How to Reach Kodaikanal

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The quaint little hill station of Kodaikanal is beautifully nestled in the southern crest of the upper Palani Hills in Tamil Nadu. One of the finest tourist places in Tamil Nadu, Kodaikanal lies at about 213 meters above sea level, and is easily accessible from other cities within the state as well as from other parts of India. Before you plan your tour to Kodaikanal, you must be well informed about how to reach Kodaikanal.

Let’s have a detailed look of the best way to travel to Kodaikanal by Train, Flight, and Road

Kodaikanal By Air:

The nearest airport to Kodaikanal is Madurai Airport, about 130 km away. The airport is well connected with major destinations, especially Chennai. The other airport near Kodaikanal is Coimbatore Airport, at about 173 km. Air India, SpiceJet, and Jet Airways are some airlines that operate regular flights to Kodaikanal from Chennai, Mumbai, and Bangalore. You can hire bus or taxi services from Madurai Airport to reach Kodaikanal.

Travel by Flights

Travel Time (approx.)

Distance (approx.)

Airport

Bangalore to Kodaikanal

1 hour 35 min

304 KM

Bangalore International Airport

Chennai to Kodaikanal

1 hour 25 min

426 KM

Chennai International Airport

Mumbai to Kodaikanal

2 hour 15 min

1425 KM

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport

Delhi to Kodaikanal

3 hours 5 min

2043 KM

Indira Gandhi International Airport

Mangalore to Kodaikanal

3 hours 30 min

413 KM

Mangalore International Airport

Hyderabad to Kodaikanal

1 hours 35 min

802 KM

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport

Coimbatore to Kodaikanal

3 hours 20 min

104 KM

Coimbatore International Airport

Kodaikanal By Rail:

If you are wondering, “how to reach Kodaikanal by train?”, book a train ticket to Kodaikanal from Chennai, Bangalore, Ernakulam, Hyderabad, and Mumbai. There are many trains operating to Kodaikanal from these cities’ stations. The nearest railhead to Kodaikanal is Kodai Road Railway Station, at a distance of 80 km. Many passenger trains pass through Kodai Road station. Avail taxis from outside the Kodai Road train station to Kodaikanal.

Travel by Train

Travel Time

Distance

Train Name

Chennai to Kodaikanal

09 hours

529 KM

Chennai Central

Bangalore to Kodaikanal

9 hours

452 KM

KSR Bengaluru Station

Hyderabad to Kodaikanal

1 day, 11 hours

1040 KM

Hyderabad Deccan railway station

Ernakulam to Kodaikanal

20 hours, 30 min

473 KM

Ernakulam Junction railway station

Mumbai to Kodaikanal

1 day, 11 hours

1384 KM

Mumbai Central

Pondicherry to Kodaikanal

11 hours, 34 min

437 KM

Puducherry railway station

Kodaikanal By Road:

Kodaikanal is connected by road with important cities of South India like Chennai (529 km), Ooty (255 km), Trichy (204 km), Coimbatore (172 km), Kumily (148 km), and Madurai (115 km). Regular bus services are available from Madurai, Palani, Kodaikanal Road, Theni, Dindigul, Tiruchirapalli, Kumuli (Thekkady), and Coimbatore. Additional buses ply during the peak seasons. But hiring a car is the most comfortable way to reach Kodaikanal.

Taxis, vans, and luxury buses are available for local transportation in Kodaikanal. Mountain bikes and ordinary bicycles can also be rented for trekking around. There are no auto-rickshaws in Kodaikanal.

Distance from Kodaikanal to Major cities are listed below:

Location

Travel Time (approx.)

Distance (approx.)

Bangalore to Kodaikanal

447 KM

10 hours, 20 min

Chennai to Kodaikanal

529 KM

10 hours, 30 min

Ooty to Kodaikanal

255 KM

7 hours

Coimbatore to Kodaikanal

172 KM

5 hours

Kumily to Kodaikanal

148 KM

3 hours 35 min

How to Go to Kodaikanal From Nearby Cities

Knowing Kodaikanal how to reach from major Indian cities makes planning your trip easy. Here is a list of cities to book trains, flights, or buses to Kodaikanal.

How to Reach Kodaikanal from Bangalore

Flights are available from Bangalore airport to Madurai airport, the nearest airport to Kodaikanal. From there, hire a taxi or bus to your desired destination. Trains can be booked from Bangalore to Kodaikanal’s nearest station, Kodai railway station. However, most tourists prefer coming to Bangalore to Kodaikanal by road. The distance is about 465 km. Overnight bus journeys are also available.

How to Reach Kodaikanal from Chennai

Reaching Kodaikanal from Chennai is convenient. Most tourists prefer taking a train as a lot runs daily, some of which are direct trains. The drive from Chennai to Kodaikanal is about 513 km long and takes about 9 hours. On the way to Kodaikanal, you can stop at attractions or restaurants to make it more fun. Book a flight from Chennai airport to Madurai airport and take a bus/taxi to Kodaikanal.

How to Reach Kodaikanal from Mumbai

Kodaikanal is about 1450 km south of Mumbai, and traveling by car will take you nearly 24 hours. Tourists mostly choose flights from Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport in Mumbai to Madurai Airport and book a taxi to Kodaikanal. The bus ride will also take about 29 hours and can be extremely exhausting. The cheapest option is to choose Mumbai to Kodaikanal train, which is quite long, making it the least preferred option.

How to Reach Kodaikanal from Delhi

Direct flights are available from Delhi to Kodaikanal. Otherwise, board the Tamil Nadu Sampark Kranti Express, NZM Cape SF EXP, CDG MDU SF EXP, etc., from Delhi to Kodai Road Railway Station. You can hire a bus or taxi from the airport and railway station to Kodaikanal. Delhi to Kodaikanal distance is more than 2500 km, so it is the most inconvenient option.

Now you can choose the best way to travel to Kodaikanal, and if you are planning a tour, drop us a query. Our Kodaikanal tour package, which are customizable, cover the best of what this beautiful place has to offer. Contact us to know more!


FAQs

Q: Which is the best way to reach Kodaikanal?

 Ans: Flight offers a comfortable and fastest way, but you will have to cover the distance via road after landing at the nearest airport from the hill station. Rail is another good option as this hill station has a railway junction. But if you are coming from the nearby South Indian towns, choosing a roadway is ideal as you can enjoy the scenery. You can pick any of these per your traveling preferences and the distance you will have to cover to reach Kodaikanal.