There are 5 ways to get from Colombo to Tirunelveli by plane, taxi, train, ferry, or bus
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly to Tuticorin Airport, taxi
best- Fly from Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) to Tuticorin Airport (TCR)plane CMB - TCR
- Take the taxi from Tuticorin Airport (TCR) to Tirunelvelitaxi
5h 5m₹22,670–30,438Train, ferry
cheapest- Take the train from Colombo Fort to Kankesanturaitrain
- Take the ferry from Kankesanturai to Nagapattinamferry
- Take the train from Nagappattinam to Tirunelvelitrain
20h 17m₹7,155–9,563Bus, ferry, train
- Take the bus from Pettah to Kankesanturaibus
- Take the ferry from Kankesanturai to Nagapattinamferry
- Take the train from Nagappattinam to Thanjavurtrain
- Take the bus from Thanjavur to Mattuthavanibus
- Take the bus from Madurai to Nellaibus
21h 52m₹8,193–11,287Fly to Madurai, train
- Fly from Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) to Madurai (IXM)plane CMB - IXM
- Take the train from Madurai Jn to Tirunelvelitrain
5h 59m₹13,765–28,373Fly to Trivandrum, train
- Fly from Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) to Trivandrum (TRV)plane CMB - TRV
- Take the train from Thiruvananthapuram Central to Tirunelvelitrain
6h 49m₹18,751–31,458
Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) to Tuticorin Airport (TCR) flights
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Colombo to Tirunelveli is to train and ferry which costs ₹7,000 - ₹10,000 and takes 20h 17m.
The fastest way to get from Colombo to Tirunelveli is to fly and taxi which takes 5h 5m and costs ₹22,000 - ₹31,000.
The distance between Colombo and Tirunelveli is 342 km.
The best way to get from Colombo to Tirunelveli without a car is to train and ferry which takes 20h 17m and costs ₹7,000 - ₹10,000.
It takes approximately 5h 5m to get from Colombo to Tirunelveli, including transfers.
There are 48+ hotels available in Tirunelveli.
What companies run services between Colombo, Sri Lanka and Tirunelveli, India?
There is no direct connection from Colombo to Tirunelveli. However, you can take the taxi to Colombo-Airport-CMB airport, fly to Tuticorin Airport (TCR), then take the taxi to Tirunelveli. Alternatively, you can take a train from Colombo Fort to Tirunelveli via Kankesanturai, Kankesanturai, Nagapattinam, and Nagappattinam in around 20h 17m.
- Website
- goindigo.in
Flights from Bandaranaike International Airport to Tuticorin Airport via Madras
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 58m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ₹18,000–60,000
Flights from Bandaranaike International Airport to Tuticorin Airport via Bengaluru
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 35m
- When
- Thursday to Saturday
- Estimated price
- ₹18,000–60,000
- Website
- srilankan.com
Flights from Bandaranaike International Airport to Madurai
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ₹11,000–13,000
Flights from Bandaranaike International Airport to Trivandrum
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- ₹12,000–18,000
- Phone
- +94 114 600 111
- Website
- Sri Lanka Railways
Train from Colombo Fort to Kankesanturai
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 4m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- ₹390–1,000
- Website
- Sri Lanka Railways
- 2nd Class Fare
- ₹390–550
- 3rd Class Fare
- ₹440–550
- Air Conditioned Saloon
- ₹750–1,000
- Phone
- 14646
- [email protected]
- Website
- irctc.co.in
Train from Nagappattinam to Tirunelveli
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 35m
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- ₹260–2,100
- Website
- irctc.co.in
- Sleeper Class
- ₹260–320
- Third AC (3A)
- ₹700–900
- Second AC (2A)
- ₹950–1,300
- First Class (1A)
- ₹1,600–2,100
Train from Nagappattinam to Thanjavur
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 18m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₹130–1,100
- Website
- irctc.co.in
- Sleeper Class
- ₹130–160
- Third AC (3A)
- ₹380–470
- Second AC (2A)
- ₹500–650
- First Class (1A)
- ₹800–1,100
Train from Madurai Jn to Tirunelveli
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 10m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- ₹160–1,300
- Website
- irctc.co.in
- Sleeper Class
- ₹160–200
- Third AC (3A)
- ₹450–600
- Second AC (2A)
- ₹600–800
- First Class (1A)
- ₹1,000–1,300
Train from Thiruvananthapuram Central to Tirunelveli
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- ₹160–1,300
- Website
- irctc.co.in
- Sleeper Class
- ₹160–190
- Third AC (3A)
- ₹440–550
- Second AC (2A)
- ₹600–750
- First Class (1A)
- ₹950–1,300
- Phone
- +94 76 714 8292
- [email protected]
- Website
- ncgexpress.lk
Bus from Pettah to Kankesanturai
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 40m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₹770–810
- Schedules at
- NCG Express Facebook
- Sleeper/Seater
- ₹770–810
- Phone
- 9513948001
- [email protected]
- Website
- TNSTC
Bus from Thanjavur to Mattuthavani
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 55m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₹120–700
- Website
- TNSTC
- Phone
- 8893555000
- [email protected]
- Website
- kalladatravels.com
Bus from Madurai to Nellai
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 40m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₹600–2,100
- Website
- kalladatravels.com
- Phone
- 022 - 22026666
- Website
- The Shipping Corporation of India
Ferry from Kankesanturai to Nagapattinam
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₹6,500
- Website
- The Shipping Corporation of India
Ferry from Kankesanturai to Nagapattinam
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₹6,500
- Website
- The Shipping Corporation of India
- Ave. Duration
- 39 min
- Estimated price
- ₹1,100–1,400
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