Kochi to Mysuru: Train vs Bus vs Car, and the Bandipur Night Ban

For most people the easiest way from Kochi to Mysuru is an overnight bus through Wayanad, about 400 km and roughly 9 to 10 hours. The only direct train, the 16316 Thiruvananthapuram North (formerly Kochuveli)-Mysuru Express, leaves Ernakulam Junction at 8.35 pm and reaches Mysuru at 11.45 am the next day, about 15 hours, because it goes round through Bengaluru. Driving takes 8 to 10 hours via Wayanad, but you must clear the Bandipur forest stretch before it closes to private vehicles at night.

• Train vs bus vs car at a glance
• How do I get from Kochi to Mysore by train?
• How can I get a bus ticket from Kochi to Mysore?
• Driving: what is the Bandipur night ban?
• How do I go from Kochi to Mysore?

Train vs bus vs car at a glance

	Train (16316)	Overnight bus	Car via Wayanad
Time	About 15 hours	About 9 to 10 hours	About 8 to 10 hours
Route	Palakkad, Coimbatore, Bengaluru	Thrissur, Kozhikode, Wayanad	Thrissur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Bandipur
Best for	Sleeping flat, cheap berths	Arriving early morning	Groups, stopping in Wayanad
Catch	Long way round	Ghat curves at night	Bandipur closes at night

How do I get from Kochi to Mysore by train?

Take the daily 16316 Thiruvananthapuram North-Mysuru Express, the train formerly listed as the Kochuveli-Mysuru Express; Kochuveli station was renamed Thiruvananthapuram North in 2024. Per its published timetable, it leaves Ernakulam Junction at 8.35 pm, calls at Palakkad around 11.25 pm and Coimbatore after midnight, reaches KSR Bengaluru around 8.20 am and arrives in Mysuru at 11.45 am. You stay on the same train the whole way, which is the main thing in its favour: board, sleep, wake up in Karnataka.

The catch is distance. The railway route runs about 775 km against roughly 400 by road, so the train is the slowest option. It makes sense if you want a proper berth, are travelling with older parents, or will stop in Bengaluru anyway. For tips on getting a berth at short notice, see our Tatkal booking guide.

How can I get a bus ticket from Kochi to Mysore?

Both state corporations run evening services from Ernakulam through Thrissur, Kozhikode and Wayanad, a run of about 9.5 hours. Kerala RTC tickets are sold through its online booking site and at the bus station; Karnataka RTC tickets through ksrtc.in. Private operators also run the route. Book through the corporations' own sites rather than a link someone forwards you. Our guide to booking KSRTC tickets online walks through it.

• Departures are mostly in the evening, which matters for the forest closure described below.
• Timetables change; check the departure on the booking site rather than relying on a printed list.
• If you are prone to motion sickness, the Thamarassery ghat climb into Wayanad usually comes late at night. Take a seat towards the front.

Driving: what is the Bandipur night ban?

Since 2009, the NH 766 stretch through Bandipur Tiger Reserve, between Wayanad and Gundlupet, has been closed to private traffic at night, generally from 9 pm to 6 am. In January 2025 Karnataka minister Eshwar Khandre said only two buses and an ambulance are allowed through after 9 pm. A January 2026 report gave the start as 8.30 pm, so treat 8.30 as your real deadline.

The road route via Wayanad is about 390 to 420 km, and the honest driving time is 8 to 10 hours with stops, more if the Thamarassery ghat is crowded. Leave Kochi by early morning and you clear the forest in daylight with time to spare. Leave after lunch and you are gambling. Our Kochi to Wayanad guide covers the first half of the drive in more detail.

How do I go from Kochi to Mysore?

For one or two people, the overnight bus. It is the easiest option, reasonably priced, and you lose no daylight. For a family or a group with luggage, drive, start before 6 am, and break the trip in Wayanad if you can. Take the train only if a flat berth matters more than time.

Flying is not really an option: there is no direct Kochi-Mysuru flight, and the usual workaround is to fly to Bengaluru and continue by road, which rarely beats the bus once you add airport time.