How to get to Munnar from Alleppey by bus
Hi there!
You’re off to Munnar to see the famous Kerala tea plantations!
GREAT!
Along with the tips below for taking the bus from Alleppey to Munnar, be sure to take a look at this ultimate Alleppey travel guide to plan the best trip ever to Alleppey!
So, let’s talk…
ALLEPPEY…
Where you can’t forget to do a Kerala backwaters village tour.
…TO…
MUNNAR!
Where you can’t forget to do a Kerala tea plantation trek.
If you’re going in the opposite direction, there are also direct buses from Munnar to Alleppey.
Alleppey to Munnar train?!
Since Munnar is in the hills, there’s no train station nearby, which means Alleppey to Munnar by train isn’t really an option.
Going by bus would be the most direct way to get to Munnar.
But, if you want to leave Alleppey in style, then you can also get from Alleppey to Munnar in part by ferry!
Alleppey to Munnar taxi fare
It’s also a thing for tourists to hire a car with driver to get from place to place even when the drive is several hours long.
According to this Alleppey Beach guesthouse, the cost of a taxi from Alleppey to Munnar is probably around 4,500 rupees (US$65).
Now…
A bit more about how to get from Alleppey to Munnar by bus only
So first…
Always be sure to confirm bus timings because they can change.
The timings found online are good to give you an idea of what MIGHT be possible.
There have been times in which there has been only one direct bus from Alleppey to Munnar, and at a very early morning time (4:20am).
In the case that you aren’t up for that, another option could be to take a bus from Alleppey to Cochin (there are many – locals will tell you “every 5-10 minutes”) and then you’ll find more buses from Cochin to Munnar.
It may also be possible to take a bus from Alleppey to Kottayam, and then Kottayam to Munnar.
So just know that in Kerala, there’s always a way to get to your next destination!
Now…
Alleppey bus station
Munnar bus station
How long is the bus ride from Alleppey to Munnar?
You can probably expect to be on the bus for around 5-7 hours, depending on which bus you take.
How much does the bus ticket cost?
You can likely expect the ticket price for a public bus from Alleppey to Munnar to cost around 150 – 200 rupees (US$2-3).
Now…
What time is the Alleppey to Munnar direct bus?
According to the aanavandi website, there are a few timings for direct buses that you can take from Alleppey to Munnar.
These timings are meant to give you an idea, and shouldn’t be used as an absolute!
These are the listed Alleppey to Munnar 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 in Alleppey, and then get off in Munnar!
So in talking about public buses, it’s direct in the sense that you only have to take a single bus.
These buses also don’t require booking a ticket in advance. You’ll pay for your ticket once you get on the bus.
Confirm the bus timings
Don’t rely only on the aanavandi website to make your plans.
Basically, use it to get an idea for the kind of frequency you may be looking at for any given route.
In reality, there could be more or less bus timings. And, this is India, so buses can also be delayed.
You can also use the listed bus timings to get an idea for how long a bus journey may take for any given route. Again, a bus may take longer than what’s on the schedule.
If you’ll be arriving to Alleppey by bus, you may consider stopping by the Alleppey station master office and asking about bus timings to Munnar before you head over to your guesthouse.
Otherwise, your Alleppey guesthouse will likely be able to help you out and tell you when a direct bus from Alleppey to Munnar is available.
Here are the best areas of Alleppey to stay based on what you’re looking for out of your trip to Alleppey.
How to get from Alleppey to Munnar WITHOUT a direct bus
These are some other options to get to Munnar if the direct bus doesn’t work out, or if you want to consider alternatives.
You can also get to Alleppey by taking 2 buses:
- Alleppey to Cochin bus
- Cochin to Munnar bus
OR…
- Alleppey to Kottayam bus
- Kottayam to Munnar bus
There’s likely a good enough frequency of buses from Alleppey to Cochin and to Kottayam, and to Munnar from Cochin and from Kottayam to make this a reliable option.
Or, also consider another option – Alleppey to Munnar in part by ferry!
There’s no better way to leave Alleppey than by way of the Kerala backwaters! 😉
What it means to take a bus that doesn’t originate where you’re getting on
Another important thing to note about taking the public bus anywhere in Kerala is that you may want to avoid taking buses that don’t originate where you’ll be getting on.
If you don’t get on the bus at the point of origin, it could be full. This could end up being a less than pleasant travel experience, especially since you are traveling with luggage.
So if you know you’ll be taking a bus that’s already en route, just manage your expectations and realize that you may be forced to stand for part or all of the way to your next destination.
For the direct bus from Alleppey to Munnar, most buses will originate in Alleppey, but a couple don’t.
When you’re not taking a direct bus, most buses from Alleppey to Cochin and Alleppey to Kottayam start in Alleppey.
For the second bus to Munnar, if you’re going through Cochin, there’s a good chance you’ll be getting on a bus that originates in Cochin.
But if you go through Kottayam, you have a chance of getting on a bus that doesn’t start in Kottayam. Although there are many buses that do start in Kottayam.
HAPPY ALLEPPEY TO MUNNAR BUS RIDE!
To have the BEST time in Alleppey, be sure to take a look at the best of Alleppey travel guide!