Kottayam's KSRTC bus stand , 500m south of the centre on TB Road (not to be confused with the private stand for local buses on KK Road, aka Shastri Road), is an important stop on routes to and from major towns in south India. Four of the frequent buses to Kumily/Periyar (3-4hr) each day go on to Madurai, in Tamil Nadu (7hr), and there are regular services to Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Ernakulam. The railway station (2km north of the centre) sees a constant flow of traffic between Thiruvananthapuram and points north. Ferries from Alappuzha and elsewhere dock at the weed-clogged jetty, 3km south of town.

 

Surprisingly, there is no adequate source of tourist information in Kottayam. The Canara Bank (Mon-Fri 10am-2pm, Sat 10am-noon) on KK Road, opposite the Anjali Hotel , is the only place to change money and travellers' cheques, while cash advances are issued on Visa and Mastercard.