Bangalore to Coonoor

Travelling by bus is one option that is easy on the budget. Almost all the buses departing from Bangalore start in the evening and reach Coonoor in the morning, making it a great option for those who wish to explore the hill station and return the same day. Travellers can choose their bus according to their convenience and comfort. Bookings can be made at the ticket counters or on online platforms which are more preferred for instant bookings and confirmations. Also, the bus operators have set boarding points located across Bangalore City which can be chosen according to the traveller’s preference.

Available Bus Options

1. Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (Non A/C Sleeper)

Departure – 09:45 PM IST
Arrival – 09:15 AM IST
Duration: 11 hours 30 minutes

Fare – INR 650/-

2. Sarathi Tours and Travels (Non A/C Sleeper)

Departure – 10:15 PM IST
Arrival – 05:45 AM IST
Duration: 7 hours 30 minutes

Fare – INR 600/-

3. Green Lines Travels and Holidays (Non A/C Sleeper)

Departure – 11:15 PM IST
Arrival – 06:30 AM IST
Duration: 7 hours 15 minutes

Fare – INR 700/-

4. Green Lines Travels and Holidays (A/C Sleeper)

Departure – 10:45 PM IST
Arrival – 06:00 AM IST
Duration: 7 hours 15 minutes

Fare – INR 900/-

Reaching Coonoor from Bangalore by taxi/ rented cabs or self-driven vehicles is also another option for travellers. They can take one of the three routes that lead to Coonoor – the NH 275 route, the NH 948 route and the AH 43 route. The hill station is approximately 397 kilometres away via the longest route out of the three mentioned above. It takes about 11 hours with one or two pit stops for refreshments but if one wants to, they can plan to explore other attractions and destinations along the way. Travellers also have an option of staying overnight at one of these locations if the journey seems long and exhaustive. Nonetheless, this mode of transport is the best for those who wish to experience the thrill of a road trip.

Renting a vehicle from one of the travel and tourism companies is a good option for those who do not want to or cannot drive themselves. Most companies offer tour packages that can be designed for overnight stays or a pickup and drop only. Some cab service providers also have provisions for online bookings. It can make the travel experience highly convenient for travellers. One can choose from hatchbacks, sports utility vehicles, sedans, luxury vehicles, minivans etc. depending on their budget and comfort preferences. Bharat Taxi, Clear Car Rental, Zoom Car, GoZo Cabs, Savaari, Map Cabs etc. are some of the online platforms which can be used to rent a cab to reach Coonoor from Bangalore.

The Routes That Can Be Taken

Route 1: The NH 275 Route

287 Kilometres, 7 hours 30 minutes approximately

JC Road/ NH 275 – SH 17 – NH 275 – Naayandahalli Flyover – NH 275/ Mysore Road/ Outer Ring Road – NH 150A/ Ring Road – Ringway Circle – NH 766 – Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam Circle – NH 181 – Thappakadu Thalaikundha Road – Kudaloor Road/ NH 181. Coonoor is about 22.5 kilometres ahead.

Route 2: The NH 948 Route

297 Kilometres, 8 hours 15 minutes approximately

NH 275/ JC Road – Mysore Road/ SH 17 – Naayandahalli Junction (get on to the service road to the right) – Outer Ring Road – BMIC Expressway – Nice Road – Kanakapura Road – NH 948 – SH 80 – Gundlupet Chamarajanagara Road – NH 766 – NH 181 – Thappakadu Thalaikundha Road – Kudaloor Road on NH 181. To reach Coonoor, one has to travel for another 22 kilometres or so ahead.

Route 3: The AH 43 Route

396 Kilometres, 10 hours approximately

NH 275 – SH 17 – JC Road – Kalinga Rao Road – Mission Road – M Subbaiah Circle – NH 948 – Lalbagh Double Road – Dr. MH Mari Gowda Road – Dairy Circle Flyover – NH 44 – NH 48/ AH 43/ AH 45/ Bangalore Road/ Krishnagiri Bypass Road - Dharmapuri Road – NH 44 – AH 43 – Bangalore Bypass Road – Kovian Main Road/ NH 544 – SH 80 – NH 948/ SH 80/ Annur Avinashi Road – Mettupalayam Road – NH 181/ Ooty Road. Coonoor is about 34 kilometres ahead.

Road Condition

The national highways that connect Bangalore and Coonoor are decently maintained. Two of those, the AH 43 and the NH 948, have toll booths located at regular intervals. All of them are 4 lane highways that accommodate enough traffic, however, during peak hours, a slow-paced drive should be expected. Normally the stretch is well marked for road signs and directions and the road condition is smooth, but there could be some patches that are affected due to low maintenance, heavy traffic and even bad weather.

Eating Options on the Way

There are a number of hotels and restaurants all along the three national highways that lead to Coonoor from Bangalore. Travellers can choose to halt at one or more of the towns, cities or hamlets on the way or they can stop by at some of the many restaurants on the highways for some local South Indian food. One can also find cafes and fast food centres including international fast food outlets like Café Coffee Day, Dominos, Pizza Hut, McDonald’s etc. Some of the famous local restaurants are Biryani Land, King Burger, Kamat Upachar, Melt In Café, Surabhi Dhaba and Restaurant, Sri Mahalaxmi Canteen, Sri Krishna Paradise, Silver Oak, Shevaroys, Mangalam Restaurant etc.

There are no direct trains connecting Coonoor to Bangalore by the Indian Railways system. Out of the other railway stations that are located near Coonoor, only the Coimbatore Railway Station has trains coming in from Bangalore. Almost all the trains operate all days of the week. This mode of transport may not be an affordable option for travellers because, from Coimbatore, they need to travel to Coonoor. Travellers can find at least four trains connecting Bangalore and Coimbatore every day.

Available Train Options

There are six trains connecting Bangalore and Coonoor by the Indian Railway System. They are Coimbatore Express, Kanyakumari Express, TPR Cannanore Express, Ernakulam Express, SBC CBE Uday Express, and Kochuveli Express. Out of these, SBC CBE Uday Express operates six days a week while the rest operate all days of the week.

The train schedule is spaced out properly to ensure convenience for travellers. Usually, there is one train scheduled in the morning, two in the afternoon and three in the evening. The morning train departs from the Bangalore City Railway Station around 06:00 AM IST, those in the afternoon depart around 02:00 PM and 04:00 PM IST and those in the evening depart around 08:00 PM, 08:20 PM and 10:20 PM IST. The schedule is bound to change. So, those who wish to take a train ride must check the time table and book well in advance.

Transportation from Coimbatore to Coonoor

Coimbatore Railway Station is about 75 kilometre away from Coonoor. One can opt for a bus heading to Coonoor from Coimbatore. Booking can be done either on one of the online platforms or travellers can walk into a ticket counter. Another option to reach the hill station from Coimbatore is by renting a cab. There are several tours and travel companies that provide travel packages to Coonoor and back. There are online cab service providers too that travellers can go for like Savaari, GoZo, Book Cabs etc.