Madurai - Rameshwaram - Kodaikanal

Hello All,
I am planning to visit World Famous Madurai Menakashi Temple and Rameshwaram Temple. Also few days in Kodaikanal.
1. I am starting from Pune to Madurai and would like to know which is good time to visit Madurai Temple. Normally there are special Pooja arrange early morning in most of the temple and guess it will take few time to take proper darshan.
2. How to reach Rameshwaram from Madurai By Road or By Rail which is best transport option. I am not able to find any train from Madurai to Rameshwaram. It is possible to within 1 day from Madurai ? I am not much interested in other nearby places.
3. How to reach Kodaikanal ? Is it near from Rameshwaram or Madurai. As far I know it is near from Madurai around 80 KM by road.

I was in Madurai-Kodaikanal-Rameswaram in 2006.

I would advise you to travel to Kodaikanal after Madurai as it is closer to Madurai....if you went Madurai-Rameswaram-Kodaikanal you would be backtracking.

When I was there there was no direct train from Madurai to Rameswaram, so I hired a car from Kodaikanal to Rameswaram and the ride took about 7 hours.

enjoy! I love Rameswaram!

Hi nilesh,
Take a direct train to madurai and a train to rameshwaram(rmm) from madurai or a bus to rmm which is 4 hours journey, a taxi will cost you 1800 for single day visit to rmm and back to madurai. Catch a train to kodai road from rmm and a bus or a taxi to kodai.
If you need any further information please post

Hi nilesh.shete
1) I assume to will be boarding the train (6339) which departs from pune at 16.00 and you will be reaching madurai at 21.40 on day 2.
Please avoid visiting the temple on fridays or tuesday as it will packed by the local crowds.
2) Their are passenger trains from madurai to rameshwaram, and the train ( no7613) which originates from chennai, arrives at madurai at 01.45 hrs and reaches rameshwaram at 5.15 hrs, which is not advisible.
Their are plenty of local buses from madurai to rameshwaram which is around 165 kms and normally it takes 4 hours,
Their are local 20 seater tourist buses from madurai to remeshwarm which leaves in the morning at 8.00 am and back to madurai at 6 pm after visiting the rameshwaram temple which would cost you 275/= per head.
Finally you have indica cars who would charge you 1700/- madurai-rameshwaram-madurai single day.
3)Kodai is nearer to madurai, and their are plenty of buses both hi-tech and ordinary from madurai, I would advise you to catch the bus from madurai as it will be the starting point.
for any more information please post

Hello n kumar,
Many thanks for the detail reply. Yes I am travelling by the same train which you mentioned. Now I will make my detail trip plan accordingly. As I am reaching Madurai on Sunday midnight, I will plan to visit Madurai Temple on Monday morning and city visit during day time. One Night stay in Madurai and next morning start to Rameshwaram by Car. Visit Rameshwaram and return to Madurai. If possible I will start to Kodaikanal on Tuesday evening and stay at Kodaikanal. But I am not sure how safe the drive at Kodaikanal from Madurai in the evening.

Once again I want to thank you to make my trip easier.

Many thanks
Nilesh

Hi nilesh
You might be reaching madurai at appxm 7 pm from rameshwaram and it might another 4 to 5 hours jounery to reach kodai. Please plan accordingly.
wish you a happy and safe jounery.

Hi,

Are buses to kodai available at madurai at around 8 pm. I would be roughly reaching madurai (from periyar) at 6pm and I assume would need 2 hours to do the temple.
how much time it takes to kodai
Thanks in advance!!

I think you have buses from madurai to kodai or early morning buses.The distance between madurai to kodai is roughly 115 kms and the ghat road is roughly 60 kms.

A suggestion:

You need to factor in at least three hours [by car] from Madurai to Kodai, probably longer by bus. As you are coming from Periyar to Madurai, you will have to come via Teni. From Teni you can go first to Kodaikanal via Periyakulam and the ghat road between P'kulam and Vattalakundu. Im not sure if you will get direct connections to Kodai from Kumily but from Teni and Periyakulam you will get any number of buses to Kodai.

After you finish with Kodai, you can take any bus or share taxi from the Kodai market place and come back to Madurai. Assume 4 hours to see the Meenakshi temple.

thanks for ur reply
I am coming to madurai first from thekkady and will see the temple. thereafter i will proceed to kodai from madurai.
what i asked earlier was that it may get as late upto 8pm to see the temple. whether i would get any bus/shared taxi to kodai at that time

I know Alan. It was my suggestion that you visit Kodai first from Thekkady before going to Madurai. It will take about the same time from Thekkady to reach either place, instead of travelling at night on a pitch dark ghat road from Madurai to Kodai.

OK..I get ur point..yes its better to see the ghats in daylight...wud do that

You can get down at vethalagundu and catch a bus to kodai and from their you can travel to madurai

Dear Friend's,
please guide ( help) okha to rameshwaram train start? YES/NO.
please send railway time table & train no tenkashi to kollam.

Regards
Rupesh.

Hi Rupesh,

I feel Okha-Chennai-Rameswaram is the ideal way in train !
For your second Question, Tenkasi Jn to Kollam Jn Railway Track Broad conversion work in progress and it will take some time !.

Until maximum Sengottai Jn Trains can go at the moment and anyways there are hourly buses from Tenkasi Busstand [New Bus stand] to Kollam and it will take 3 hours [100 kms] and Trivandrum also 3 hours from Tenkasi Bus stand with lesser bus frequency !

Hope this helps !
Velu