Kochi Transportation

In Fort Kochi you can rent a bicycle, scooter, or motorcycle to get around. In almost all Indian cities, I would never recommend doing so (even in Goa, it can be a little rough!), But in Fort Kochi I think it's a great way to get around. The atmosphere is so casual and relaxing and the traffic is light - and not so crazy as in other places!

Rates run about $15-25 per day for motorcycles depending on the type you rent and the season. Weekly rates are cheaper. Scooters and bicycles are also less.

You'll find signs advertising rentals as you walk around or you can ask at your hotel.

2 more images

Fort Kochi is a fairly compact area and it's very easy to walk to most places of interest. For places further out, although there are red buses (Rs 4), I'd recommend taking a rickshaw. Be sure to negotiate a price before you get in or that the driver is using the meter. Meter rates are a minmum of Rs 12 for 3 km. You can hire a rickshaw to take you to several places and he will wait for you at each place. This is the best option.

There are regular boat services every 20-30 minutes, from Ernakulam to Fort Kochi. We found that the ferry to Fort Kochi main jetty cost 2.5 rupees (250paise), and coming back from the jetty near the synagogue to Ernakulam cost 3.5INR (350 paise). Very cheap, probably faster than the bus, and my partner even caught a glimpse of a dolphin (sadly I missed it!).

At Ernakulam main jetty there are two queues for the ferries, one for men and one for women.

Take a train.

The 2076 JAN SHATABDI Express leaves Trivandrum Central station TVC at 06.00 in the morning to reach Ernakulam Junction in Cochin ERS at 09.15 am. It covers the distance of 200 km in 03.15 hours. It has AC Chair Car; very comfortable - like an airline seating.

3 more images

Just four hours and you land at Cochin.. a journey which took many of the malayalees of malaysia nearly one month to accomplish about sixty years ago!
convenient schedules, not needing to spend a night on the plane. efficiency of air asia and the price is right.

As you leave the Customs area, directly in front of you is the Pre Paid Taxi office. They have set fees to take you to Cochin, fares depending upon where you wish to go. I am told there is a bus running to downtown ernakulam but after a flight with some luggage, i opted for the taxi
510 indian rupees slightly over ten dollars for the air conditioned white ambassador car to Hotel Metropolitan near the Railway station in Ernakulam

Air Asia from KL arrived on time at 1600. Doors opened at 1605. I was first out of the plane and the first on the Immigration Line. 1610 had already been through immigration and Collected the bags. 1615 paid for the taxi and 1620 I was inside the taxi on my way to Metropolital Hotel in Ernakulam.
I have noticed that since they stopped checking people and their baggage going back about 10 years, the immigration and customs procedures are a breeze. Good on You Cochin

1 more image

I daresay things will be different now but none of the vehicles we travelled in were air-conditioned, and some might even have been described as bone-shakers.Rural roads were often bumpy and driving habits sometimes on the scarey side - particularly in traffic. However in spite of constant hooting of the horn. It did not appear to be aggressive driving. None of our journeys by road were very long but it was good to have bottled water because it did get very hot.
Look out for the colourfully painted buses and lorries!