If you are planning to visit Ooty on the Nilgiri Hills, you have to move from Coimbatore, as this forms the gateway to the heavenly hill resort of the South. The distance between Coimbatore and Ooty is around 87 kilometres. The entire way from Coimbatore to Ooty runs on the rugged terrain of the Western Ghats, and presents some of the most picturesque landscapes and views. The green of the hills mingles with the blue of the sky, forming a heavenly site.
You have several options in all Ooty tour packages from Coimbatore to reach Ooty from Coimbatore. Let us discuss here two of the most frequently used and the easiest ones: by bus and by train.
How To Reach Ooty From Coimbatore by Train
Travelling to Ooty from Coimbatore by train is by far the most beautiful stretch of rain journey on the Western Ghats. Before you understand the options in travelling by train that you have, let us first make the route that you have to follow very clear to you:
- From Coimbatore, trains running on broad gauge reach Mettupalayam via Coimbatore North and karaimadai
- From Mettupalayam, you have to avail of a metre gauge train to Coonoor, that will rise through the steep height at one stretch, and takes a travel time of 2 hours 20 minutes.
- From Coonoor, get another metre gauge train to reach Ooty, via Wellington, Aravankadu, Lovedale.
Now, let us talk about each stretch of the rail road in details:
- The first lap of the journey is on the main line, and there are 1 express and 4 passenger trains that operate on this route. The total travel time is about 1 hour to cover 36 klilometres.
- The main adventure of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway Route lies on the second lap of the journey. It is a meter gauge line between Mettupalayam to Coonoor. The stretch between kallar and Coonoor witnesses a great difference in gradient that the train negotiates with the help of Rack Mechanism fitted to the rail. This stretch, although the most difficult and posing so much threat, is the most beautiful part of the entire journey. The total distance covered is 46 kilometres, and the time taken is 2 hours and 20 minutes. Only a pair of trains ply in this route.
- From Coonoor, you get another metre – gauge train to Ooty or Udagamandalam, that travels via some of the most beautiful spots on the Nlgiri Hills. There are only 4 pairs of trains available on this route. The 19 kilometres stretch takes about 1 hour 15 minutes.
The metre – gauge trains are smaller in size, with limited seats. So they tend to fill up fast. If you are planning a trip to Ooty, the first thing that you should do is to book your ticket on the Nilgiri Mountain Train well in advance.
How To Reach Ooty from Coimbatore By Bus
You can travel by one of the innumerable bus services for Ooty packages from Coimbatore. They are available from the New Bus Stand. There are buses of every variety and costs. You may also avail of a bus to Mettupalayam and then change for Ooty.