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Getting there · Kerala
How to Reach Munnar: Nearest Railway Station, Airport, Buses and the Drive
Munnar has no railway station. The nearest one by road is Bodinayakanur in Tamil Nadu, about 62 km away, but it has only a few trains. For most people the station to use is Aluva, about 109 km, or Ernakulam Junction, about 125 km. Here is every way in: the stations, Kochi airport, the buses, the drive from Bengaluru and Chennai, and the last few kilometres.
Photo: Manukrishnan80, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Text added by Trip Under.
Short answer
Munnar has no railway station. The nearest station by road is Bodinayakanur (BDNK) in Tamil Nadu, about 62 km, but only a few trains run there. The practical choice for most people is Aluva (AWY), about 109 km, or Ernakulam Junction (ERS), about 125 km, both on Kerala's main line with well over a hundred trains each. The nearest airport is Kochi (COK), about 104 km, roughly two hours by road on a clear run.
Munnar sits at the top of a long climb in Kerala's Idukki district, ringed by tea estates. Every way in ends on a ghat road: from Kochi up through Kothamangalam, from Tamil Nadu over the Bodimettu pass, or from the north past Marayoor. Which one is best depends on where you start.
How we worked it out. On 11 November 2026 we took the coordinates of Munnar town and every candidate station and airport from Wikidata, and measured the road distance and drive time from each with OpenStreetMap routing (OSRM). Drive times are routing estimates for a clear road; on the ghat sections, with traffic and weather, expect longer. Train counts and timings come from each station's list on etrain, read the same day. Check live times on NTES before you travel.
Nearest railway stations to Munnar
| Station (code) | Road distance to Munnar | Drive (estimate) | What runs there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bodinayakkanur (BDNK), Tamil Nadu | about 62 km | about 1 h 40 min | Few trains: a Chennai Central express and a daily Madurai passenger. Road over the Bodimettu pass. |
| Udumalaippettai (UDT), Tamil Nadu | about 86 km | about 2 h 5 min | 20 trains listed, including the 22651/22652 between Chennai Central and Palakkad. Road via Chinnar and Marayoor. |
| Theni (TENI), Tamil Nadu | about 90 km | about 2 h 10 min | On the Madurai–Bodinayakanur line. A TNSTC bus to Munnar starts at the station (see below). |
| Angamaly (AFK), Kerala | about 107 km | about 1 h 55 min | Just north of Aluva. We did not check its train list. |
| Aluva (AWY), Kerala | about 109 km | about 1 h 55 min | The one to use. 164 trains listed, including the Kerala Express (Delhi), the Netravati (Mumbai) and the Chennai Mail. |
| Ernakulam Junction (ERS), Kerala | about 125 km | about 2 h 15 min | 136 trains listed, including the 26651 Vande Bharat from KSR Bengaluru (arrives 13:50). |
| Kottayam (KTYM), Kerala | about 127 km | about 2 h 20 min | 123 trains listed, including the 16526 from Bengaluru (08:22) and the 12623 from Chennai (07:42). |
| Madurai Junction (MDU), Tamil Nadu | about 192 km | about 3 h 30 min | A big junction, but a long drive. |
Infographic · the route
The usual way in: Aluva to Munnar by road
About 109 km by road. Ernakulam Junction adds about 15 km and goes via Muvattupuzha.
- Aluva is the usual pick. It is the closest station with a long train list, and the road from it goes straight up through Perumbavoor, Kothamangalam and Neriamangalam. Kochi airport is only about 9 km from Aluva by road.
- Ernakulam Junction is about 15 km further than Aluva by road, and it is where the 26651 Vande Bharat from KSR Bengaluru stops (arrives 13:50).
- Kottayam works if your train runs via Kottayam, like the 16526 from Bengaluru or the 12623 from Chennai. The road up goes via Thodupuzha.
- Bodinayakanur is closest on the map and by road, and it is the Tamil Nadu side's way in. But it is the end of the line from Madurai, with few trains, so it only works if one of them suits you.
Bodinayakanur: closest, but few trains
Bodinayakkanur (BDNK) is the end of the line from Madurai through Theni. On 11 November 2026 etrain listed six trains there: the 20601/20602 express to and from Chennai Central, the daily 56701/56702 passenger to and from Madurai, and a Sunday-only special pair to and from Tambaram (06059/06060); check on NTES whether the special is still running.
| Train | From → to | At Bodinayakkanur | Days (etrain, 11 Nov 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20601 Chennai–Bodinayakkanur Express | Chennai Central → BDNK | arrives 08:50 | Mon–Sat |
| 20602 Bodinayakkanur–Chennai Express | BDNK → Chennai Central | leaves 20:55 | Sun–Fri |
| 56701 Madurai–Bodinayakkanur Passenger | Madurai → BDNK | arrives 10:00 | Daily |
| 56702 Bodinayakkanur–Madurai Passenger | BDNK → Madurai | leaves 18:00 | Daily |
From Bodinayakanur the road climbs the Bodimettu pass into Kerala and reaches Munnar in about 62 km. We found no official timetable for a bus from Bodinayakanur itself, and no published taxi fare. The one bus we found reported leaves from Theni, the station before Bodinayakanur on the same line:
TNSTC Theni to Munnar: a Tamil Nadu state bus started in August 2026 from Theni railway station to Munnar, leaving at 08:05 daily, with a reported fare of about ₹130 (munnar.com news, 15 August 2026; the article does not name its source and does not give the return time). Confirm at the Theni bus stand before you rely on it.
Nearest airport: Kochi (COK)
Cochin International Airport is the nearest airport, about 104 km from Munnar by road, roughly 1 hour 55 minutes on a clear run by OSRM's estimate. The road leaves the airport for Perumbavoor, then climbs through Kothamangalam and Neriamangalam on NH85. Allow extra time for the ghat and traffic.
| Airport | Road distance to Munnar | Drive (estimate) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kochi (COK) | about 104 km | about 1 h 55 min | The nearest. About 9 km from Aluva by road. |
| Coimbatore (CJB) | about 158 km | about 3 h 25 min | Via Kinathukadavu, Udumalaipettai and Marayoor. |
| Madurai (IXM) | about 200 km | about 3 h 35 min | Useful only if flights from your city are much cheaper. |
We found no official source for a direct bus from Kochi airport to Munnar, so we do not list one. The simple public-transport route is a short ride to Aluva, then a Munnar bus from there.
KSRTC buses to Munnar
- From Aluva and Ernakulam: Kerala's state buses (KSRTC) run to Munnar several times a day, about 3 to 4.5 hours on the road (our Vattavada page). We could not find a fare published by KSRTC itself, so we give none here. Check at the stand or on KSRTC's own site.
- From Kottayam: in February 2026 KSRTC announced two new long-distance Super Fast buses from the Munnar depot. One runs Munnar to Thiruvananthapuram via Kottayam: out of Munnar at 03:00, reaching Thiruvananthapuram at 10:20; back from Thiruvananthapuram at 15:00, reaching Munnar at 22:30 (Onmanorama, 3 February 2026). The report said they would "be launched shortly"; we could not confirm the service is running now.
- From Madurai and Theni: the TNSTC bus from Theni railway station at 08:05 is the one we found reported (see above). Madurai is about 192 km by road; we found no official timetable for a direct Madurai–Munnar bus.
- From Bengaluru and Chennai: we found no official timetable for a direct state bus, so we list none. By public transport, take the train to Aluva or Ernakulam, then a KSRTC bus up.
Buses beyond Munnar are few: miss the last Vattavada bus and you need a jeep or a cab (our Vattavada page). Ask at the Munnar KSRTC stand for the day's last departure before you head out.
By car from Bengaluru, Chennai and Kochi
| From | Road distance | Drive (estimate) | Route OSRM picks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kochi airport | about 104 km | about 1 h 55 min | Perumbavoor, Kothamangalam, Neriamangalam (NH85) |
| Coimbatore | about 153 km | about 3 h 10 min | Kinathukadavu, Udumalaipettai, then Chinnar and Marayoor |
| Bengaluru | about 430 km | about 6 h 55 min | Hosur, Dharmapuri, Tiruppur, Udumalaipettai, then Chinnar and Marayoor |
| Chennai | about 617 km | about 9 h | Salem, Tiruppur, Udumalaipettai, then Chinnar and Marayoor |
- From Bengaluru and Chennai the fastest route does not go through Kochi. It comes in from Tamil Nadu through Udumalaipettai and climbs to Munnar past Chinnar and Marayoor, entering Munnar from the north.
- Drive the forest stretches in daylight if you can. Elephants, gaur and sambar move through the forest in the early morning and evening around Munnar (our Vattavada page).
Once you are in Munnar: the last leg
Photo: Kondephy, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Devikulam and Eravikulam: local buses run from Munnar to Devikulam, about 20 minutes and about ₹20 (our Devikulam page). Eravikulam National Park, home of the Nilgiri tahr, is next door; private vehicles cannot enter the park, so budget time for the shuttle queue.
- Vattavada and Top Station: three or four ordinary buses a day leave the Munnar KSRTC stand for Vattavada and Koviloor via Top Station, 45 km and about 2 hours. Shared jeeps run between Koviloor and Munnar roughly every 30 minutes (our Vattavada page).
- Kolukkumalai sunrise: the base is Suryanelli (Kerala), 35 km from Munnar. Licensed jeeps leave Suryanelli at about 4 am (our Kolukkumalai page). Also near Munnar: the Meesapulimala trek.
- Want Munnar's tea without Munnar's crowds? Vagamon, Meghamalai and Valparai are quieter tea country. Vattavada, at the end of the Munnar road, is our pick instead of Munnar.
When to go
Infographic · month by month
The Munnar hills, month by month
Month-by-month as text
Jan: Best · Feb: Best · Mar: Best · Apr: Good · May: Passable · Jun: Passable · Jul: Passable · Aug: Good · Sep: Good · Oct: Best · Nov: Best · Dec: Best
September to March is clearest. Eravikulam closes annually, typically from February to March, for the tahr breeding season — check current dates before planning around it. The Neelakurinji flower blooms here once every twelve years across these hills.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the nearest railway station to Munnar?
Munnar has no railway station. The nearest by road is Bodinayakkanur (BDNK) in Tamil Nadu, about 62 km, but it has few trains. The most useful is Aluva (AWY), about 109 km, followed by Ernakulam Junction (ERS), about 125 km.
Is there a railway station in Munnar?
No. The closest stations are Bodinayakanur, about 62 km by road, Aluva, about 109 km, and Ernakulam Junction, about 125 km.
How far is Munnar from Aluva railway station?
About 109 km by road, roughly 1 hour 55 minutes on a clear run by OSRM's estimate, through Perumbavoor, Kothamangalam and Neriamangalam. Allow more on the ghat.
How far is Munnar from Ernakulam?
About 125 km by road from Ernakulam Junction railway station, roughly 2 hours 15 minutes by OSRM's estimate.
Which is the nearest airport to Munnar?
Cochin International Airport (COK), about 104 km by road. Coimbatore is about 158 km and Madurai about 200 km.
How do I reach Munnar from Bengaluru?
By train to Ernakulam Junction (the 26651 Vande Bharat arrives at 13:50) or Aluva, then a KSRTC bus or taxi up, or by road: about 430 km via Hosur, Tiruppur, Udumalaipettai and Marayoor, about 7 hours of driving by OSRM's estimate.
How do I reach Munnar from Chennai?
By train to Aluva or Ernakulam and a bus up, or on the Chennai–Bodinayakkanur express to Bodinayakanur, about 62 km from Munnar (check its running days on NTES). By road it is about 617 km via Salem, Tiruppur and Udumalaipettai.
How do I reach Munnar from Madurai?
By road it is about 192 km. By rail, take the Madurai–Bodinayakkanur passenger (56701, daily, arrives 10:00) or go to Theni, where a TNSTC bus to Munnar was reported leaving the railway station at 08:05 daily from August 2026.
Sources and how we priced this
- Coordinates: Wikidata, Munnar (Q1025124), railway stations by Indian Railways station code and airports by IATA code, read 11 November 2026. Road distances, drive times and the towns on each route: OSRM driving routes (router.project-osrm.org) to Munnar town (10.0892, 77.0597), 11 November 2026.
- Trains: etrain.info station lists for Aluva (164 trains), Ernakulam Jn (136), Kottayam (123), Udumalaippettai (20) and Bodinayakkanur (6), read 11 November 2026. Chennai–Bodinayakkanur express days and times: DT Next, "Chennai Central–Bodinayakkanur tri-weekly express to stop at Namakkal" (1 January 2025). Live times: NTES.
- Buses: TNSTC Theni–Munnar service, munnar.com news (15 August 2026; fare reported, source not named). KSRTC Munnar–Thiruvananthapuram and Munnar–Kozhikode Super Fast services: Onmanorama (3 February 2026; announced, not confirmed running). No official KSRTC fare for Aluva or Ernakulam to Munnar was found, so none is given.
- Local buses, jeeps, park rules, wildlife and the season: Trip Under's Devikulam and Vattavada pages and the Kolukkumalai trek page.
Keep reading
Go one valley further
Vattavada is the farming valley at the far end of the Munnar road: terraced fields, strawberry farms and cold nights, far quieter than Munnar town. See its buses, stays and costs.
Open the Vattavada page →Costs come from Trip Under's place data and our cost model (see methodology). They are indicative ballparks for budget travel and move with season and demand. Check live bus, train and room prices before you book. Trip Under is reader-planned, not an agency, and takes no commission on any booking.