160 km · about 4 hours
Alleppey to Kovalam Taxi
Backwaters to beach, 160km down the coast. Pickup is usually straight from the houseboat jetty after the 9am checkout.
160 kmRoad distance
4 hrsTypical drive time
₹2,500+Sedan, one way
24×7Booking and pickup
Estimated one-way fare
Worked out from our per-km rate plus the driver allowance for this distance. It is an estimate, not a meter — confirm the exact figure on the call, since a night halt, an interstate permit or a detour changes it.
| Vehicle | Seats | Per km | Est. one way |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swift Dzire / Etios Sedan |
4 | ₹13 | ₹2,500 |
| Maruti Ertiga MPV |
6 | ₹16 | ₹2,950 |
| Toyota Innova Crysta SUV |
6 | ₹19 | ₹3,550 |
| Tempo Traveller 12+1 Tempo |
12 | ₹24 | ₹4,450 |
| Tempo Traveller 17+1 Tempo |
17 | ₹28 | ₹5,100 |
| Force Urbania Luxury Van |
13 | ₹38 | ₹6,900 |
Includes driver allowance. Tolls, parking and permits at actuals. Round trips are quoted lower per km than two one-way fares.
The route
Via: NH66 → Kollam → Varkala → Thiruvananthapuram
- KollamAshtamudi lake, 85km in.
- VarkalaCliff beach, a good lunch stop.
- Kappil backwaterWhere lake meets sea, north of Varkala.
- ThiruvananthapuramPadmanabhaswamy temple.
- KovalamLighthouse beach arrival.
Driver's note. Houseboats check out at 9am, which is a perfect start for this leg. A Varkala lunch break splits it neatly.
Alleppey to Kovalam — common questions
Pickup from the houseboat jetty?
Yes, at checkout time.
How long is the drive?
160km, about 4 hours without stops.
Worth stopping at Varkala?
Yes. Halfway, good food, and the cliff view is worth an hour.
Can we drop at Trivandrum airport instead?
Yes, it is 16km before Kovalam on the same route.
Other routes on this side of Kerala
Doing more than one stop?
Hills, backwaters and beach in one trip, same car and driver throughout. Usually cheaper than booking each leg separately.
See tour packages