Karnataka is a large state in southwest India, stretching from the Arabian Sea coast across the forested Western Ghats to the Deccan plateau. It combines the UNESCO-listed ruins of Hampi, the Hoysala temples of Belur and Halebidu, the royal city of Mysuru, coffee-covered Coorg hills, and the beaches of Gokarna and Udupi, with Bengaluru as India's technology capital.
- Public
- Good rail and state bus network, plus Namma Metro in Bengaluru; Vande Bharat and KSRTC Airavat coaches connect major cities. Rural sights need last-mile autos or taxis.
- Taxi
- Ola, Uber, Rapido and Namma Yatri are reliable in Bengaluru, Mysuru and Mangaluru; hired cars with drivers are the standard for multi-stop tours
- Rental
- Self-drive works in Coorg, Chikmagalur and Hampi but Bengaluru traffic and ghat roads are demanding; car with driver is the norm
- Walking
- Old quarters of Mysuru and Hampi Bazaar are walkable; most of Bengaluru and the distances between heritage sites are not
Transport at a glance
- Public
- 3/5
- Taxi
- 4/5
- Rental
- 3/5
- Walking
- 2/5
Airport transfers
Getting from the airport to your accommodation.
| Option | Cost | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Taxis & rideshare
What to expect from taxis and apps.
- Overview
- Metered auto-rickshaws and app cabs are found in all main cities. Traditional black-and-yellow taxis are limited to airports and stations. Outstation cab hire is a mainstay of tourism.
- Apps
- Namma Yatri, Ola, Uber, Rapido
- Typical Fares
- Auto bengaluru
- INR 36 for the first 2 km then INR 18 per km (~$0.4 then ~$0.2)
- Cab bengaluru
- INR 14-25 per km (~$0.15-0.26) plus base fare
- Airport to mg road
- INR 900-1,600 (~$9-17)
- Full day car with driver
- INR 2,500-4,000 for 8 hours / 80 km (~$26-42)
- Scam Warnings
- Autos outside stations often refuse the meter; use an app or a prepaid booth (Bengaluru railway station and airport have booths), Confirm the fare and the toll before starting an outstation ride, Decline unsolicited offers of sightseeing rides at Hampi, Mysuru Palace or Chamundi Hill
- Tipping
- Not expected, but rounding up by INR 10-20 (~$0.1-0.2) is welcome
Intercity travel
Getting between cities and regions.
Bengaluru to Mysuru
Cost: INR 90-900 (~$1-9); taxi INR 3,500-5,000 (~$36-52)
Duration: 2.5-3.5 hours
Bengaluru to Hampi
Cost: INR 700-1,500 (~$7-16)
Duration: 7-8 hours
Bengaluru to Coorg (Madikeri)
Cost: INR 400-900 (~$4-9)
Duration: 5-6 hours
Bengaluru to Chikmagalur
Cost: INR 350-800 (~$4-8)
Duration: 5-6 hours
Mysuru to Coorg (Madikeri)
Cost: INR 150-250 (~$1.6-2.6)
Duration: 2.5-3 hours
Hosapete to Badami
Cost: INR 100-300 (~$1-3)
Duration: 4-5 hours
Mangaluru to Gokarna
Cost: INR 150-500 (~$1.6-5)
Duration: 5-6 hours
Hubballi to Dandeli
Cost: INR 100-200 (~$1-2)
Duration: 2-2.5 hours
Transportation details
Full breakdown of how to get around.
Karnataka is large, and travel is easiest by combining a train or KSRTC coach for the long legs with autos, app cabs or a hired car with driver for the sights. Bengaluru has India's main southern air hub, three Namma Metro lines and a huge bus network. Mysuru, Hubballi-Dharwad, Belagavi, Mangaluru and Hosapete are on the rail network, with Vande Bharat services on the Bengaluru trunk routes. The coast is served by the Konkan Railway. Hampi, Coorg, Gokarna and the Belur-Halebidu circuit are best reached by a mix of bus and hired taxi.
Airports
Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru
Mangaluru International Airport
Hubballi Airport
Belagavi Airport (Sambra)
Mysuru Airport (Mandakalli)
Jindal Vijayanagar Airport (Vidyanagar / Toranagallu)
Rashtrakavi Kuvempu Airport, Shivamogga
Kalaburagi Airport
Transport tips
Travel smarter, not harder.
Book Vande Bharat and overnight trains on irctc.co.in early; weekend Bengaluru-Mysuru trains fill quickly
Use Namma Yatri, Ola or Uber in Bengaluru rather than negotiating with autos; insist on the meter or the app fare
Allow 2.5 hours from central Bengaluru to Kempegowda Airport in peak traffic, or 1.5 hours off-peak
Namma Metro is the fastest way across Bengaluru at rush hour; buy a smart card or use the Namma Metro app QR ticket
Roads in the Western Ghats (Coorg, Chikmagalur, Agumbe) are slow and foggy in the monsoon; add 1-2 hours to Google Maps estimates
In Hampi, rent a bicycle or e-moped and start at 06:00 to beat the midday heat
Keep INR 500 (~$5) in small notes for autos, coracles and local buses since many rural drivers lack change
For Gokarna, take the Konkan Railway to Gokarna Road station or a bus via Kumta; Goa airports are about 3 hours away by road