Alleppey to Munnar ferry boat?! Or bus, train, taxi? Kerala backwaters, India

Hi there!

Munnar is a destination in the hills of the Western Ghats, a mountain range that’s older than the Himalayas. It’s famous for tea plantations.

You’ll start to get a glimpse of this on the road to Munnar, and you can take it further by going for a Munnar tea plantation trek.

Munnar is also an access point to get to the base of the Meesapulimala Trek for overnight camping followed by a day hike to the second highest peak in Kerala.

You will love the scenery with the tea plantations, just as you’ve seen in pictures!

So, when you’re trying to get from Alleppey to Munnar, is getting there by ferry a good option when it comes to public transportation in Kerala?!

As with all things, it depends on your priorities!

So, let’s first take a look at your different public transportation options to get from Alleppey to Munnar!

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 Varkala and Thekkady similar to Munnar), and more about travel to Alleppey.

Also see where to stay, including the best hostels in Kerala for backpackers.

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

Now…

How to get to Munnar from Alleppey

• Alleppey to Munnar taxi: 5 hours
• Alleppey to Munnar train: not an option
• Alleppey to Munnar bus: 6-8 hours
• Alleppey to Munnar via Kottayam ferry + bus: 10 hours possible

Alleppey to Munnar by taxi

Time: Around 5 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 Munnar 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 Munnar from Alleppey, the drive will probably be around 5 hours.

According to this Alleppey Beach guesthouse in 2019, the cost of a taxi from Alleppey to Munnar is probably around 4,500 rupees (US$65).

Alleppey to Munnar by train

NOT an option

There is no train station near Munnar.

So going by train to Munnar from Alleppey by train isn’t really an option.

Alleppey to Munnar by direct bus

Time on bus: 6-7 hours

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:

If you are going in the opposite direction there are some timings for direct buses from Munnar to Alleppey too.

These are the listed Munnar 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 Munnar!

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

Alleppey to Munnar via the Kerala backwaters!

Why would you want to spend a possible 10 hours to get to Munnar when you can get there in 7 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! 😉

Some of the best things to do in the Alleppey backwaters include canoe, kayaking, cycling… and ferry!

How to get to Munnar from Alleppey via ferry

1. Take a ferry from Alleppey to Kottayam (2.5-3 hours)
2. Take a bus from Kottayam to Munnar (5-6 hours)
3. Take a rickshaw from the Munnar bus station to your Munnar guesthouse!

1. Take the ferry from Alleppey to Kottayam (3 hours)

These are the Alleppey to Kottayam ferry timings:

• 7:15am
• 9:35am
• 11:30am
• 2:30pm
• 5:15pm

While this boat schedule is listed on the government waterways website, it can also be a good idea to confirm the boat timings with the guesthouse that you are staying at.

Now, here’s a look at what your day might look like on the ferry!

Get on the ferry to Kottayam at the main Alleppey ferry station

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!

2. Take the bus from Kottayam to Munnar (5-6 hours)

Kottayam to Munnar by bus

The Kottayam bus station is about a 15 minute walk from the ferry station. You’ll also likely find rickshaws waiting for you at the ferry station too. Depending on the time you arrive at the ferry station and the possible time of the bus to Munnar, you may not want to be taking your sweet time to get to the bus station!

Once again, looking at the aanavandi website to get an idea, there are frequent enough buses from Kottayam to Munnar to make this a pretty reliable option.

These are the listed Kottayam to Munnar bus timings:

Here’s the Alleppey to Kottayam boat schedule for the morning once again.

This time it’s listed with possible buses to Munnar that you can take from Kottayam:

• 7:15am ferry – 10:20am bus?! or 12:30pm bus
• 9:35am ferry – 12:30pm bus?! or 1:50pm bus
• 11:30am ferry – 3:35pm bus

With the Kottayam ferry typically being nearly 3 hours long, it might be tight to make it to the earlier of the listed bus timings.

BUT, this is going based strictly on the schedule listed on the aanavandi website.

Remember that buses can be delayed, and there could be more buses that aren’t mentioned on the website. Once again, the point is to give you an idea that it IS possible! This is India, so just be prepared to be flexible. 😉

When you get to the Kottayam bus station, head straight for the “station master” office or ticket counter. This is where you will get a reliable answer about when the next bus to Munnar will be.

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

Buses in Kerala tend to not have English signs on them, so you may have to ask around about which bus to take. Although, with Munnar being a popular tourist destination, a bus to Munnar might have a sign in English too.

Then, once your bus comes, enjoy your ride to Munnar!

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

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

There will likely be plenty of rickshaws waiting for you at the Munnar bus station ready and willing to take you to your guesthouse!

How to get to Alleppey from Munnar via ferry

If you are going in the opposite direction from Munnar to Alleppey, you may consider:

1. Take a bus from Munnar to Kottayam (5-6 hours)
2. Take a ferry from Kottayam to Alleppey (2.5-3 hours)
3. Take a rickshaw from the Alleppey ferry station to your Alleppey guesthouse! (Go for a beachside guesthouse!)

These are some of the Munnar to Kottayam bus timings in the morning:

These are the possible Kottayam to Alleppey ferry timings:

• 6:45am
• 11:30am
• 1:00pm
• 5:15pm

HAPPY ALLEPPEY TO MUNNAR TRIP PLANNING!

See more of the best ferry rides around Alleppey

To have the BEST time in Alleppey, be sure to take a look at the best of Alleppey travel guide!

Best things to do in Kerala backwaters

• Canoe
• Kayak
• Ferry
• Cycling