Kochi to Alleppey by Cab
What to do, how to get there, and who to call for the car.
Alleppey is Kerala's houseboat town, famous for its backwaters. A cab from Kochi gets you there in about 1 hour 15 minutes. It's a short, easy drive, so most people make it part of a 2 to 4 day Kerala trip.
- Distance 55 km
- Drive time ~1h 15m
- Highway NH66
Approximate road distance and drive time from central Kochi to Alleppey; traffic, route, and pickup location can change both.
What to do in Alleppey
Alappuzha is Kerala's backwater capital. Here's what people come to do.
The backwaters & a houseboat
The big one. Rent a houseboat and sleep out on the water, or take a small shikara boat for a few hours.
Vembanad Lake
India's longest lake, and the heart of the backwaters. It hosts the famous snake-boat races every August.
Alleppey Beach
A long town beach with an old pier and a lighthouse. A nice spot for the evening once you're off the water.
Ambalapuzha Temple
A famous temple about 14 km south, known for its sweet milk pudding. Easy for the driver to add on.
Marari Beach
A quiet fishing-village beach about 11 km away. The calm choice if you want fewer crowds.
Kathakali & coir
Catch an evening Kathakali dance show, or watch coir mats being woven in the workshops along the canals.
The drive: which way to go
It's a short, flat drive along the coast. There are two easy ways to go.
Straight down NH66
~55 km · ~1h 15m · via Aroor & Cherthala
The quick way. Take the highway south through Aroor and Cherthala, with the backwaters beside you most of the way. Pick this if you have a houseboat check-in time to make.
The coastal detour
+30–45 min · via Kumbalangi & Marari
The pretty way. Swing west past Kumbalangi village and Marari beach on the way in. It adds less than an hour and turns the drive into a half-day out.
Cab from Kochi to Alleppey
Call or message a local Kochi operator. Tell them your pickup point, dates and whether you need a one-way drop or a round trip, and they send a price for the car and driver.
Kera Cabs
Visit website ↗Pickup from Kochi, Alleppey, Munnar, Thekkady, Kumarakom, Kovalam, Varkala, Kollam, Trivandrum, Thiruvananthapuram, Guruvayur, Triprayar, Cherai
Common questions
What's the best Kochi to Alleppey trip?
For a first visit, spend a day on the water in Alleppey and a day seeing Kochi's old town. With more time, add Kumarakom, Varkala, or Munnar.
Day trip or overnight?
Both work. You can cruise and come back the same day, but most people stay a night on a houseboat and book a one-way drop.
How long does the drive take?
About 1 hour 15 minutes for the 55 km on NH66. Morning traffic out of Kochi can add 20 to 30 minutes.
Can the cab pick me up from the airport?
Yes, Kochi airport (COK) is a common pickup point. It sits north of the city, so the ride to Alleppey is about 87 km, nearer 2 hours than 1h 15m.
When is the best time to go?
September to March is the best time: pleasant and dry. The monsoon from June to August is green but wet, and the big snake-boat race is in August.