There are 7 ways to get from Colombo to Tirunelveli by plane, taxi, bus, ferry, or train
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 25m₹21,661–31,426Train, ferry via Virudhunagar
cheapest- Take the train from Colombo Fort to Kankesanturaitrain
- Take the ferry from Kankesanturai to Nagapattinamferry
- Take the train from Nagappattinam to Virudunagar Jntrain
- Take the train from Virudunagar Jn to Tirunelvelitrain
21h 50m₹7,243–10,360Bus, ferry
- Take the bus from Pettah to Kankesanturaibus
- Take the ferry from Kankesanturai to Nagapattinamferry
- Take the bus from Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu to Madurai, Tamil Nadubus
- Take the bus from Madurai to Tirunelvelibus
20h 18mTrain, ferry
- Take the train from Colombo Fort to Kankesanturaitrain
- Take the ferry from Kankesanturai to Nagapattinamferry
- Take the train from Thiruvarur Jn to Tirunelvelitrain
20h 57m₹7,253–10,260Fly to Madurai, train
- Fly from Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) to Madurai (IXM)plane CMB - IXM
- Take the train from Madurai Jn to Tirunelvelitrain
6h 8m₹13,756–26,361Fly 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₹17,742–30,446Bus, ferry via Jaffna
- Take the bus from Colombo Bastian Mawatha Bus Terminal to Jaffnabus
- Take the ferry from Kankesanturai to Nagapattinamferry
- Take the bus from Velankanni, Tamil Nadu to Madurai, Tamil Nadubus
- Take the bus from Madurai to Tirunelvelibus
25h 14m
Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) to Tuticorin Airport (TCR) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Colombo to Tirunelveli is to train and ferry which costs ₹7,000 - ₹11,000 and takes 20h 57m.
The fastest way to get from Colombo to Tirunelveli is to fly and taxi which takes 5h 25m and costs ₹21,000 - ₹32,000.
The distance between Colombo and Tirunelveli is 342 km.
The best way to get from Colombo to Tirunelveli without a car is to bus and ferry which takes 20h 18m and costs .
It takes approximately 5h 25m to get from Colombo to Tirunelveli, including transfers.
There are 47+ 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 bus from Pettah to Tirunelveli via Kankesanturai, Kankesanturai, Nagapattinam, Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, and Madurai in around 20h 18m.
- Website
- goindigo.in
Flights from Bandaranaike International Airport to Tuticorin Airport via Madras
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 32m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ₹18,000–60,000
Flights from Bandaranaike International Airport to Tuticorin Airport via Bengaluru
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 15m
- When
- Thursday to Saturday
- Estimated price
- ₹19,000–60,000
- Website
- srilankan.com
Flights from Bandaranaike International Airport to Madurai
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ₹11,000–12,500
Flights from Bandaranaike International Airport to Trivandrum
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- ₹9,000–31,000
- Phone
- +94 114 600 111
- Website
- seatreservation.railway.gov.lk
Train from Colombo Fort to Kankesanturai
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 4m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- ₹390–1,000
- Website
- https://seatreservation.railway.gov.lk/mtktwebslr/
- 2nd Class Fare
- ₹390–550
- 3rd Class Fare
- ₹440–550
- Air Conditioned Saloon
- ₹750–1,000
Train from Colombo Fort to Kankesanturai
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 4m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- ₹390–1,000
- Website
- https://seatreservation.railway.gov.lk/mtktwebslr/
- 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 Thiruvarur Jn to Tirunelveli
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 50m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- ₹250–1,900
- Website
- https://www.irctc.co.in/nget/train-search
- Sleeper Class
- ₹250–300
- Third AC (3A)
- ₹650–850
- Second AC (2A)
- ₹900–1,200
- First Class (1A)
- ₹1,500–1,900
Train from Madurai Jn to Tirunelveli
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 20m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- ₹160–1,300
- Website
- https://www.irctc.co.in/nget/train-search
- 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
- https://www.irctc.co.in/nget/train-search
- Sleeper Class
- ₹160–190
- Third AC (3A)
- ₹440–550
- Second AC (2A)
- ₹600–750
- First Class (1A)
- ₹950–1,300
Train from Nagappattinam to Virudunagar Jn
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 48m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- ₹210–1,700
- Website
- https://www.irctc.co.in/nget/train-search
- Sleeper Class
- ₹210–260
- Third AC (3A)
- ₹550–750
- Second AC (2A)
- ₹800–1,000
- First Class (1A)
- ₹1,300–1,700
Train from Virudunagar Jn to Tirunelveli
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 40m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- ₹140–1,200
- Website
- https://www.irctc.co.in/nget/train-search
- Sleeper Class
- ₹140–180
- Third AC (3A)
- ₹410–550
- Second AC (2A)
- ₹550–700
- First Class (1A)
- ₹900–1,200
- Phone
- +94 76 714 8292
- [email protected]
- Website
- ncgexpress.lk
Bus from Pettah to Kankesanturai
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 40m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₹770–800
- Schedules at
- https://ncgexpress.lk/
- Sleeper/Seater
- ₹770–800
- Phone
- 8893555000
- [email protected]
- Website
- kalladatravels.com
Bus from Madurai to Tirunelveli
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 2m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- ₹600–2,100
- Website
- http://www.kalladatravels.com/
Bus from Madurai to Tirunelveli
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 2m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- ₹600–2,100
- Website
- http://www.kalladatravels.com/
- Phone
- +94 011-2587372
- [email protected]
- Website
- ntc.gov.lk
Bus from Colombo Bastian Mawatha Bus Terminal to Jaffna
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 15m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- ₹370–471
- Website
- https://www.ntc.gov.lk/
- Schedules at
- https://www.ntc.gov.lk/times/
- Standard
- ₹370–410
- Semi Lux
- ₹470–650
- Super Lux
- ₹850–1,100
- Phone
- 022 - 22026666
- Website
- shipindia.com
Ferry from Kankesanturai to Nagapattinam
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₹6,500
- Website
- https://www.shipindia.com/
Ferry from Kankesanturai to Nagapattinam
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₹6,500
- Website
- https://www.shipindia.com/
Ferry from Kankesanturai to Nagapattinam
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₹6,500
- Website
- https://www.shipindia.com/
Ferry from Kankesanturai to Nagapattinam
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₹6,500
- Website
- https://www.shipindia.com/
- Ave. Duration
- 39 min
- Estimated price
- ₹1,100–1,400
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