subject: Bangalore To Kodaikanal - From The Silicon Valley To The Princess Of Hill Stations [print this page] Bangalore or Bengaluru, as it is known today, is the capital city of the southern state of Karnataka in India. Renowned as the Silicon Valley of India, Bangalore is located on the Deccan Plateau, in the southeastern part of Karnataka. Bangalore was known as the Garden City of India from the 1950s owing to the beautiful gardens that dotted the city. But at present, this metropolis is more or less known for its numerous IT based companies and tech parks. As Bangalore enjoys a pleasant climate throughout the year, many people settled here, thereby earning it another sobriquet - the Pensioner's Paradise.
Kodaikanal is a famous hill station located in the Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu. Kodaikanal means 'The Gift of the Forest' in the local dialect Tamil. Kodaikanal is also called the Princess of Hill Stations' as it was a popular summer retreat right from the days of the British. Kodaikanal was established as a shelter from the heat and diseases of the plains by the British in the year 1845. Presently, Kodaikanal thrives on the tourism industry and offers a plethora of attractions which include waterfalls, valleys, view points, meadows, caves and unspoiled natural beauty.
Travelling from Bangalore to Kodaikanal is moderately simple. Though both the cities aren't directly connected by air transport, proximity of Kodaikanal to Madurai (126 km) and Coimbatore (180km) airports makes the travel easy. There are direct flights from Bangalore to Coimbatore and Bangalore to Madurai. Each of these airports offers passenger amenities like restaurants and pre-paid taxi service. Taxis to Kodaikanal charge upwards of INR 4,000. Travel time from Coimbatore to Kodaikanal by cab is around five hrs amidst picturesque settings. Time taken to achieve Kodaikanal from Madurai by automotive is around 3 and half hours.
Rail connectivity from Bangalore to Kodaikanal is also good. Two trains, Nagarcoil Express and Tuticorn Express connect Bangalore to Kodaikanal (Kodai Road station). The train takes approximately ten hours time to arrive from Bangalore to Kodaikanal. Advance booking of train tickets is suggested if travelling with elders and youngsters, particularly during the peak seasons which are from April to June and September to October.
Traveling from Bangalore to Kodaikanal by road is less complicated as there are several buses that ply from Bangalore. Private agencies and government agencies, both run different types of buses like airbus, AC luxury seater, AC sleeper, Semi sleeper, 2 X 2 coaches. They charge around INR 340 to INR 514, according to the facilities provided.
Hiring taxi is another option to travel from Bangalore to Kodaikanal. Several taxis with or without A/C are available in aplenty. They will cost more than INR 8000/- for round trip from Bangalore to Kodaikanal.
