How To Reach Madikeri (Mercara)

Madikeri is a pretty hill station township and the capital of the Kodagu district of Southwestern Karnataka. The region of Kodagu or Coorg was ruled by various dynasties including the Cholas, Hoysalas and the Vijayanagaras and later by local chiefdoms like the Karnambahus and Haleri kings. Madikeri was once called Muddurajakeri after the Haleri King Mudduraja(1633-1687). The beautiful hill station of Madikeri in the western ghats is bordered by Mangaluru to the west and Mysuru to the east, filled with aroma of the coffee plantations.

Madikeri lies on the Karnataka State Highway no 88 that runs between Mysuru and Mangaluru and the best way to reach Madikeri would be to travel to Mysuru by train and travel the rest of the way by road.

Madikeri does not have an airport. Book a flight to the nearest city of Mangaluru which caters to most domestic routes including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Vizag and Bengaluru. The Mangaluru International Airport has flights to most cities of the Middle East. You’ll find plenty of buses or cabs that will take you to Madikeri from the airport. It takes about 3-4 hours from the Mangaluru International Airport to Madikeri.

There are no direct trains to Madikeri, since the town does not have a railway station. You can travel by train from Mangaluru to Subrahmanya or Hassan and take a cab or bus to Madikeri. The distance from Subrahmanya to Madikeri is about 74 km and from Hassan, it is about 103 km. The other option would be to travel by train to Mysuru and get a KSRTC bus or cab to Madikeri. This could be more economical than a trip by flight.

Madikeri can be easily accessed from all cities around it. You can get to Madikeri from Mangaluru or Mysuru or even Bengaluru by KSRTC, tourist buses or cabs. Or you could even drive to Madikeri by yourself. If you’re behind the wheel, do make it a point to stop at places like Bylaguppe, Nishargadhama and Kushalnagar on the way. The trip from Mysuru to Madikeri takes about 2-3 hrs.