Major Airports And Railway Stations In Kerala
Kerala, the southernmost state in India adjacent to Tamil Nadu is a tropical paradise with coconut trees, backwaters, beaches, misty mountains, hilltops and more. All the states in Kerala are well connected by proper means of transportation and commuting. Good infrastructure has made it easier for commuters to travel with ease. Apart from roads, railways, airways and waterways are also a major source of travel. There are hundreds of commuters, residents and non-residents who utilize these modes on a daily basis.
Tourism mainly enters the state of Kerala through railways and airways, while most of Indians enter the state by train, International tourists reach the state through means of aeroplane. Some of the major airports and railway stations in Kerala which help make travel easier are listed below.
Major airports in Kerala
There are three major airports in Kerala with flights operating to domestic and international destinations bringing in tourists from all over the world. The airports are located in the most tourist brimming areas, which helps the travellers to commute within the different districts in Kerala.
- Cochin International Airport:
Cochin, a major tourist hub is visited by thousands of tourists from all over and is the busiest and largest airport in the state and the seventh busiest airport in the country. The airport is located in Nedumbassery and started operation on 10 June 1999.The airport records regular and frequent flights to different parts of the world both domestic and international and acquires maximum footfall to Cochin and other parts of Kerala.
- Thiruvananthapuram International Airport:
Located in the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram, this is the first airport in Kerala and the fifth international airport in India handling both domestic and international flights. It is the second largest and second busiest airport in Kerala and started operation in 1935. As the airport is situated at the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent, travelling to Maldives, Sri Lanka and other destinations are effortless.
- Calicut International Airport:
Located in Karipur, it is also known as Karipur airport mainly serving the travellers from Malappuram and Kozhikode districts in Kerala due to its ease of access. The airport started operation in April 1988 and is the 12th busiest airport in India in terms of passenger traffic and the third busiest in Kerala. The airport has flights with international connections to most cities in the Middle East from the Malabar region of Kerala.
Major Railway Stations in Kerala
Indian railways operate numerous trains to and from Kerala going as far as Jammu & Kashmir in the North to Assam in the North East. Kerala is well connected throughout the state by a network of rail routes both electrified and non-electrified connecting all major cities and towns except those in the high range districts like Idukki and Wayanad. Reaching long distance cities like Delhi and Mumbai is also available through direct trains like Ernakulam Duronto, Trivandrum Rajadhani, Kerala Express and Netravati Express which are the prominent trains connecting major cities in India.
If you are a tourist, you will be swelled by the picturesque scenery of Kerala, its amazing greenery, green paddy fields, long swaying coconut trees, abundant forests, steep mountains and hill tops, pleasant rivers, natural and extensive lakes and even the suburban cities. The rail routes in Kerala will take you through some of the most beautiful sights you have never explored, each district in Kerala is different, enclosed with a distinctive beauty on its own.
The railways in the state are controlled by the Thiruvananthapuram Railway Division and the Palakkad Railway Division. The major railway stations in Kerala are Thiruvananthapuram Central (TVC), one of the busiest stations in the state, Ernakulam Town North (ERN), Kozhikode (CLT),Shornur Junction (SRR), Kollam Junction (QLN), Ernakulam Junction South (ERS), Kottayam (KTYM), Palakkad Junction (PGT), Thrissur Railway Station (TCR), Kannur (CAN), Chengannur (CNGR), Alappuzha(ALLP) and Kayamkulam Junction (KYJ).
Booking tickets to travel by train is now made simple with Indian Railway booking site which can be accessed by computers, smart phones, tablets or as a last resort simply visit the station and make a booking.
Now that you know which are the major airports and railway stations in Kerala;with all these facilities and infrastructure readily available, it is more than easy to enter the state of Kerala and commute within the state to enjoy a peaceful and relaxing vacation.