Bangalore to Kodaikanal

The journey from Bangalore to Kodaikanal is can also be experienced in the comfort of your own car or cab. The distance by road is 450 kilometres, and by car, it takes approximately 10-12 hours depending on the speed of the vehicle and the stops for refreshments.

There are a few routes that can be taken, the most ideal one being heading towards Hosur Road and then towards Salem. This route passes through Krishnagiri and Dharmagiri, before reaching Salem. After reaching Salem, one has to continue on the NH 7 to Dindigul and then get on the Southern Trunk road, followed by Kodai Ghat road.

It is one of the road trips you are going to remember for long, because of the scenic routes and smooth driving. The highway is considered to be one of the best in India and passes through some picturesque settings, so you must keep your camera handy. The majestic hills and greenery on both sides, with flowers in the middle of the divider looks straight out of a scenery. On passing Krishnagiri, you can spot palm trees lining both sides of the road, grape fields and seasonal flowers blooming on the divider.

The Routes That Can Be Taken

Route 1

Bangalore - Electronic City - Attibele- Hosur - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Salem - Namakkal - Karur - Dindigul - Batlagundu - Kodaikanal ( 464 km, 7 hours 38 mins, via NH 44)

Route 2

Bangalore - Hosur -Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Salem - Erode - Perundurai - Chennimalai - Kangayam - Dharapuram - Thoppampatti - Palani - Perumal Malai - Silver Cascade Falls - Kodau (447 km, 8 hour 11 mins, via NH 44 and NH 544)

Road Condition

The road for both the routes are well maintained, ideal for driving, ensuring a swift and smooth drive. The traffic is not an issue here. Traffic is minimal after crossing Hosur. On heading to Krishnagiri, the journey is scenic and the roads pass through mountains and trees on both sides. The stretch gets covered fast, because the vehicles can maintain a 150 km/hr speed on this road. You have to pass through the city on reaching Salem, which means traffic is more here. This takes time and after this, you head to Karur and then take a right turn to Dindigul, which ensures a smooth drive on the state highway. After 50 kilometres, you encounter ghat roads which are rough and you must drive slow on them. It is steep and hilly and it takes almost an hour to cross this. The upper reaches of this road passes through some dense forests.

Eating Options on the Way

• Sree Saravana Bhavan Restaurant in Krishnagiri for ghee dosas, upmas, kesari, idlis and filter kaapi/coffee
• A2B, Krishnagiri
• Gokul Veg, Krishnagiri
• Sri Raja Ganpathi non veg Hotel, Krishnagiri
• Dindigul Venu Biryani Restaurant
• Hotel Chennai Bhawan, Dindigul
  

You can also choose to go from Bangalore to Kodaikanal by train. There are trains from  KSR station in Bangalore to Kodai Road, the nearest station to Kodaikanal. This station is 100 kilometers from the city and you need to take a taxi from Kodai Road Station for the city.

The number of trains is less, which is why it becomes cumbersome to opt for this mode of travel. The distance is 377 kilometers, so the travel time is reduced. But because of less number of trains, their timings may not fit your itinerary and cause you inconvenience. It must be noted that these trains ply only on some seasons, so you must always check for their availability beforehand and book the tickets in advance.

Available Train Options

1. Thirukkal Express (Monday and Saturday)

Departure - 7:20 AM from H Nizamuddin
Arrival - 2:38 PM on Kodai road

2. Jammu Tawi Navyug Exprees (Friday)

Departure - 12:58 PM from Shakurbasti Station
Arrival - 18:23 PM at Kodai Road

The most popular and most economic way of travelling from Bangalore to Kodaikanal is by bus. The road distance is 465 kilometres, and it takes roughly 8-11 hours to reach the scenic hill station. People love to travel by road because of the breathtaking views on the way and weather being another compelling reason. Another reason why you should prefer the road journey is that taking an overnight journey saves you the time. Booking a ticket as per your itinerary is easy because you have so many options among buses.

There are several options available if you are planning to take a bus. You can look for them online, select the bus which is scheduled as per your timing and book one to save yourself the hassle of taking a ticket from the bus ticket station. KPN, Greenline travels and holidays, JTV Travels, SRS Travels and KSRTC are the buses that leave Bangalore late in the evening and reach Kodaikanal next day, morning. These are overnight buses and preferred by the majority.

When you try to book these tickets online, you can avail some attractive offers on bus fares. The first bus leaving Bangalore is scheduled at 7:55 pm, while the last bus at 10:30 pm daily. Usually, there are eighteen boarding points and three dropping points so that you can choose your nearest boarding point and convenient drop point.

Available Bus Options

Road Conditions

The bus ride is one of the picturesque ones you would have ever taken. The highways are in good condition, which ensure smooth driving with average traffic. The highway, cut right out of majestic hills runs through some really scenic views, with greenery on both sides. The traffic increases at Hosur and the driving again becomes smooth through Krishnagiri, where the roads are curved and smooth. The traffic is never too much and vehicles easily drive at 150 kilometer/hour on this road. The highway on entering Salem becomes multiway. The ghat road is the only that takes the maximum time to cover, because it is steep at places and single lane at stretches.