Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) travel guide

Air

The airport, T0471-250 1424, is closed at night so you can’t wait there overnight. The airport is 6 km away from the beach. International flights via the Gulf states are very good value. Transport to town: by local bus no 14, pre-paid taxi (Rs 85) or auto (about Rs 30, 20 mins). Confirm international bookings and arrive in good time. Expect inflated prices at refreshments counter, though you can get cheap tea and coffee in the final lounge after ‘Security’ check. Banks at the airport are outside arrivals. Johnson & Co travel agent opposite domestic terminal, T0471-250 3555.

Airlines include: Sri Lankan Airlines, Spencer Building, MG Rd, T0471-247 1810 (airport T0471-250 1140); Gulf Air, National Travel Service, Panavila Junction, T0471- 232 7922 (airport T0471-250 1205); Kuwait Airways, airport, T0471-250 1401; Indian Airlines, Mascot Sq, T0471-231 6870 (airport T0471-250 1237) and Air India, Museum Rd, Velayambalam, T0471-231 0310 (airport T0471-250 1426).

Domestic departures include: Indian Airlines to Bengaluru (Bangalore), Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai. Air India to Mumbai. Jet Airways to Chennai and Mumbai.

International departures include: Indian Airlines to Colombo (Sri Lanka) and Male (Maldives). Air India flies to London, New York, Frankfurt, Paris and the Gulf.

Bus

Local

City Bus Stand, T0471-246 3029. Green buses have limited stops; yellow/red buses continue through town up to museum. Blue/white bus (No 888) to Kovalam goes from East Fort Bus Station (30 mins, Rs9).

Long distance

Buses leave from KSRTC Bus Station, Station Rd, near railway station, T0471-232 3886. Buses to Kanniyakumari via Nagercoil or direct, 0530, 0930, 1000, 1200, 1500, 1600 and 1830 (2½ hrs, Rs 40) and frequent departures to Kozhikode, (10 hrs, Rs 200) via Kollam (2½ hrs, Rs 44), Alappuzha (4 hrs, Rs 96), Ernakulam/Kochi (5½ hrs, Rs 129), and Thrissur (7 hrs, Rs 173). You can include a section of the backwaters on the way to Kochi by getting a boat from Kollam (shared taxis there cost Rs 60 each). TNSTC to Chennai, Coimbatore, Cuddalore, Erode, Kanniyakumari, Madurai from opposite the Central Railway station.

Motorcycle

Asian Trailblazers, MG Rd, T0471-247 8211, asiantrailblazers@yahoo.com. For Enfields.

Rickshaw

Rickshaws to the Kovalam beach area should cost around Rs 70. You will need to bargain. Tell auto-rickshaw drivers which beaches you want to get to in advance, otherwise they will charge much more when you get there.

Taxi

From outside Mascot Hotel taxis charge about Rs 7 per km; to Kovalam, Rs 175, return Rs 225 (waiting: extra Rs 50 per hr). From outside train station, Rs 5 per km. To Kanniyakumari with a stop at Padmanabhapuram costs about Rs 900/1100.

Train

Central Station, T132. Reservations in building adjoining station. Advance, upstairs, open 0700-1300, 1330-1930, Sun 0900-1700; ask to see Chief Reservations Supervisor, Counter 8; surprisingly no ‘Foreigners’ quota’. To Ernakulam (5¼ hrs), via Varkala and the backwater towns: 10 trains daily between 0500-2145, including: 1115 Kerala Exp 2625, which ends at Delhi (48 hrs) and 1710Trivandrum Ernakulam Exp 6342. 1 service to Bangalore (Bengaluru) at 1245 on the Kanniyakumari-Bangalore Exp 6525 (19½ hrs). 2 trains daily to Mangalore (10½ hrs); 0635 Parasuram Exp 6349, and 1830 Malabar Exp 6629. To Chennai: TVC Chennai Exp 2969 departs at 1725 and 2000 (15 hrs). 2 daily services to Kanniyakumari (2½ hrs): 0940 Kanniyakumari Mumbai Exp 6381 and 1505 Kanniyakumari Bangalore Exp 6526.

Banks

Mon-Fri 1000-1400, Sat 1000-1200. Most banks can be found on MG Rd including Andhra Bank, Canara Bank and State Bank of India. All have ATMs. The airport has banks and money exchange facilities including Thomas Cook, T0471-250 2470.

Internet

Central Telegraph office: Statue Rd, 200 m to its north; open 24 hrs, best value internet. Megabyte, CSI Building, 3rd and 4th floors, MG Rd, Rs 10 per hr. Tandem Communications, Statue Rd (MG Rd end), good telephone and fax centre; colour photocopying, laser printing.

Medical services

Many chemists, near hospitals; a few near Statue Junction. Opticians: Lens & Frames, Pulimudu Junction, T0471- 247 1354. General Hospital, Vanchiyoor, T0471-230 7874, Ramakrishna Ashrama Hospital, Sasthamangalam, T0471-272 2125, Cosmopolitan Hospital, T0471-244 8182 and Vrindavan Ayurvedic Health Centre, Kumarapuram, T0471-244 0376.

Post

General Post Office, Pulimudu Junction, T0471-247 3071, 0830-1800. Post Office, north of Secretariat, off MG Rd, is better. DHL, at Thampanoor, opposite Manjalikulam Rd, T0471-232 7161.

Useful contacts

Foreigners’ Regional Registration Office, City Police Commissioner, Residency Rd, Thycaud, T0471-232 0486; allow up to a week for visas, though it can take less. Mon-Sat 1000-1700. Wildlife Warden, PTP Nagar, Vattiyoorkavu, T0471-236 0762.