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.