Travel and Accommodation

Reaching Vagamon

Vagamon is a hill station located in Idukki district of Kerala, 101 Km from Kochi.

Road: Vagamon is well connected by roads with the rest of the state.

Rail: The nearest city railway station is Kottayam, located at a distance of 60 Km from Vagamon.  However, no transport will be arranged by the organisers from Kottayam to Vagamon.  For runners interested in availing the transport facility provided by the organisers, please ensure that you disembark at Ernakulam Junction or Ernakulam Town railway station(s).

Air: The Kochi International Airport at Nedumbassery has flights from all over the world coming in. You will find no problem in flying in.

Buses: There are public buses from Kottayam, Ernakulam to Vagamon, and Vagamon to Ernakulam, Thodupuzha, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Kattapana, Kumily/ Theni. Disclaimer: These services are as of December 2025 and that the runners should check with KSRTC for the correct timing, before planning the journey.

Kottayam to Vagamon: 

04:00, 06:00, 06:40, 07:30, 08:00, 09:35, 10:40, 11:20, 12:50, 13:10, 14:10, 15:10, 16:00, 18:00

Ernakulam to Vagamon:

06:30, 07:30, 13:30, 15:00

Vagamon to Thodupuzha:

7:15, 8:30, 12:00, 1:30, 2:10, 4:00

Vagamon to Ernakulam:

05:50, 06:00, 06:30, 08:00, 15:10

Vagamon to Kottayam:

06:40, 07:30, 08:00, 08:45, 10:10, 11:20, 12:45, 16:50, 17:40

Vagamon to Kattapana:

06:30, 07:20, 08:50, 10:30, 11:00, 13:00, 13:30, 13:40, 14:45, 17:00, 17:30, 17:50, 18:15, 19:00, 19:45

Vagamon to Kumily/ Theni:

07:45, 09:30, 11:50, 14:30, 17:00, 18:45

Package

Although we don't have the bandwidth and the expertise to provide a travel package, we understand that participants would like to get their travel and accommodation requirements handled by people who know best about the location.  The arrangements will be to the best of our ability and might lack the professionalism offered by a premium Tour Operator, but all packages are on cost-basis. So, this year, we wish to give you three options from a travel and accommodation point of view.  The Options are:-

1. Travel Only Package

This package doesn't include accommodation and only includes:

1. Transportation from Kochi to Vagamon on 8th January in air-conditioned coach. There will be only one pick up point, accessible near Kochi Metro (Metro pillar no 337) besides the PWD Rest House, Pathadipalam.  Lunch is not included in the package.  We are planning for only one coach and the coach would leave by 3:00 PM. 

2. The bus will be going to the place of acoommodation and anyone using the travel only package can be dropped along the way or near the Chinnus Hotel which is in Vagamon Town. 

3. Pickup from the following locations on the morning of the race (i.e. on 9th January 2027) and drop at the start point of the race.  

   • • • Lavender Vagamon

       • Chinnus Hotel

4. Drop to the following location from the finish point of the race after the race has finished.

   • • • Lavender Vagamon

       • Chinnus Hotel

5. Return to Kochi from Vagamon on the next day of the race early morning (10th January 2027) in air-conditioned coach.  You will be dropped back at the same point in Kochi where you had boarded the coach from.  

6. The Travel Package costs ₹2100 including 18% GST and payment gateway charges.  This package has to be booked during the registration and any booking outside of the individual race registration and thereby requires the collection of a separate payment will be charged an additional ₹250/- per participant.  

After the event, the buses plying the runners who have opted for the transport facility provided by the organisers, will leave Vagamon on 10th January 2027 at 07:30 AM to our drop spot at Kochi (PWD Rest House, Pathadipalam).  We estimate that the buses will reach Kochi (Ernakulam) in 4 hours. Runners are requested to plan their onward journey from Kochi accordingly.  Outstation runners who need accommodation in Kochi are required to arrange their stay accordingly.  We recommend The Metro Pod - Backpackers hotel

2. Accommodation Only Package

This Package doesn't include travel between Kochi & Vagamon and only includes:

1. Accommodation for 2 nights, i.e. the nights of 8th January & 9th January at Lavender Vagamon on a twin sharing basis (single beds not available in the hotels).  Check-in possible after 14:00 on 8th January and latest checkout at 12:00 on 10th January. 

2. Only the dinner on the night of arrival and breakfast for the morning of 10th January is included  So, for family members or friends who take this package, and are not runners will have to arrange their meals on their own from the hotel.  

3. The Package costs ₹3,800/- including 18% GST and payment gateway charges. 

4. This package has to be booked during the registration and any booking outside of the individual race registration and thereby warrants a collection of a separate payment will be charged an additional ₹250/- per participant.  

5. All rooms offer Double Beds only and will require sharing the bed with another runner.  

3. Travel & Accommodation Package

This package is a combination of both the travel and accommodation package as mentioned above.  Like all the above packages, the option should also be booked during the registration. The Package costs ₹5,700/- including 18% GST and payment gateway charges.  Any booking outside of the individual race registration and thereby requires the collection of a separate payment will be charged an additional ₹250/- per participant.  

SCHEDULE

Cancellation Rules

After registration, if you cannot participate in the race for some reason, you should notify us through E-mail before 1-Dec-2026 and get your registration cancelled.  Your travel and accommodation package can be swapped with other runners as long as you are bringing in your own replacement atleast a couple of days before the race and must be notified to us on our E-mail address.  

But for cancellations received before 1-Dec-2026, we will issue a refund of ₹4,700/- for Travel & Accommodation Package; of ₹2,800/- for the accommodation only Package; and of ₹1,500 for the travel only package.  The refund will only be issued in the last week of February 2027.  

Other Stay Options

In case, you wish to arrange your own accommodation, we recommend the following hotels in Vagamon.  We have curated a list of hotels on the Elappara-Pullikanam road which is the main road connecting the start and the finish.  

Open the map below to see our recommendations.