You should totally consider the Alleppey to Kottayam ferry when you are following a one week in Kerala itinerary and will be passing through Alleppey and Munnar.
When you’re in Alleppey, it’s pretty much a MUST to experience the Kerala backwaters.
Maybe the exception to this is if you’re coming from a Munroe Island homestay where you experienced the backwaters there.
Still, since Alleppey is THE hub of the Kerala backwaters, it can be a good idea to go for one the best Kerala backwaters activities in Alleppey too!
Going for a canoe ride, kayaking, or even cycling around the backwaters are all options worth considering, as these are among the best things to do in Alleppey.
But if you’re on a super budget when in Kerala, you can stick to public transportation, there’s also the option of the public ferry to get your fill of the backwaters too.
And one of those public ferries you can take?!
Ferry to Kottayam!
You can make it a day trip to Kottayam from Alleppey.
Or you can go on a ferry in part to get to Munnar and to Thekkady.
Munnar and Thekkady are both the Kerala hills in the Western Ghats of India.
If you already know you want to take the Kottayam ferry, then to get to the ferry schedule quickly:
Otherwise, for more about this ferry…
The 3 main ways that can make sense to take the Alleppey to Kottayam ferry
1. Day trip to Kottayam from Alleppey
And you can do the village canoe tour on another day!
The ferry to Kottayam is a nice little boat ride on the waters and when I took this ferry in 2018, it was around 3 hours long. (It might have gotten shorter now.) You can make it a day trip from Alleppey.
This is one of the best public ferry routes for a taste of the Kerala backwaters for under US$1. (The See Kuttanad ferry and the Kollam ferry are other routes.)
This is what your day will look like with a one day trip from Alleppey to Kottayam.
You’ll head to the main Alleppey ferry station in town
Get on the ferry to Kottayam!
Find a seat that will give you some great views!
Take in the backwaters!
Take in some more backwaters!
Arrive at the Kottayam ferry station!
And then…
What happens when you get to Kottayam?!
You have 2 options to get back to Alleppey:
1. You can wait for the next ferry back to Alleppey.
2. You can take a bus back to Alleppey. It’ll be about a 10-15 minute walk from the Kottayam ferry station to the bus station. Or you can get a rickshaw.
So that’s the day trip from Alleppey!
You can also go for another option when you get to Kottayam…
That would be to take the Kottayam ferry to reach your next destination in the Kerala hills!
2. Go from Alleppey to Munnar hills in part by the Kottayam ferry
Why visit Munnar?
Munnar is one of the most popular destinations in the hills of Kerala’s Western Ghats.
It’s known for the scenic Munnar tea plantations, and you can also access the Meesapulimala Trek from Munnar to get to the second highest peak in Kerala.
Cochin and Alleppey are both good access points to get to Munnar.
But since we are talking about Alleppey…
How to get from Alleppey to Munnar
The quickest way to get to Munnar from Alleppey is by bus.
And there are a couple of direct buses from Alleppey to Munnar.
But, if you want to leave Alleppey in a little bit more peace, you can get to Munnar in part by the backwaters ferry!
In short, if you want to go Alleppey to Munnar by ferry:
- Alleppey to Kottayam ferry
- Kottayam to Munnar bus
There are enough bus timings for buses to Munnar from Kottayam to make this a reliable option.
If you’re going in the opposite direction, you can also get to Alleppey in part by ferry:
- Munnar to Kottayam by bus
- Kottayam to Alleppey by ferry
Or, if you just want to get to Alleppey as quickly as possible, there are direct buses from Munnar to Alleppey too.
3. Go from Alleppey to Thekkady hills in part by the Kottayam ferry
Why visit Thekkady?
Thekkady is another one of the popular destinations in the hills.
The Periyar national park is located here, as is a tiger reserve.
There are a lot of different outdoor activities located in this area, including bamboo rafting and wildlife spotting.
How to get from Alleppey to Thekkady
Once again, the quickest way to get to Thekkady from Alleppey is by bus.
And there are a couple of direct buses from Alleppey to Thekkady.
But you can also get to Thekkady in part by the backwaters ferry!
In short, if you want to go Alleppey to Thekkady by ferry:
- Alleppey to Kottayam ferry
- Kottayam to Thekkady bus
Similar to Munnar, there are enough bus timings for buses to Thekkady from Kottayam to make this a reliable option. Kumily is the main city around Thekkady, so you’ll be looking for a bus to Kumily.
If you’re going in the opposite direction, you can also get to Alleppey in part by ferry:
- Thekkady to Kottayam by bus
- Kottayam to Alleppey by ferry
Or, if you just want to get to Alleppey as quickly as possible, there are direct buses from Thekkady to Alleppey too.
What is the ferry schedule for Alleppey to Kottayam?
While the following is what’s listed on the Kerala state waterways website, it’s best to confirm the accurate timings.
Alleppey to Kottayam ferry timings from the Alleppey ferry station in town:
- 7:15am
- 9:35am
- 11:30am
- 2:30pm
- 5:15pm
Kottayam to Alleppey ferry timings from the Kottayam ferry station:
- 6:45am
- 11:30am
- 1:00pm
- 5:15pm
How to confirm these boat timings from Alleppey and Kottayam
First, see here for the latest list on ferry departures from Alleppey, and see here for the latest list on ferry departures from Kottayam.
Even with that list, the best thing would be to confirm directly with the station master at the Alleppey ferry station.
If you arrive to Alleppey by bus knowing that you’ll want to take the ferry to Kottayam in the coming days, you can make the first stop upon your arrival to Alleppey the ferry station. The ferry station is a short 5 minute or so walk from the bus station.
Otherwise, you can ask the place you’re staying in Alleppey that you’re staying at about the ferry timings.
To have the BEST time in Alleppey, be sure to take a look at the best of Alleppey travel guide!
HAPPY ALLEPPEY TO KOTTAYAM FERRY BOAT RIDE!
For examples of general class train travel, see:
For examples of AC train travel, see:
For examples of local bus travel, see:
For examples of overnight bus travel, see:
- Pondicherry to Madurai
- Madurai to Kerala (South India)
- Mumbai to Udaipur
See more backpacking India travel tips!