Madurai Getting there & around

Getting there & away

Land

Bus

Most long-distance buses arrive and depart from the central bus station (2580680; Melur Rd), 6km northeast of the old city. It appears chaotic but is actually a well-organised 24-hour operation. Local buses shuttle into the city every few minutes for Rs 2. Autorickshaw drivers charge Rs 70.

Private bus companies offer superdeluxe coaches with video services to Chennai and Bengaluru (Rs 220 to 300) but the state bus companies have similar services and while travel agencies sell tickets – often at an inflated price – you may end up on a state bus anyway. Some express services run to Bengaluru, Chennai, Mysore and Puducherry.

The Arapalayam bus stand, northwest of the train station on the river bank, has hourly buses to Kumili (Rs 45, 4½ hours) for the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. There are regular stopping services to Coimbatore (Rs 75, six hours) and to Kodaikanal, with an express to Kodaikanal leaving daily at 12.45pm (Rs 40, four hours). Buses to Palani leave every half-hour (Rs 35, five hours).

Train

Madurai Junction is on the main Chennai–Kanyakumari line. There are at least nine daily trains to Chennai, including the overnight Pearl City Express (sleeper/3AC Rs 200/550, 10 hours) at 10.30pm and the Vaigai Express (2nd class/chair class Rs 114/397, eight hours) at 6.45am. Chennai trains stop at Trichy (2nd class/sleeper Rs 47/75, three hours). To Kanyakumari there are three daily services (sleeper/3AC Rs 107/300, six hours).

Other services include Madurai to Coimbatore (2nd class/sleeper Rs 62/98, 6½ hours) and Bengaluru (sleeper/3AC Rs 179/502), as well as Trivandrum and Mumbai.

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Air

Indian Airlines (2341234, airport 2690771; West Veli St; 10am-5pm Mon-Sat) flies daily to Mumbai and Chennai. Jet Airways also flies daily to Chennai, as does newcomer Paramount Airways (1800 180 1234; www.paramountairways.com). Air Deccan flies daily to Bengaluru. None of these airlines three has an office in town, but airport counters open at flight times.

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