Alleppey to Varkala by ferry boat? Or bus, train, taxi? Kerala backwaters, India

Hi there!

Varkala is a beach town in Kerala that’s famous for cliff-side restaurants, guesthouses, and shops. With a visit to Varkala, you’ll come to know the cliff and beach quite well!

It’s also a tourist hot spot for all things ayurveda, which is healing and prevention of diseases or health conditions through natural remedies.

This means that you can find a number of ayurveda yoga retreats in Varkala.

You will love the ocean views when you’re eating at one of the restaurants on the Varkala cliff.

So, is the Alleppey to Kollam ferry REALLY your best option for getting to Varkala when it comes to public transportation in Kerala?! Is it worth it?

Well, it depends on your priorities!

First…

For the best things to do in Alleppey and the Kerala backwaters on a budget, see canoe, kayaking, more ferry rides (with options for Munnar and Thekkady similar to Varkala), and more about travel to Alleppey.

Also see where to stay, including the best hostels in Alleppey and the best hostels in Varkala for backpackers.

And after Varkala, you should totally consider heading to Kanyakumari aka the southern tip of India where the 3 seas meet!

If your travels will take you to other parts of India too, also see the guide to backpacking 2 weeks in North India.

Now…

Let’s first take a look at your different public transportation options to get from Alleppey to Varkala!

How to get to Varkala from Alleppey

• Alleppey to Varkala taxi: 3 hours
• Alleppey to Varkala train: 2-3 hours
• Alleppey to Varkala bus: 4-5 hours
• Alleppey to Varkala via Kollam ferry + bus or train: 10 hours possible

Alleppey to Varkala by taxi

Time: Around 3 hours

If you don’t mind spending a little bit of extra money and you want to go for convenience, it’s also an option to go from Alleppey to Varkala by taxi.

It’s a thing for tourists to hire a car with driver to get from place to place even when the drive is several hours long.

In the case of getting to Varkala from Alleppey, the drive will probably be around 3 hours.

According to this Alleppey Beach guesthouse in 2019, the cost of a taxi from Alleppey to Varkala is probably around 3,500 rupees (US$50).

Alleppey to Varkala by direct train

Time on train: 2-3 hours

According to the trainman website, there are a few timings for trains if you want to go from Alleppey to Varkala by train.

Here are some of the Alleppey to Varkala train timings:

If you are going in the opposite direction from Varkala to Alleppey by train, there are also a few timings for trains.

Here are some of the Varkala to Alleppey train timings:

The train schedule should be used as a guide and not an absolute. Trains are often delayed.

But what you can take away from this train schedule is that there are some trains that run from Alleppey to Varkala, if 2-3 hours of actual time in transit sounds like a better idea to you than the other public transportation options.

If you don’t mind riding in general class, you don’t have to book a train ticket in advance.

There are a few things to keep in mind when deciding to take the train to Varkala:

• You can just show up to the train station and buy a ticket for the general class compartment on the day you want to go to Varkala
• General class can sometimes get crowded
• Train timings may get delayed

So as long as you have flexibility and are ready for an Indian experience 😉 then the train could be a good option to get to Varkala from Alleppey.

Alleppey to Varkala by direct bus

Time on bus: 4-5 hours

According to the aanavandi website, there are a few timings for direct buses you can take from Alleppey to Varkala.

These timings are meant to give you an idea, and shouldn’t be used as an absolute! 

These are the listed Alleppey to Varkala bus timings:

If you are going in the opposite direction from Varkala to Alleppey by bus, there are some timings for direct buses too.

These are the listed Varkala to Alleppey bus timings:

Note that these are local government buses so they do make a number of stops, but these buses wouldn’t require a transfer.

Get on the bus at Alleppey, and then get off in Varkala!

Once again, these bus timings should be used as a guide and not an absolute.

It can give you an idea for bus routes that are possible and how frequent they may be.

You may show up to the bus station and find that there’s another bus departing sooner.

On the flip side, buses can also be delayed.

You can also ask the guesthouse you’re staying at in Alleppey to confirm bus timings.

Another important thing to note about these buses is that they do not originate in Alleppey.

This means that by the time the bus reaches Alleppey, it could be full.

This could end up to be a less than pleasant travel experience, especially since you are traveling with luggage.

So if you do take the bus, just manage your expectations and realize that you may be forced to stand for part or all of the way to Varkala.

Now… the BEST way to get to Varkala from Alleppey by public transportation…

Alleppey to Varkala via the Kerala backwaters!

Why would you want to spend 10 hours to get to Varkala when you can get there in under 5 hours?!?!

Because… when in Kerala!

Kerala is most famous for the backwaters, and Alleppey is the most famous hub for the backwaters. So it’s only fitting that you leave Alleppey (or arrive to Alleppey) by way of the backwaters! 😉

But here are some of the WORST things about the Alleppey to Kollam ferry to think about.

If a Munnar tea plantation trek or the Meesapulimala day hike is also a part of your Kerala itinerary, you can go from Munnar to Alleppey by ferry for part of the way too!

How to get to Varkala from Alleppey via ferry

1. Alleppey to Kollam by ferry
2. Kollam to Varkala by train or bus
3. Rickshaw from Varkala station to your Varkala cliff hostel!

1. Take the ferry from Alleppey to Kollam

Here’s a look at what your day might look like on the ferry!

10:30am: Get on the ferry to Kollam at the main Alleppey ferry station

Find a seat that will give you some great views!

Take in the backwaters!

1pm: Eat a Kerala lunch during the food break

Take in some more backwaters!

4pm: Eat some snacks during another food break

6pm: Arrive at the Kollam ferry station!

2. Take the train or bus from Kollam to Varkala

Kollam ferry station to Varkala by train

There are frequent enough direct trains from Kollam to Varkala to make this a pretty reliable option.

The train station is about a 20-30 minute walk from the ferry station.

Or if you don’t mind getting a rickshaw, it will be a short 5 minute or so ride from the ferry station.

With both the ferry station and bus station around, you should easily be able to find a rickshaw to take you to the train station.

Once again, according to the trainman website, there are a number of trains that can take you from Kollam to Varkala.

Although the train timings may be delayed, by looking at the train schedule, you see that there seem to be enough trains running in the evening for the train to be a reliable option to get from Kollam to Varkala.

And also once again, keep in mind what it may be like to ride the train in general class.

Kollam ferry station to Varkala by bus

The Kollam bus station is right across the street from the ferry station.

So on the surface, a bus from Kollam to Varkala seems like it could be the most convenient.

But there may not be a direct bus from Kollam to Varkala at a convenient time to rely on a direct bus being an option when you arrive in Kollam in the evening.

This means that you’ll likely need to get a bus to Kallambalam, and then another bus to Varkala. This is the route I took anyway.

So once you reach the Kollam ferry station, head across the street to the bus station.

Then head straight for the “station master” office.

This is where you will get a reliable answer about how to best get to Varkala from Kollam. (This is how I knew to go to Kallambalam for a transfer.)

Next, wait for the bus that you need to take!

The bus will probably not have an English sign on it, so you’ll need to ask around about which is the right bus.

I found a bus to Kallambalam within 15-20 minutes of arriving at the Kollam bus station, and the ride was a little less than an hour.

Once you reach Kallambalam, ask around again, but you will likely have to cross the street to catch the bus to Varkala.

At the Kallambalam bus stand, I was waiting for around 15 minutes for a bus to Varkala, and the bus ride was around 30 minutes.

3. Get a rickshaw from the Varkala station to your Varkala cliff guesthouse (or walk if you are ambitious)

Once at the Varkala bus station or train station, you will likely be ready to get to your guesthouse after a long day!

There are plenty of rickshaws around to get you from the bus station to near the Varkala cliff, which is the best area to stay in Varkala!

I reached my guesthouse just past 8pm.

Since I left my Alleppey guesthouse around 10am, this made for a solid 10 hour day to get from Alleppey to Varkala by ferry and bus!

4. Be happy that you are in Varkala!

Where to stay in Alleppey and Varkala?!

When I was in Alleppey, I stayed at a guesthouse near Alleppey Beach.

When I was in Varkala, I stayed at a hostel/guesthouse near the Varkala Cliff.

Put in your travel dates below (partner website) and you can see the prices of hotels in Alleppey and hotels in Varkala!

Hotels in Alleppey

Booking.com

Hotels in Varkala

Booking.com

HAPPY ALLEPPEY TO VARKALA TRIP PLANNING!

See more of the best ferry rides around Alleppey

Be sure to also take a look at how to spend one week in Kerala and how to spend one month in South India!