South India by rail

Easily done on an independent, tailor made vacation, travel through the coastal and luscious states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, stopping at cultural wonders along the way, or take the train from Goa down through the state of Karnataka. With temples, tea and beaches for sunbathing, too, it’s not just a breeze exploring Southern India by rail, but a delight as well.

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South India by rail

Anything is possible on a train; a great meal, a binge, a visit from card players, an intrigue, a good night’s sleep, and strangers’ monologues framed like Russian short stories

– Paul Theroux, The Great Railway Bazaar

Traveling across South India by train is exhilarating one moment, frustrating another moment, then charming the next. But always interesting. Whilst there are still moments of mayhem and you shouldn’t expect Swiss efficiency, trains in India and particularly the south are much improved from days gone by when many of us will remember images of people crammed into every corner, inside and out. It’s wonderful to have someone to book it all up for you and ensure that you have a seat and a carriage with air conditioning. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy views of the stunning states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Our South India rail vacations are a great way to travel as far as Trivandrum – the very tip of the country, and you’ll start to look forward to your next sleeper service, sweeping you ever further south each night.

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South India railway routes map

Highlights of South India by rail

The southern coast

Traveling independently on a tailor made trip, with a driver guide at important stops along the way, is all very doable in South India. Ease your way gently into Indian culture, starting your journey in the coastal fort town of Cochin before taking your first train journey to Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, a busy seaside resort right on the southern tip. This is the point where three seas – the Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea – meet.

Karnataka

Between Goa and Kerala, you can take a train journey that joins the two but which focuses on the glorious underrated state of Karnataka, which includes gems such as the UNESCO temple ruins of Hampi, the Ghat Mountains and the palaces of Mysore. There are coffee plantation and ancient forts in Madikeri and then spices and one big ancient fort city in Cochin at the end of the line, in the state of Kerala.

Tamil Nadu

Heading inland through Tamil Nadu takes you on a journey to some of India’s most spectacular spiritual sites, such as the Dravidian temples in Madurai and similar heavenly spots in Tiruchirappalli, or Trichy for short. A wonderful coastal train journey takes you up the east coast from Tanjore to Puducherry, one of India’s lesser-known cities, with a somewhat unique French colonial and coastal charm.

We traversed South India by train in September, just after the monsoon, to see the mountains and plantations at their most luscious.

– Catherine Mack, writer

Tea plantations

Having one sleeper journey on an Indian railway vacation is a must, really, and the overnight odyssey from Chennai to Mettupalayam means that you wake up in a world that still looks much as it did when it was part of the British Empire. This overnight Nilgiri Express links up with the mountain steam trains, otherwise known as toy trains that take you up to tea plantations – often called hill stations, where British colonisers went to escape the summer heat during their occupation of India. Places like Ooty and Coonoor are both famous for the production of Nilgiri tea. They are also fantastic locations for taking time out and hiking in luscious hills.

Goa to Cochin

Goa on the west coast is a popular place to start a rail journey that finishes in Cochin. You can take around 10 days traveling down. Start on India’s famous sun kissed beaches in the small state of Goa and then head into the underrated yet heaving-with-heritage state of Karnataka. From the UNESCO temple ruins of Hampi to the mind-blowing palaces of Mysore, this is a wonderful route to take through India. This train route also takes you through the Ghat Mountains, plantations and hill stations which stretch through Karnataka and into Kerala.

At Cochin, after exploring the city’s spice markets, you can chill out for a few days in one of many stunning hotels or welcoming homestays, seeking out one of the region’s famous Ayurveda spas. Finally, swap train travel for boat as you explore the famous backwaters on a barge.

Responsible Travel recommends

Diana Syrett, Managing Director of our partner, Kerala Connections: “December and January are really busy in Kerala, so if you don’t want crowds and very high prices, these months are best to avoid. June and July are also a time to avoid because of the monsoon, but really you can go anytime outside those months.”