How to Reach Alleppey (Alappuzha): Trains, Flights, Buses and Boats

Ways to reach Alleppey at a glance

There are several ways to get to Alleppey, and most visitors combine two: a flight or train into Kerala, then a short road, rail or boat leg into town. It offers some of the best natural beauty that the state is famous for, be it the crisscrossing canals that intersect the small fishing villages or the houseboats that glide past silently with their load of eager tourists. Our Alleppey travel guide covers what to do once you arrive. This page covers getting there.

Alleppey trips in numbers

Nearest Railway Station to Alleppey: Alappuzha (ALLP)

The nearest railway station to Alleppey is Alappuzha railway station, code ALLP. If you are planning to reach Alleppey by train, it is your best option. The station is in town, on the Ernakulam to Kayamkulam coastal line of Southern Railway, and it connects the city to Trivandrum, Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, New Delhi and Kochi. From the platform it is about 3.5 km to the KSRTC bus stand and 4 km to the Finishing Point jetty where most houseboats board. Buses, taxis and auto rickshaws are readily available outside the railway station to take you to the backwaters.

Booking apps list it under both names. IRCTC shows "Alappuzha (ALLP)", and older apps still say "Alleppey", so search the code if a name search comes back empty.

Trains that stop at Alappuzha

The major trains that connect the city to places across the country include the Kerala Sampark Kranti, the Nizamuddin superfast trains and the Tirunelveli to Jamnagar (Hapa) Express. The list below is the one worth bookmarking. Check running days on NTES or IRCTC before you book, because several of these are weekly or bi-weekly.

Key trains stopping at Alappuzha (ALLP)

One correction worth knowing. The Sabari Express from Hyderabad does not stop at Alappuzha. It runs via Kottayam, so Sabari passengers should get off at Kottayam and take the boat or a 1.5 hour cab (see below).

No direct train? Use Ernakulam, Kayamkulam or Kottayam

Kerala has two parallel rail lines south of Kochi, and many long-distance trains take the inland Kottayam line rather than the coastal line through Alappuzha. If yours does, these are the stations to use.

From the station to the jetty, bus stand or your hotel

Make sure to use the prepaid booth for taxis and autos if you want to enjoy a hassle-free journey. The auto counter is just outside the main exit, and the ride to Finishing Point is 10 to 15 minutes for about Rs 70 to Rs 100. Some hotels also offer pickup and drop services, so talk to your tour operator or hotel management first and plan accordingly. Houseboats usually board around noon, which means a morning arrival by train leaves a comfortable margin.

Nearest Airport to Alleppey: Cochin (COK) or Trivandrum (TRV)

There is no airport in Alleppey, and the nearest one is Cochin International Airport (COK) at Nedumbassery, 83 km away by road. The airport is well connected to major cities across India as well as the world, offering flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Dubai, Singapore and many more destinations. From right outside the airport, you can hire taxis or take a bus to reach the backwaters. The second option is Trivandrum International Airport (TRV), 150 km to the south. Our guide to airports in Kerala compares all four.

Cochin vs Trivandrum airport for Alleppey

Coimbatore (235 km), Kozhikode (about 225 km) and Madurai (280 km) airports are only worth it if a fare is dramatically cheaper. Each adds 4 to 7 hours of road to your first day. For the state-level picture see how to reach Kerala.

Cochin airport to Alleppey: step by step

1. Collect your bags and decide between a taxi and the bus route.

2. For a taxi, use the prepaid counter in the arrivals hall or meet your pre-booked driver. Expect Rs 1,800 to Rs 3,300 for a sedan, depending on the operator and whether tolls are included.

3. For the bus route, take the airport feeder or a cab to Aluva metro station.

4. Ride Kochi Metro from Aluva to Vyttila.

5. At the Vyttila Mobility Hub, board a KSRTC bus marked Alappuzha. They leave roughly every 10 minutes and cost about Rs 81 to Rs 93.

6. Get off at the Alappuzha KSRTC stand and take an auto to your hotel or the jetty.

If you are booking a houseboat, time your flight to land by 9 am. That keeps the noon boarding within reach even with slow traffic through Aroor.

How to Reach Alleppey by Road and Bus

The roads to Alleppey, especially from Kochi and Kumarakom, are well maintained and well connected to other cities of the state. Alleppey sits on NH 66, the coastal highway that runs from Kochi through Cherthala and on to Kollam and Trivandrum. If you have hired a taxi or are planning to drive to Alleppey by yourself, it is a good idea. You can stop on the way for snacks and meals, and for some much-needed break from driving. Parts of NH 66 are still being widened in 2026, so add 20 to 30 minutes to any map estimate around Aroor and Cherthala.

Distance and travel time to Alleppey

Road distances to Alleppey (measured on OpenStreetMap routing, September 2026)

KSRTC and interstate buses

The Alappuzha KSRTC bus stand is in the town centre, a few minutes on foot from the main boat jetty. From Kochi, KSRTC runs fast passenger and superfast buses from the Vyttila Mobility Hub and Ernakulam KSRTC stand roughly every 10 minutes for about Rs 81 to Rs 93, taking 1.5 to 2 hours. There are frequent buses along NH 66 from Kollam and Trivandrum and across from Kottayam and Changanassery.

For longer trips, KSRTC Swift and private operators run overnight AC sleepers from Bengaluru, Chennai and Coimbatore. From Bengaluru the choice is wider to Ernakulam, so a sleeper to Kochi followed by a morning train south is often easier than hunting for a direct seat. Our how to reach Kerala from Bangalore guide lists the options.

Driving routes

• From Kochi and the north. NH 66 south through Aroor and Cherthala. Straightforward, but slow in the evening rush.

• From Trivandrum and Kollam. NH 66 north through Kayamkulam and Haripad, flat and busy with lorries.

• From Munnar and Thekkady. come down the hills to Kottayam, then cut west through Changanassery or take the boat from Kottayam.

• From Bengaluru. Salem, Coimbatore, Palakkad and Thrissur to Kochi, then NH 66. Around 560 km and a full day at the wheel.

Reaching Alleppey by Water

Road is not the only way into the backwaters. Kerala's State Water Transport Department (SWTD) runs public boats between Alappuzha and Kottayam, which is one of the cheapest backwater rides in the state and a practical route if your train stops at Kottayam. The Kottayam end is the Kanjiram jetty, about 7 km from Kottayam town, so budget an auto ride between the two.

Boat routes into Alleppey

Timings shift with water levels and the monsoon, so ask at the jetty the day before. The Kollam boat is a full day on the water that links Ashtamudi, Kayamkulam and Vembanad lakes. Buy tickets at the DTPC counters beside the Kollam and Alappuzha jetties. For a private overnight cruise instead, compare Alleppey houseboat packages.

How to Reach Alleppey from Major Cities

From Bengaluru

Take the overnight Mysuru to Kochuveli Express (16315), which boards at Bengaluru and reaches Alappuzha the next morning. Flying to Cochin (about 1 hour 10 minutes) and driving 83 km is faster. By road it is 560 km via Salem and Coimbatore. More detail is in our how to reach Kerala from Bangalore guide.

From Chennai

The Chennai Central to Alappuzha Superfast (22639) runs overnight and ends at ALLP, so you step off in town. The Trivandrum superfasts (12697, 22207) also stop at Alappuzha. Flights land at Cochin in about 1 hour 15 minutes.

From Hyderabad

Fly to Cochin, which is the quickest option by far. By rail, the Sabari Express reaches Kottayam, from where you can take the SWTD boat or a 1.5 hour cab to Alleppey.

From Mumbai and Goa

The Netravati Express (16345) from Mumbai LTT via Madgaon and the Mumbai CSMT to Trivandrum Express (16331) both stop at Alappuzha. Most travellers from Mumbai fly to Cochin, a flight of about 2 hours.

From Delhi and North India

The Trivandrum Rajdhani (12431/12432), the Nizamuddin superfasts and the Kerala Sampark Kranti all stop at Alappuzha, but the journey takes 40 to 50 hours. A 3.5 hour flight to Cochin plus the drive is how almost everyone does it.

From Kolkata

The Shalimar to Trivandrum Superfast (22642) stops at Alappuzha. For a shorter trip, fly to Cochin, usually with one stop.

From Kochi, Munnar and Thekkady

Kochi is the easy one: train, bus or cab, all under 2 hours. From Munnar and Thekkady there is no train, so it is a 4 to 5 hour drive down through Kottayam. Many travellers see all three on one loop with our Munnar Thekkady Alleppey packages, which include the transfers.

Which Way Should You Choose?

Getting Around Alleppey

Alleppey is small and flat, and most of what you need sits between the railway station, the KSRTC stand and the canal-side jetties.

• Autos. the prepaid counter at the station is the easy option. Elsewhere, agree on the fare first. Station to Finishing Point is about Rs 70 to Rs 100.

• Houseboat boarding. most boats leave from the Finishing Point jetty on Punnamada Lake. Boarding is usually around noon and check-out around 9 am the next day.

• Shikaras and canoes. small covered boats wait near Finishing Point and the main jetty for 1 to 3 hour canal rides.

• SWTD town ferries. the public boats from the main jetty near the KSRTC stand double as cheap sightseeing along the canals.

• Scooters and bicycles. hire shops near the beach and in town suit short hops to Marari Beach, 14 km north.

Plan around the Nehru Trophy Boat Race on Punnamada Lake, held every August (the 2026 race was on 22 August). Roads near Finishing Point get crowded and trains into Alappuzha fill up weeks ahead. See the best time to visit Alleppey for the rest of the calendar.

Onward from Alleppey

Once you are here, the next stops are close. Read Alleppey to Kumarakom, Alleppey to Thekkady and Alleppey to Kovalam, and pick your stops from places to visit in Alleppey and things to do in Alleppey.

The train into Alappuzha, a cab from Cochin airport or the Kottayam boat will each get you to the houseboat jetty the same day. To have the transfers, houseboat and hotels arranged for you, browse our Alleppey tour packages or the wider range of Kerala tour packages.

Distances, fares and schedules on this page were checked by the TravelTriangle Kerala desk in September 2026 against Indian Railways (NTES), KSRTC, Kerala State Water Transport Department and OpenStreetMap routing.