Mysore to Madurai Cab

Is driving to Madurai a good idea?

There is no direct train or flight from Mysore to Madurai, so most options involve a change in Bangalore. For families with elderly parents, small children or a lot of luggage, a cab that leaves from your door and reaches Madurai the same day is simply easier. You set the pace, you stop when you want, and you can visit temples on the way that a train would pass by.

The route our drivers use

The usual route leaves Mysore through Nanjangud and Chamarajanagar, crosses the Hasanur forest and descends the Dhimbam ghat to Sathyamangalam. It then runs through Erode and Karur to Dindigul, where it joins NH 44 for the last hour to Madurai. Some drivers prefer an alternative from Erode via Dharapuram and Palani, which adds a little distance but lets you visit the Palani hill temple of Lord Murugan.

The Sathyamangalam forest stretch has night traffic restrictions, so departures from Mysore are planned for early morning, typically between 5 and 6 am. For later departures, the driver will route via Bangalore and Salem on NH 44, which is much longer but open around the clock.

Suggested breaks

• Breakfast near Chamarajanagar or at Sathyamangalam after the ghat.
• A temple stop at Bannari Amman, right at the foot of the ghat.
• Lunch in Erode or Karur.
• Tea and the famous Dindigul biryani, if you are in the mood, before the final stretch.

Making the most of Madurai

The Meenakshi Amman temple is the reason most people come, and it deserves an unhurried visit; the temple is spread over several acres with towering gopurams and thousand-pillared halls. Phones are not allowed inside and there is a dress code, so plan accordingly. Other places worth your time:

• Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal, a 17th-century palace with an evening sound-and-light show.
• Gandhi Memorial Museum, which preserves the cloth Gandhi was wearing when he was shot.
• Thiruparankundram, one of the six abodes of Lord Murugan, on the city's southern edge.
• Alagar Kovil, a Vishnu temple in the hills north-east of the city.
• Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam, a vast temple tank that hosts the float festival.

Madurai is also famous for its food: jigarthanda, idli at night, kari dosa and mutton dishes. Your driver will know where the locals go.

Extending the trip

Rameswaram

About 170 km east, reached across the Pamban bridge. Combined with Madurai, it makes a classic two- or three-day pilgrimage circuit.

Kodaikanal

A hill station about 120 km away, ideal for cooler weather after the temple town's heat.

Kanyakumari

Around 245 km south, for the sunrise at the southern tip of the subcontinent.

For these combinations, a round trip with the same driver is the practical choice, and the driver allowance for overnight stays is part of round-trip pricing.

Festivals to plan around

The Chithirai festival, usually in April or May, celebrates the celestial wedding of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar and the procession of Lord Kallazhagar into the Vaigai river. It is spectacular but extremely crowded. The float festival at the Teppakulam, usually in January or February, is another highlight. Book hotels early if your dates overlap.

Permits, inclusions and vehicles

The cab will need a Tamil Nadu interstate permit, which we arrange in advance and list separately, along with tolls. Fuel and driver allowance are included in the fare. For this distance we recommend an Innova Crysta for families and elderly passengers; a Dzire or Etios works for one or two people; and tempo travellers or a mini bus are available for temple groups.

Arriving in Madurai

Drivers regularly drop travellers at hotels around the Meenakshi temple, Madurai Junction railway station, Mattuthavani bus stand, the airport and the large hospitals in the city. The roads around the temple are narrow and some are restricted to pedestrians, so for hotels in the old city the driver will take you as close as is allowed.