Alleppey to Kumarakom ferry? Or bus? (BOTH!) :: Kerala backwaters, India

Hi there!

Kumarakom is another destination known for the backwaters.

It’s also known for the Kumarakom bird sanctuary.

And it’s possible to get to Kumarakom in part by ferry when you’re coming from Alleppey.

If you want the experience of taking a public ferry in Kerala, Alleppey is a good place to take a ferry on the Kerala backwaters!

This isn’t a ferry trip you’d take if you really want to see the Kerala backwaters, as the boat ride to Kumarakom is really a simple ride across a lake.

It’s more of another means of transportation to get to your destination!

Get to your next destination by boat!

Now…

When you want to take a ferry to get to Kumarakom, the best way to get from Alleppey to Kumarakom is by bus and ferry:

• Take a bus from the Alleppey bus station to Muhamma bus station
• In Muhamma, walk from the bus station to the ferry station
• Take a ferry from the Muhamma ferry station to the Kumarakom ferry station

Likewise, to get from Kumarakom to Alleppey by ferry and bus:

• Take a ferry from the Kumarakom ferry station to the Muhamma ferry station
• In Muhamma, walk from the ferry station to the bus station
• Take a bus from the Muhamma bus station to the Alleppey bus station

With that in mind…

Get to the public ferry schedule quickly

• To Kumarakom: Muhamma to Kumarakom schedule
• To Alleppey: Kumarakom to Muhamma schedule

Now, a more detailed look at how to get to Kumarakom from Alleppey by public transportation and by way of ferry!

How to get to from Alleppey to Kumarakom by public ferry

1. Go to the Alleppey bus station

If you’re looking to take a bus around Kerala that covers short distances, it’s safe to believe that there are frequent enough timings throughout the day that you can just show up to the bus station and find a bus that leaves within the next half hour.

Since the distance between Alleppey and Muhamma is pretty short, it’s about a 30 minute bus ride, you can likely just show up to the station and find a bus to take.

But if that doesn’t give you much peace of mind, you can always ask your guesthouse that you’re staying at in Alleppey and they will probably be able to tell you.

Or if you’re at the bus station in the days leading up to your trip to Kumarakom, you can stop by the bus station to ask about bus timings.

2. Go to the office of the station master

Once you’re at the bus station, find out when the next bus to Muhamma leaves.

You can ask about which platform the bus will leave from, or it might be already waiting in another area of the bus station if it’s a bus that originates in Alleppey.

3. Take the bus from Alleppey to Muhamma!

4. Walk to the Muhamma ferry station

Once at the Muhamma bus station, it’s about a 5-10 minute walk to reach the ferry station.

You can also find a rickshaw to take you there.

5. Wait for the ferry to Kumarakom

Once you’re at the Muhamma ferry station, you can confirm the timings of the Kumarakom ferry by looking at the boat schedule board located at the station.

The ferry timings may be listed in the local language of Malayalam, but Google maps lists all cities in Kerala in Malayalam as well.

So you can check Google maps (or Google translate) to know which list of timings to look at.

On the white board pictured above, the left column is Muhamma to Kumarakom, while the right column is Kumarakom to Muhamma.

6. Take the ferry to Kumarakom!

You’ll pay for your ferry ticket once the boat has departed.

7. Arrive in Kumarakom!

How to get from Kumarakom to Alleppey by ferry

For the other way around, you simply reverse it!

If you’re coming from Alleppey and heading back the same day, just make a note of the current ferry timings before you leave the Kumarakom ferry station.

Add in wait time for the bus and ferry

So it’s a pretty simple journey to get from Alleppey to Kumarakom and back to Alleppey, but because of the frequency of the ferry timings across the lake, there could be a bit of wait time involved.

You might have to wait a little bit for the bus in either direction too, but if you’re used to taking public transportation in India, it’s not really too long of a wait time.

If you’re making it a day trip to Kumarakom from Alleppey, just plan on having your Kumarakom activities the only things on your itinerary for the day.

How much does it cost to get to Kumarakom?

Total cost to get from Alleppey to Kumarakom by bus and ferry: 23 rupees (less than US 50 cents)

The Alleppey to Muhamma bus costs 13 rupees.

The Muhamma to Kumarakom ferry costs 10 rupees.

How long does it take to get from Alleppey to Kumarakom by bus and ferry?

Total time on bus and ferry from Alleppey to Kumarakom: Around 1 hour 15 minutes

The total time does NOT include wait time.

The bus from Alleppey to Muhamma bus takes around 30 minutes.

The ferry from Muhamma to Kumarakom takes around 40 minutes.

The time on the ferry is enough time to get in a quick power nap. 😉

What are the Kumarakom ferry timings?

The following timings are what’s listed on the Kerala state waterways website.

See the current list.

There may actually be less or more ferry timings, but the list can give you an idea of the general frequency of what you may be able to expect.

So it’s best to confirm this boat schedule. You can do so before you leave Alleppey by asking staff at the Alleppey ferry station in town.

Or once you reach Muhamma or Kumarakom, you can have a look at the ferry schedule board.

Muhamma to Kumarakom ferry

When coming from Alleppey, these are the listed ferry timings for Muhamma to Kumarakom:

• 5:45am
• 7:15am
• 9:00am
• 11:00am
• 1:00pm
• 2:45pm
• 4:30pm
• 6:15pm

Kumarakom to Muhamma ferry

To get to Alleppey, these are the listed ferry timings for Kumarakom to Muhamma:

• 6:30am
• 8:00am
• 10:00am
• 11:45am
• 1:45pm
• 3:30pm
• 5:15pm
• 7:00pm

HAPPY ALLEPPEY TO KUMARAKOM FERRY RIDE!

See more Alleppey ferry rides.

See how to spend one month in South India.