There are 7 ways to get from Colombo to Kerala backwaters by plane, unknown, bus, ferry, or train
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly Bandaranaike International Airport to Cochin International Airport, travel
best- Fly from Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) to Cochin International Airport (COK)plane CMB - COK
- Walk from Cochin International Airport (COK) to Kerala backwatersunknown
2h 15mBus, ferry, travel
- Take the bus from Pettah to Kankesanturaibus
- Take the ferry from Kankesanturai to Nagapattinamferry
- Take the bus from Nagore to Velankkanibus
- Take the bus from Coimbatore to Ernakulambus
- Walk from Ernakulam to Kerala backwatersunknown
19h 40mTrain, ferry, travel
- Take the train from Colombo Fort to Kankesanturaitrain
- Take the ferry from Kankesanturai to Nagapattinamferry
- Take the train from Nagappattinam to Ernakulam Towntrain
- Walk from Ernakulam Town to Kerala backwatersunknown
26h 4mFly Bandaranaike International Airport to Trivandrum, train, travel
- Fly from Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) to Trivandrum (TRV)plane CMB - TRV
- Take the train from Kochuveli to Tripunituratrain
- Walk from Tripunitura to Kerala backwatersunknown
7h 33mFly Bandaranaike International Airport to Trichy International Airport, train, travel
- Fly from Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) to Trichy International Airport (TRZ)plane CMB - TRZ
- Take the train from Tiruchchirapali to Dindigul Jntrain
- Take the train from Dindigul Jn to Palakkadtrain
- Take the train from Palakkad to Mulanturuttitrain
- Walk from Mulanturutti to Kerala backwatersunknown
11h 46mFly Bandaranaike International Airport to Madurai, train, travel
- Fly from Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) to Madurai (IXM)plane CMB - IXM
- Take the train from Madurai Jn to Palakkadtrain
- Take the train from Palakkad to Mulanturuttitrain
- Walk from Mulanturutti to Kerala backwatersunknown
12h 43mTrain to Koggala, fly to Cochin International Airport, travel
- Take the train from Fort Station to Habaraduwatrain
- Fly from Koggala (KCT) to Cochin International Airport (COK)plane KCT - COK
- Walk from Cochin International Airport (COK) to Kerala backwatersunknown
13h 22m
Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) to Cochin International Airport (COK) flights
Questions & Answers
The distance between Colombo and Kerala backwaters is 573 km.
The best way to get from Colombo to Kerala backwaters without a car is to train and ferry and travel which takes 26h 4m and costs .
It takes approximately 2h 15m to get from Colombo to Kerala backwaters, including transfers.
There are 1145+ hotels available in Kerala backwaters.
What companies run services between Colombo, Sri Lanka and Kerala backwaters, Kerala, India?
There is no direct connection from Colombo to Kerala backwaters. However, you can take the taxi to Colombo-Airport-CMB airport, fly to Cochin International Airport (COK), then travel to Kerala backwaters. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Pettah to Kerala backwaters via Kankesanturai, Kankesanturai, Nagapattinam, Nagore, Velankkani, Coimbatore, and Ernakulam in around 19h 40m.
Airlines
- Website
- srilankan.com
Flights from Bandaranaike International Airport to Cochin International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ₹10,000–36,000
Flights from Bandaranaike International Airport to Trivandrum
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- ₹12,000–23,000
Flights from Bandaranaike International Airport to Trichy International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ₹10,000–36,000
Flights from Bandaranaike International Airport to Madurai
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- ₹9,500–19,000
- Website
- goindigo.in
Flights from Koggala to Cochin International Airport via Bandaranaike International Airport, Madras
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 32m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ₹9,000–33,000
Train operators
- Phone
- +94 11 4 600 111
- Website
- seatreservation.railway.gov.lk
Train from Colombo Fort to Kankesanturai
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 4m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- ₹400–3,900
- Website
- https://seatreservation.railway.gov.lk/mtktwebslr/
- 2nd Class Fare
- ₹400–550
- 3rd Class Fare
- ₹450–550
- Air Conditioned Saloon
- ₹850–3,900
Train from Fort Station to Habaraduwa
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 22m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- ₹66–1,200
- Website
- https://seatreservation.railway.gov.lk/mtktwebslr/
- 2nd Class Fare
- ₹400–550
- 3rd Class Fare
- ₹370–450
- Air Conditioned Saloon
- ₹750–1,200
- 3rd Class
- ₹495
- 2nd Class
- ₹66
- 1st Class
- ₹594
- Phone
- 14646
- care@irctc.co.in
- Website
- irctc.co.in
Train from Nagappattinam to Ernakulam Town
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 3m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₹310–2,400
- Website
- https://www.irctc.co.in/nget/train-search
- Sleeper Class
- ₹310–380
- Third AC (3A)
- ₹800–1,100
- Second AC (2A)
- ₹1,100–1,500
- First Class (1A)
- ₹1,900–2,400
Train from Kochuveli to Tripunitura
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 34m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- ₹180–1,400
- Website
- https://www.irctc.co.in/nget/train-search
- Sleeper Class
- ₹180–220
- Third AC (3A)
- ₹490–650
- Second AC (2A)
- ₹650–850
- First Class (1A)
- ₹1,100–1,400
Train from Tiruchchirapali to Dindigul Jn
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 2m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- ₹140–1,100
- Website
- https://www.irctc.co.in/nget/train-search
- Sleeper Class
- ₹140–170
- Third AC (3A)
- ₹390–490
- Second AC (2A)
- ₹500–700
- First Class (1A)
- ₹850–1,100
Train from Dindigul Jn to Palakkad
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 25m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- ₹170–1,400
- Website
- https://www.irctc.co.in/nget/train-search
- Sleeper Class
- ₹170–210
- Third AC (3A)
- ₹470–600
- Second AC (2A)
- ₹600–800
- First Class (1A)
- ₹1,000–1,400
Train from Palakkad to Mulanturutti
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 5m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₹160–1,300
- Website
- https://www.irctc.co.in/nget/train-search
- Sleeper Class
- ₹160–200
- Third AC (3A)
- ₹460–600
- Second AC (2A)
- ₹600–800
- First Class (1A)
- ₹1,000–1,300
Train from Madurai Jn to Palakkad
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 20m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- ₹190–1,500
- Website
- https://www.irctc.co.in/nget/train-search
- Sleeper Class
- ₹190–230
- Third AC (3A)
- ₹500–650
- Second AC (2A)
- ₹700–900
- First Class (1A)
- ₹1,200–1,500
Bus operators
- Phone
- +94 76 714 8292
- ncgexpress@gmail.com
- Website
- ncgexpress.lk
Bus from Pettah to Kankesanturai
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 40m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₹790–830
- Schedules at
- https://ncgexpress.lk/
- Sleeper/Seater
- ₹790–830
- Phone
- 9513948001
- commercial@tnstc.in
- Website
- tnstc.in
Bus from Nagore to Velankkani
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 26m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- ₹300–800
- Website
- https://www.tnstc.in/OTRSOnline/
- Sleeper/ Seater
- ₹300–600
- Phone
- 080-26252625
- Website
- ksrtc.in
Bus from Coimbatore to Ernakulam
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 52m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- ₹650–900
- Schedules at
- ksrtc.in
Ferry operators
- Website
- shipindia.com
Ferry from Kankesanturai to Nagapattinam
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₹6,500
- Schedules at
- shipindia.com
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