Getting Around

Autorickshaws : The minimum fare will be Rs 12/- upto a distance of 1 km beyond which the rate per running kilometer will be Rs 7. Waiting charge is Rs 5 for every 15 minutes, subject to a maximum of Rs 200 a day. If the travel is between 11 pm and 5 am, an additional 50% of the charge shall be levied. No tip is expected by the drivers. Point-to-point pre-paid autorickshaw services from Ernakulam Junction and Ernakulam Town railway stations, and from the Kaloor bus stand are also available to select destinations. Complaints, if any, against autorickshaws can be lodged on Tel: 2394964.

Tourist Cabs : Tourist cabs charge a minimum fare of Rs 60 for the first 3 kms. The fare is Rs 8 for every additional kilometer. Normally one has to pay both the up and down fare. 1 hour trips will incur a charge of Rs 110/-. Waiting charge is Rs 25 an hour, subject to a maximum of Rs 300 a day. A/c cabs can collect an additional 10% charge of the fare. Cars can also be hired from car rent companies. At the international airport, prepaid taxi booths are available upon exit from the Arrival Hall. (Tel: 2610115, Extn 2107 Domestic terminal; Extn 2242 International terminal).

Private City Buses : The most common mode of transport, these buses are very crowded during the peak hours and in this case the passenger should beware of pickpockets. Minimum fare is Rs 4/-.

State Transport City Buses : KSRTC, under the JNNURM scheme, operates low floor A/c Volvo coaches and Non A/c air buses to various places in and around the city. Destinations include Aluva, Angamaly, Aroor, Chottanikkara, Cochin International Airport, Fort Cochin, Infopark, Kakkanad, Karimugal, Kothamangalam, Mulanthuruthy, Muvattupuzha, Njarakkal, Panangad, Paravur, Perumbavur, Poothotta, Thevara, Thoppumpady, and Willingdon Island. Minimum fare if Rs 10/- for A/c Volvo coach and Rs 5/- for Non A/c service. Ordinary Thirukochi services are also available to various destinations in and around the city. Minimum fare is Rs 4/-. ‘Ladies Special’ bus service is also available.

State Transport Buses : The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (Tel: 2372033) operates mofussil, long-distance, and interstate express and super fast services from the KSRTC bus station. Also available from here are interstate services of the Karnataka (Tel: 2360229) and Tamil Nadu (Tel: 2372616) State Transport Corporations. State transport mofussil services are also available from the main boat jetty. Cochin is well connected by national highways with the rest of the country. These are NH 17 (Ernakulam-Mumbai), NH 47 (Kanyakumari-Salem), and NH 49 (Cochin- Madurai).

Long-distance Private Buses : Long-distance private buses are available from and near the stand at Kaloor, from High Court Junction, and K arshaka Road (Ernakulam Jn East Gate). Interstate services are also run by luxury coach operators.

Boats : Services of the State Water Transport Authority (Tel: 2360215) from the main jetty at Park Avenue are available to Vypin, Fort Cochin, and Mattancherry. The Kerala Shipping & Inland Navigation Corporations (KSINC, Tel: 2368646) services are available from the high court jetty to Fort Cochin. KSINC also operates services from Vypin to W/Island via Fort Cochin.

Trains : Cochin is well connected by rail to various parts of the country by the Indian Railways, the largest railway system in Asia. Ernakulam is a major railhead of Southern Railways. Trains are accessible from Ernakulam Junction (Reservation Enquiry: 2375431; Timings: 8 am to 8 pm, Sundays till 2 pm) and Ernakulam Town railway stations.

Airplanes : Cochin International Airport (Tel: 2610115) is located 25 kms northeast of the city at Nedumbassery. International destinations include Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dammam, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Kuala Lumpur, Muscat, Riyadh, Sharjah, and Singapore. International flights are operated by Air Arabia, Air Asia, Air-India, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Gulf Air, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Silkair, and Srilankan Airlines. Domestic flight services are operated by Air-India, GoAir, IndiGo Airlines, Jet Airways, JetLite, Kingfisher Airlines, Paramount Airways, and SpiceJet. Air-India is the national carrier.