Air
Peelamedu Airport, 12 km centre, runs airport coach into town, Rs 25; taxis Rs 150-200; auto-rickshaw Rs 85. On Trichy Rd: Indian Airlines, T0422-239 9833, airport T0422-257 4623, 1000-1300, 1345-1730, to Bengaluru (Bangalore), Chennai, Delhi, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mumbai. Jet Airways: 1055/1 Gowtham Centre, Avinashi Rd, T0422-221 2034, airport T0422-257 5375, to Bengaluru (Bangalore), Chennai, Mumbai.
Bus
City buses run a good service: several connect the bus stations in Gandhipuram with the Junction Railway Station 2 km south. No 20 goes to the airport (Rs 20).
There are 4 long-distance bus stations, off Dr Nanjappa Rd.
City or ‘Town’ Bus Stand in Gandhipuram. Thiruvallur Bus Stand, Cross Cut Rd. Computerized reservations T0422- 226700, 0700-2100. Frequent Government Express buses to Madurai (5 hrs), Chennai (12 hrs), Mysore (6 hrs), Ooty (3 hrs), Tiruchirappalli (5½ hrs).
‘Central’ Bus Stand is further south, on corner of Shastri Rd. State buses to Bengaluru (Bangalore) and Mysore; Ooty via Mettupalayam and Coonoor every 20 mins, 0400-2400, 5 hrs.
Ukkadam Bus Stand, south of the city, serves towns within the state (Pollachi, Madurai) and in north Kerala (Pallakad, Thrissur, Munnar).
Taxi
Tourist taxis and yellow top taxis are available at the bus stations, railway station and taxi stands. Rs 2.5 per km; for out-station hill journeys, Rs 3 per km; minimum Rs 30.
Train
Junction Station, enquiries, T132, reservations, T131, 0700-1300, 1400-2030. Bengaluru (Bangalore): Tilak Exp 1014, 0515, 7¼ hrs; Intercity Exp 2678, 1425, 7 hrs; Kanniyakumari: Bangalore Exp 6525, 1955, 9 hrs. Chennai: West Coast Exp 6628, 0630, 9 hrs; Kovai Exp 2676, 1340, 7½ hrs; Nilgiri Exp 6606, 2040, 9¼ hrs. Kochi (HT): Tiruchirappalli- Kochi Exp 6865, 0045, 5½ hrs; Hyderabad-Kochi Exp 7030, 0935, daily, 5½ hrs.
Other trains: W Coast Exp (Chennai– Coimbatore–Kozhikode–Bengaluru), daily to Kozhikode (4½ hrs) and Bengaluru (9 hrs).
For Ooty, train departing 0625 connects with narrow gauge steam train from Mettupalayam. Line to Coonoor is subject to landslides. Narrow gauge diesel from Coonoor to Ooty. 2 connecting trains daily: Nilgiri Exp 6605, 0525, change to train 562 (S), 0710, arrive Ooty 1200; Trichur- Mettypalayam Pass 534 (S), 1100, change to train 564 (S), 1315 arrive Ooty 1745.
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