arabian Oasis would give you the traditional Arabic treatment with a melange of Chinese and European cuisine as well. If the heart wants some chole bhatures or sweet lassi, then don't think much and directly visit Amritsari restaurant. As for some rendezvous with Italian or Mexican cuisine, check out The Monet. Raipur's food culture is quite interesting as it would give your palette a taste to some of the best dishes and cuisine that can be made available.

How to reach Raipur

By Air

As the state capital, Raipur has an airport of its own called Swami Vivekananda Airport. It is located between Raipur and Naya Raipur and is not one of the busiest airports. The airport is equipped with a single runway. Although the airport was originally it was called Raipur airport, the state re-christened it to honour Swami Vivekananda, who is known to have spent his two teenager years in the city. The airport is relatively small but has recently been reconstructed with the authorities adding a new terminal. The flight connectivity to Raipur from major cities such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Goa, Kochi, Hyderabad, etc., is quite good. In fact, these cities have regular flights flying in and out of Raipur.

The airport is touted to be one of the fastest developing airports in India owing to how it has managed to expand its terminals. The airport is also surrounded by some fancy accommodations with hotels like VW Canyon and Courtyard by Marriott. If business is what you're travelling for, then you can simply book your hotel close to Raipur airport with one of these options. There are private taxi cabs also available to hire from the airport. Airlines, namely IndiGo, Air India and Vistara operate from the Raipur airport.

By Rail

Flights to Raipur easily become the best way to reach the city. However, the trains also have good connectivity. Raipur Junction is the railway station that operates inter-state trains. In fact, Raipur is touted to be the highest grossers in India with respect to train collections. Thanks to its impeccable connection with various other cities and the convenient domestic routes that connect to Raipur railway station, it receives a majority of tourists via trains. Not to mention how its connectivity enables people to travel to various parts of the country. There are express and well as mail trains that travel in and out of Raipur. Cities such as Kolkata, Hyderabad, Lucknow and more have a great connection with the Raipur station. It is best to book tickets to Raipur ahead of time as the demand for trains to the city is quite high.

By Road

Raipur's road connections are also quite impressive. The highways are perfectly maintained, and the connectivity is also remarkable. From National Highway 26, travellers can take up road trips to visit Raipur from Vizag. There are government-run bus services too which connect Raipur to cities such as Nagpur, Amravati, Sambalpur, Mandla, Ambikapur, to name a few. The location of the bus station is also within the city centre, making transportation easier. You can book your hotels in Raipur's city centre and reach your rooms without any hassle. The local transportation is mainly by rickshaws, taxi cabs and public buses. You can transit various corners of the city via either of these modes of transport.

  About Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic which follows a trading name of Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited and Virgin Atlantic International Limited, is a British-owned airline that has its headquarters in Crawley, England. The airline was founded in 1984 under the name British Atlantic Airways, by Randolph Fields and Alan Hellary with flight connectivity between London and the Falkland Islands. However, the name was changed to Virgin Atlantic Airways as Fields sold his shares in the company. A disagreement between Fields and Sir Richard Branson regarding the management of the company resulted in Fields walking out of the airline. In the same year since its establishment, the airline had its first flight from Gatwick Airport in London to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. Virgin Atlantic is owned and operated under the holding company Virgin Atlantic Limited. The same holding company also controls Virgin Holidays. The holding company has 51 percent ownership of the Virgin Group while the remaining 49 per cent is owned by Delta Air Lines, a major airline of the United States of America.

Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited and Virgin Atlantic International Limited have both received the Civil Aviation Authority Type A Operating Licenses. The said licence permits both the airlines to accommodate passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft that comprises 20 seats or more. Virgin Atlantic's fleet is mixed with wide-body aircraft of Airbus and Boeing. The airline majorly has its operations in North American, Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Middle East. Its main base is at London-Heathrow Airport while its secondary hub is at Manchester in the United Kingdom. Virgin Atlantic also has seasonal flight operations from Glasgow and Belfast. The airline consists of three types of cabin, namely Economy, Premium (premium economy) and Upper Class (business class). In 2017, Virgin Atlantic expressed its intention to form a joint venture with Europe's Air France - KLM. However, in 2019, it was announced that the venture would not involve a stake in the British airline. Virgin Atlantic has witnessed tremendous losses over the years and has had to cut down operations to various international destinations, owing to the growing debts and losses.

In 2019, as part of its expansion plans, Virgin Atlantic announced that it had plans to go all out and hopefully create a second flag carrier in the United Kingdom, provided slot reforms were being considered in the airline's favour at the Heathrow Airport. With this, the airline planned to serve about 103 destinations in total with many domestic routes and international routes. They wished to add about 84 new destinations to their list of services, of which 12 catered to the domestic route while 37 are European and the remaining 35 being international routes. The 35 international destinations in Virgin Atlantic's list include Austin, Buenos Aires, Addis Ababa, Karachi, Tokyo, Cape Town, Beijing, Singapore, Bogota, Mexico City and Sydney. While the airline has already functioned in international routes catering to Cape Town, Vancouver, Sydney, Karachi and Tokyo, the remaining long-haul destinations that the airline plans to add would be completely new for them. It was reported that Flybe, UK's largest low-cost carrier regional airline, was supposed to join hands with Virgin Atlantic. However, the plans fell through as Flybe ceased operations in 2020.

Fleet size of Virgin Atlantic

As of 2020, Virgin Atlantic's fleet size stands at 35 aircraft. 22 aircraft are expected to join the fleet. The fleet comprises 17 Boeing 787-9s, 10 Airbus A330-300s and four Airbus A330-200 and Airbus A350-1000s respectively. All the aircraft operated by Virgin Atlantic are wide-body type. The airline accommodates a mixed fleet that comprises Airbus and Boeing wide-body aircraft. The Airbus A330-200s of the airline operate from London's Gatwick International Airport as well as Manchester Airport and connect to international routes of the United States and the Caribbean. There are seasonal routes connecting to Orlando International Airport in Florida, which is offered from Glasgow and Belfast International Airport. Much recently, the airline retired its Boeing 747s which catered to the seasonal flight operations to Florida. Virgin Atlantic's aircraft Airbus A330-300s, A350-1000s and Boeing 787-9s are used interchangeably on routes that fly from London's Heathrow Airport. In 2002, the airline became the first in the world to operate the Airbus A340-600.

Virgin Atlantic was supposed to add six Airbus A380-800s to its fleet, which they had ordered for in 2001. However, the order had to be cancelled for good. Instead, in 2019, at the Paris Air Show, the airline signed a deal to accommodate 20 Airbus A330-900neos to its fleet. With this move, the airline became the first United Kingdom customer for the aircraft. The airline does plan to replace its older Airbus A330-200s and -300s from the fleet with deliveries of newer models that will be joining the fleet between 2021 to 2024. Much recently, the airline retired its long-running A340-600 with its last service taking place between Lagos to London Heathrow. Simultaneously, the airline has also retired seven of its Boeing 747-400 aircraft from the fleet.

Baggage Allowance

Baggage allowance on Virgin Atlantic depends on the destination the passenger is travelling to and from as well as the ticket type. Economy class tickets allow one checked bag which should not weigh more than 23 kg and should be within the dimension of 90 x 75 x 43cm. Premium cabin class tickets' baggage allowance on Virgin Atlantic enables two pieces of baggage which cannot exceed 23 kg and should be within the dimension as mentioned in the economy class. The Upper class or business class tickets have a baggage allowance of up to three pieces of bags that should not weigh more than 32 kg. The dimensions of all the baggage should be 90 x 75 x 43cm and not more than the stated measurement. Interestingly, the airline recently made some changes to its baggage allowance policy for passengers travelling to and from Indian cities such as Mumbai and Delhi. They have allowed a free bag allowance which means passengers can carry two bags weighing 32 kg each for Upper Class. However, two pieces of bags are allowed for passengers travelling from premium class with a weight allocation of 23 kg. As for the economy class tickets, the airline has enabled two pieces of bags allowed with a weight permit of not more than 23 kg. These new rules are as opposed to the earlier ones which allowed more baggage allocation by Virgin Atlantic.

In-flight services

In-flight services experienced on Virgin Atlantic are quite exceptional. The airline brings forth some of the best seating accommodation. They have enhanced the seats with better leather and equipment such as a personal lamp, entertainment system, better overhead bin space and seats that recline with better legroom too. Depending on the cabin class chosen by the passenger, the facilities do change. However, the comfort measure remains constant in all the cabins. Virgin Atlantic's in-flight services also include in-flight meals which are inspired by global cuisine.

Popular routes and top cities for Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic caters to a handful of domestic routes and international routes. In fact, in terms of domestic routes, the airline doesn't have a strong game as it only caters to London and Manchester. Barring these two hubs, the airline doesn't have any destination flying within the United Kingdom. As for international routes, it is well-connected with North America and parts of Asian destinations. The airline doesn't have a magnanimous presence in a lot of destinations internationally. They have also terminated services with a slew of cities owing to the loss-making management structure. As of 2020, the airline caters to cities such as Antigua, Shanghai, Havana, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Delhi, Tel Aviv, Lagos, Johannesburg, Tobago, London, Belfast, Manchester, Atlanta, Boston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Orlando, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington DC. While the airline did have hopes to acquire more recognition and presence in the domestic market by tying up with Flybe, the deal didn't take off, and neither did Virgin Atlantic's plans to make a bigger UK reach.

Why travel by Virgin Atlantic?

Virgin Atlantic has been facing significant losses and important issues over the years. However, the airline is known and recognised for offering quality service and hospitality. Virgin Atlantic has grown into a favourable airline for passengers who wish to travel to destinations in the United States of America from London and the United Kingdom. The airline has also worked on improving much of its in-flight services and facilities that further enhance the experience of travellers. On the airline's official website, they have enabled booking a Virgin Atlantic flight without any conundrums. Following the same, the airline has also made web check-ins possible with up to date details concerning the flight status of the passengers. Virgin Atlantic's flight schedules are also added on the website along with constant updates. These facilities actually help passengers make the airline a viable option. Virgin Atlantic's flyer clubs also have some of the best amenities in the airport lounge as well as while booking the flight tickets.

  About Raipur Airport

Swami Vivekananda Airport or better known as Raipur Airport is the primary airport that caters to the state of Chattisgarh. It is situated between Raipur and Naya Raipur and is close to 15 km and 10 km away from the two cities respectively. The airport has been acknowledged as the 28th busiest airport in the country with respect to passenger traffic. It is also recorded as the 29th busiest airport in terms of aircraft movement. The airport, originally called Raipur Airport, was renamed as Swami Vivekananda Airport, to honour the venerated saint, Swami Vivekananda, who spent a brief period of his teenage years in the city of Raipur. The airport accommodates one integrated terminal which was upgraded to handle international and domestic operations. Currently, there are not many international flight activities that are witnessed by Swami Vivekananda Airport. Despite being an airport with international stature, the authorities haven't been able to attract a lot of international airlines. However, with their expansion plans and regular upgradations, they aim to upscale the airport and get more flight activities.

About Raipur Airport Terminal

The airport has one integrated terminal that was inaugurated in 2012 by former President of India, Pranab Mukherjee. The new integrated terminal was built at the cost of nearly INR 158 crore. The building area is sprawled across 4.9 acres and has been designed to accommodate 1300 passengers at once. This number excludes the 400 international passengers that the airport seeks to handle. The new terminal is blessed with better modern amenities to enhance the passenger experience and to attract more airlines to operate from Swami Vivekananda Airport. Currently, there are two aerobridges, eight boarding gates, eight X-ray baggage machines, 20 check-in counters and four security counters that have been installed to cater to the efficient functioning of passenger services.

Further, they have also installed two baggage claim conveyor belts as part of their grand airport upgradation scheme. The airport also has a cargo terminal that was brought in the picture in 2016. The Common User Domestic Cargo Terminal was inaugurated in 2016 after the constant demand for an air cargo operation by the state of Chattisgarh. The Airports Authority of India worked to convert one of the old terminal buildings into a Common User Domestic Cargo Terminal to accommodate cargo operations. The project was handled by Ahmedabad-based firm, GSEC Limited. Presently, the airport has a single runway which measures approximately 10,666 ft in length and 148 ft in width. Much recently, the airport also facilitated the airfield with night-landing options. The apron of the airport has seven parking bays which can accommodate Airbus A320 and Boeing B737 type of aircraft, along with a helipad.

About airport authority

Swami Vivekananda Airport is owned and operated by the Airports Authority of India. The government body has taken up the responsibility to manage the airport's expansion and management operations. Over the years, they have been able to make quite a few changes in the airport's infrastructure. This includes the installation of a new integrated terminal that caters to handle more passengers. Not to mention, they have also worked on accommodating parking bays that would enable handling of aircraft from the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 carrier family. The equipment of the airport has also seen a consistent upgradation. Further, to make the airport accessible from both the cities, Raipur and Naya Raipur, the Airports Authority has brought forth services and installed them in the airport premise.

Facilities at the Raipur Airport

Baggage – The baggage services that can be availed at Swami Vivekananda Airport is quite good. They have baggage wrapping services which you can take up to avoid mishandling and theft of items from your bag. The airport also offers storage facilities for bags, but there are some conditions that need to be adhered to. Trolleys are also present at the airport vicinity to help you take your luggage around at the airport.

Lounge – The airport has a fancy lounge called the Cinnamon Lounge. The facilities at the Cinnamon Lounge have been designed specifically to help ease the passengers who are waiting for boarding. The leather seats installed at the lounge space is cosy and very comfortable. Not to mention, the restaurant in the lounge also offers exquisite food and good hospitality services. One can relax at the lounge and even pay a sum to enter the space.

Restaurants and cafe – Although the airport is considerably small, it does have a bunch of restaurants and cafes for travellers. They are located in the departure as well as the arrivals section. Some of the globally recognised food establishments are also present at the airport's food court. Not to mention how budget snacks corners are also available at Swami Vivekananda Airport. Further, as part of its facilities, you can find small joints which serve coffee, tea and other beverages.

Duty-free shops – Even though Swami Vivekananda Airport is predominantly not an international airport, it does facilitate duty-free shops at the departure section to cater to the entertainment needs of the passengers. One can check out the shop with all its culturally rich textile goods as well as artefacts. The place is perfect for purchasing souvenirs, in case you might have missed out on shopping for the same.

Retail store – Shoppers Stop, a famous retail shop chain in the country, owned by Tata Group, has a franchise at the airport's departure section. The shop offers a plethora of goods and commodities from the clothing and lifestyle segment. You can peruse through the shop and even make some purchases at the shop.

ATMs – One of the perks of Raipur Airport is the installation of ATM kiosks at the departure and the arrival gates. This is to ensure that you are able to withdraw money as and when needed. It also becomes convenient to travel within the city from the airport by withdrawing cash directly at the airport premise. You can also make purchases in the airport.

Medical services – To assist in medical emergencies, the airport has provisions for medical services as well. There are dedicated rooms for medical services as well as professionals available on duty at the airport premise. Along with this, the airport also has pharmacies with common medicines.

Special assistance – The airport provides special assistance to cater to the needs of passengers. You can ask for the airport to send staff to escort the passengers with special needs. The special assistance is usually reserved for travellers with mobility and physical disability. They cater to senior citizens, pregnant women and individuals with mobility concerns. It would be best to intimate the airlines about the special assistance needs so that the airport staff can be prepared for the same.

Top airlines flying from the Raipur Airport

The airport mainly caters to domestic airlines with a few provisions for international airline operations. Presently, Swami Vivekananda Airport has operations of airlines such as Air India, Alliance Air, IndiGo and Vistara. These airlines have direct flights connecting to cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Vizag, Nagpur, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Patna, Srinagar, Ranchi, Jaipur, Indore, Goa, Jagdalpur, Jharsuguda, Bhopal and more. According to the official website of Swami Vivekananda Airport, the airport is scheduled to cater to United Airlines, which has a scheduled flight to Delhi.

How to reach Raipur Airport

By Rail

Swami Vivekananda Airport is a little away from the city centre. It is approximately 16 km from the Raipur Junction railway station and 14 km from the main bus terminal. Hence, if you are travelling to Raipur from other parts of Chattisgarh, from the railway station, you can avail taxi cab and rickshaw services to reach Swami Vivekananda Airport. Due to the distance from the railway station to the airport, the prepaid taxi and rickshaws might charge an exorbitant amount. It is advised that the traveller fix a final fare to reach the Swami Vivekananda Airport before starting the journey.

By Bus

Dedicated bus services are available to reach Swami Vivekananda Airport from within the city of Raipur as well as nearby destinations. You can find buses heading to Telibandha, Pachpedinaka, Tatibandh and Durg Railway Station too. A schedule of the buses travelling to Swami Vivekananda Airport has been shared on the official website of Raipur Airport. Private buses can also be booked at a price that has been mentioned on the website. These luxury buses will be air-conditioned and have individual seats, high definition LED screens, and trained staff take you to the Swami Vivekananda Airport.

By Taxi cabs and ridesharing apps

One of the best ways to reach the Swami Vivekananda Airport from the main city is by hailing a taxi cab service or by booking a ride on a ridesharing app. The city offers Ola and Uber cab services. You can make your bookings and reach Raipur Airport without much hassle. Further, the city is also blessed with enough prepaid taxi cab services that can be availed. These services can be found within the city as well as the airport.