Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Courtallam - Connectivity

Courtallam – Connectivity
Courtallam is well-connected by road, rail and air. Courtallam is located at about 8 Kms from Sengottai, 6 Kms from Tenkasi, 65 Kms from Tirunelveli, 165 Kms from Madurai, 113 Kms from Thoothukudi and 110 Kms from Thiruvananthapuram.
By Road:
Government run special buses during the peak tourist season help the visitors reach Courtallam main bus stand, Central and Chatram. From these bus stations, auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws are available for accessing some of the waterfalls, while others can be accessed only by trekking. Regular bus services are available to Kutralam from the major cities of Tamilnadu. The city has two bus stands – one in the southern part of the city, namely the Central Bus stand, and another in the northern part, namely Chatram Bus stand.
To supplement the town bus service there is also availability of taxis, auto-rickshaws and cycle rickshaws. Since Courtallam is a major tourist spot, there are many government and private buses that are available from different cities. Buses from Tirunelveli to Courtallam are frequent and they are a good option. They start from the main bus terminus and tickets are cheap. Private buses might be more expensive and they are a comfortable option as well.
By Train:
Tenkasi has the closest railway station to Courtallam. It is possible to hire a taxi at the station for a scenic road trip to reach the waterfall destinations. Tenkasi railway station is connected to Chennai and Tirunelveli through trains. Some of the train services are Podhigai Express (Chennai Egmore to Shenkottai and vice versa), Shenkottai to Madurai Passenger and Shenkottai to Tirunelveli Passenger.
Shenkottai (Sengottai) railway station is another station located very near to Courtallam. Tirunelveli railway station is another option and there are frequent trains from most parts of the State. Taxis are available from the station and they cost between Rs 7 and RS 12 per km. It is advisable to hire A/C taxis during the summer months as the heat can be intense during this period. 
Kutralam is also located Just 21 Kms away from Kerala state boarder Aryankavu Kottavasal in Kollam (Quilon) District. Many trains are passing through Tenkasi railway station from Kollam to Thirunelveli and Manamadurai. Direct trains are also available from Kollam to Tenkasi and Shenkottai.
By Air:
Those travelling by air can get down at Tuticorin or Thiruvananthapuram which has the closest airport to Courtallam. The road trip from the airport can be covered in a taxi. This is the best option for those who are arriving by air.