Hi there!
So you’re headed to Gokarna!
And you’re arriving to Gokarna by train.
Is it easy to get to the tourist area of Gokarna from the train station?!
Well, you’ll be a bit further away from the main Gokarna beaches if you arrive to Gokarna by train compared to if you arrive to Gokarna by bus, but it can still be relatively simple to get to where you’re staying… and you can even get to Gokarna town in part by bus from near the train station!
So…
Since I was staying at Zostel Gokarna…
Here are the basic steps on how to get from Gokarna Road train station to Zostel Gokarna!
- Arrive at Gokarna Road train station
- Walk to bus stop near Gokarna train station (about 15 minutes)
- Wait for next bus to come!
- Get on the bus!
- Take bus to Gokarna bus station in town (20 minutes)
- Walk towards Kudle Beach to Zostel Gokarna (15 minutes)… or elsewhere you’re staying! (or take a rickshaw)
- Arrive at the place you’re staying!
Arrive at Gokarna Road train station
Walk to bus stop near Gokarna train station
Wait for next bus to come!
Get on the bus!
Take bus to Gokarna bus station in town
Walk to the place you’re staying!
Arrive at your accommodation!
Enjoy Gokarna!!
And if you’re headed to Goa after Gokarna, see about taking the train from Gokarna to Goa!
π΄ Side note!
If you haven’t booked your accommodation in Gokarna yet, book now at Zostel Gokarna! (partner website.) This is THE most popular place to stay in Gokarna. I stayed here when it was solidly off-season and they were nearly completely booked up every night! This place is especially good if you’re a solo traveler, and it’s good if you’re a small group too. There’s the Mantra Cafe on-site which means you can eat and drink (beer available) with ocean views without going far at all! There’s also a group trek you can sign up that comes with amazing cliff views. (Costs extra – sign up when you get there.) If Zostel is booked up, then go for Hostelavie Gokarna. This place has ocean views of its own, plus it’s right next to Zostel so you can still go to Mantra Cafe easily! Another activity when you’re in Gokarna is a trip to Honey Beach.
Also see:
/end side note π΄
Now…
How much does a rickshaw cost from the Gokarna train station to Gokarna town?
So when you arrive to the Gokarna Road train station, you’ll find a number of rickshaws waiting for you just outside the train station.
It seems that the cost from the train station to Zostel Gokarna is around 250 rupees (US$3).
If you aren’t staying at Zostel, for reference, this is located somewhere between Gokarna town and Kudle Beach.
Hostelavie Gokarna is also located right near Zostel.
Taking a rickshaw from the train station would be the easiest option to get to where you’re going!
But, if you want to leave the train station in a cheaper way, or you just want to take the bus, the bus IS an option!
And, it’s really not too difficult.
It will just require time and patience since it will take longer than getting a rickshaw to take you directly to where you want to go, whether that’s somewhere around Gokarna town, Om Beach, or another area!
So…
How to take the bus from the Gokarna train station
Arrive at Gokarna Road train station
I arrived by overnight train from Kerala!
Walk to bus stop near Gokarna train station
So once I got to the train station, I went towards the main exit since I didn’t know where to go for the bus stop.
I then went to the train station ticket window and asked about the bus.
I was told that it was like 1 km away and he pointed me in the direction.
Well, there is really only one direction to go once you exit the train station.
You will see one road leading away from the train station.
So you really can’t mess it up!
And then basically, you just start walking on the road until you come to what feels like the main road.
This will be about a 15 minute walk.
You’ll pass by a little temple…
And that means you’re getting close!
Once you come to the intersection…
…to the right…
…to the left…
And most importantly…
Look directly across the street!
You will find a shelter area, and that’s where the bus stop is.
I asked a guy that was sitting outside the shop about where to go for a bus to Gokarna Beach, and he pointed me to the bus stop.
This bus doesn’t go directly to Gokarna Beach, but it goes to the bus station in Gokarna town… which will get you close enough to Gokarna Beach!
There are many beaches in Gokarna, and the one that’s near town is called Gokarna Beach.
So, to be on the side of the street of the bus that goes to Gokarna town, you need to cross the street.
And then, once you’re at the bus stop…
Wait for next bus to come!
In my case, I didn’t even wait for 5 minutes and the bus arrived.
It does seem like buses come frequently enough though for you to make taking the bus to town a reliable option.
Get on the bus!
For reference, on the front of the bus it said it was a bus for Kumta to Gokarna to Kumta.
Although I did not pay attention to this, and once I got on the bus I confirmed that it was a bus to Gokarna Beach.
Take bus to Gokarna bus station in town!
It wasn’t an overly crowded bus, but I was standing for most of the bus ride.
And since the roads are a bit curvy, it did require having to hold onto something well to avoid falling over!
This bus ride was around 20 minutes.
How much is the bus ride?
There will be a guy who will come around to collect the ticket fare, and the cost of the bus ticket was 10 rupees (US$0.15).
Arrive at Gokarna bus station!
Walk to the place you’re staying!
Once you get to the bus station, you can find rickshaws just outside the bus station.
From the Gokarna bus station to Zostel Gokarna is around 80 rupees for a rickshaw.
Coming from the bus station, Kudle Beach is a little further than Zostel Gokarna, and Om Beach is even further than Kudle Beach.
Or… you can walk!
I started walking towards Kudle Beach to get to Gokarna.
It was a nice little walk through town.
This walk was around 15 minutes.
Arrive at your accommodation!
Enjoy Gokarna!!
HAPPY BUS RIDE FROM GOKARNA TRAIN STATION!
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