Bangalore to Madikeri

The best and the most preferred way to reach Madikeri from Bangalore is by road. The road distance between the two cities is 250 kilometres, and it is a mixed but mostly, a smooth drive. Since the distance is not that large and the availability of cabs and taxis for Madikeri is always high, people prefer to take a road trip to Madikeri.

You can book a cab or taxi from local cab operators in Bangalore or go for research online for yourself. You can book a cab from Ola outstation, Savaari, Gozocabs etc. or go for local cab operators in Bangalore. If you are choosing a local cab operator, make sure you check for their authenticity and reviews, to avoid any unpleasant situation during the journey. If you are self-driving, you must be an experienced driver for you have to drive on the hills. This is why people prefer cabs or taxis more.

The Journey

The journey is more or less smooth, with excellent roads and scenic routes. The road journey is worth taking, right from passing the mesmerizing ghats on the way to the smell of lavenders and coffee plantations on entering Madikeri. After crossing Mysore, when the roads are not that busy, you can take in more of the natural beauty along the roads. The clouds hovering over the lush green surroundings resemble a picture, and to pass by them is nothing less than a pleasure. This is one of those road trips, where you can make many stopovers because there are some beautiful tourist spots o the way. You can also take detours to cover some offbeat points of interest, for there are many of those too. The must-try food on the road are dosas and coffee. Fresh fruits are also available on the way, and you can purchase some of those.

Route Options Available

1. Bangalore - Ramanagara - Srirangapatna - Elivala - Hunsur - Kushalnagar - Madikeri

2. Bangalore - Nelamangla - CR Patna - Holenarasipur - Arakalgud - Shanivarasante - Somwarpet - Mallalli- Madikeri

Road Condition from Bangalore to Madikeri

The journey is more or less smooth, with excellent roads and scenic routes. The road journey is worth taking, right from passing the mesmerizing ghats on the way to the smell of lavenders and coffee plantations on entering Madikeri. After crossing Mysore, when the roads are not that busy, you can take in more of the natural beauty along the roads. The clouds hovering over the lush green surroundings resemble a picture, and to pass by them is nothing less than a pleasure. This is one of those road trips, where you can make many stopovers because there are some beautiful tourist spots o the way. You can also take detours to cover some offbeat points of interest, for there are many of those too. The must-try food on the road are dosas and coffee. Fresh fruits are also available on the way, and you can purchase some of those.

Eating Options on the Way

There are many reasonable restaurants in the Hunsur town and some Cafe Coffee Day Outlets near Kushalnagar Town. As you reach Hunsur and take the right fork, you can find a drive-in restaurant on the left, called Coorg Cafe, which has a great coffee shop and serves some lip-smacking vegetarian food. You can stop at Cafe Coffee Day at Kampalapura near Periyapatna on SH88. There is another CCD outlet at Kushalnagar. There are some small tea shops. Shivalli and Empire Kamat hotel are other popular restaurants on the way. You can try out the hot idlis at Bidadi and hot and spicy omelettes at Ilavala. If you take the Mysore route, you can stop for breakfast at Kamath's Lokaruchi.

Bangalore to Madikeri is about 265 kilometres by road, and an economical way is to take the bus. Many buses are operating from Bangalore for Madikeri, and you can choose the one, suited to your itinerary and convenience. It takes about 6-7 hours to cover the distance by bus, which is slightly more than what you cover by a car or taxi. On average, it takes about 6 hours 30 minutes to reach Madikeri.

There are both private and government buses plying for Madikeri. You can take a KSRTC bus, run by Karnataka State Government or choose a coach by one of the popular private bus operators, such as GreenLine, Gauri Shankar, Poornima Travels, Ashwini tours and travels, Sea-Bird Tourist, Manu Tourists etc. People usually prefer KSRTC buses because they are renowned for their punctuality. They have the reputation of starting and reaching in time always.

There are many types of buses, and you can choose one, based on the amenities they provide. There are Volvo as well as luxury buses with LCD screen, charging points, AC and some even have food and water included. The coaches usually provide blanket and pillows to the passengers for a comfortable journey.

Type of Buses Available

Non A/C Sleeper (2+1)
Non A/C Seater (2+2)

Starting Points in Bangalore

Gandhinagar
Majestic
Railway Station
Mysore Road Satellite Bus stand
Mysore Road - Nayandahalli Metro Station
Raja Rajeshwari Arch

Drop Points in Madikeri

Madikeri bus stand

Route Taken 

Bangalore - Kengeri - Mandya - Mysore - Yelwal - Hunsur - Kampalapura - Kushalnagar--Madikeri

Timings of Buses

There are few overnight buses run by bus operators such as Greenline travels, Gouri Shankar travels, Poornima tours and Ashwini travels at 11 PM, 10:05 PM, 11 PM and 10:10 PM respectively. There are morning buses too such as the 10 AM bus of KSRTC or the 7 AM Manu travels bus.

Duration of the Journey

The buses ideally take 6-7 hours to reach Madikeri. The time taken is different for different bus operators. The duration also depends on the route, traffic and climatic conditions.

Fare & Costs

The bus fare varies based on the seat type, bus type or the bus operator you choose. For government buses, it can be low whereas for private buses, the cost can be somewhere between INR 300-600 per person.

Madikeri does not have a railway station, so there is no possibility of a train from Bangalore to Madikeri. The most preferred means of travelling from Bangalore to Madikeri are car, taxis and buses only.

The nearest railway station to Madikeri is at Hassan, which is situated around 76 kms away from the town. If indeed you have to travel via trains, the best way to do that would be taking a train from Bangalore to Hassan, which takes about 2 hours 30 minutes and then take a taxi from Hassan to Madikeri. There are plenty of trains from Bangalore to Hassan. This can be done if you also intend to make a short trip to Hassan. Otherwise, it is not recommended to do so. The other railway station close to Madikeri is Subramanya Road station, but the frequency of trains on this route is minimal. Another unpopular and uncommon way to reach Madikeri by train is taking a train from Bangalore to Krishanrajanaga (KRNR) which takes about 3 hours and then take a car or taxi from Krishanrajanaga to Madikeri, which takes about 1 hour 30 minutes. This can be preferred if you have to take a train or do something offbeat. Other than that, it can be concluded that you must prefer travelling to Madikeri by bus or cars only.

Nearest Railway Station: Hassan, Subramanya Road Station, Sakleshwar Station