Key hubs
Kabini airport and railway station
- Airport
- Mysuru Airport (MYQ) is the nearest, roughly two hours by road; Bengaluru (BLR) is the main gateway, about 5 to 6 hours by road, traffic dependent
- Railway station
- Mysuru Junction (MYS) is the usual railhead, about 80 km away; onward travel is by road
- Getting around
- There is no public transport worth relying on. Lodges arrange transfers, and a hired car and driver from Mysuru is the usual alternative. Inside the park you travel only in forest-department or lodge vehicles and boats.
How to reach Kabini by air
Mysuru Airport (MYQ) is the nearest, roughly two hours from Kabini by road, though flights are limited. Most visitors fly into Bengaluru (BLR) and drive; allow about five to six hours, traffic dependent.
How to reach Kabini by train
Mysuru Junction (MYS) is the usual railhead, about 80 km from Kabini. Trains from Bengaluru and Chennai stop here; from the station you need a taxi or lodge pick-up.
How to reach Kabini by road
From Bengaluru, the road runs via the Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway, then through Mysuru towards Hunsur or Heggadadevana Kote and on to Antharasante. From Mysuru the drive is about two hours. Drive in daylight where possible, as elephants cross roads near the forest.
Getting around Kabini
There is no reliable public transport. Lodges arrange pick-ups; otherwise hire a car and driver for the journey. Inside the park you travel only in forest-department or lodge vehicles and boats.
For parents and senior travellers
Easy transfers to and in Kabini
- Request the front rows of the canter or the jeep's front seat; the tracks are bumpy, and a seat cushion and a light scarf help.
- Choose the afternoon boat over a second early drive if the 5.30 am wake-up is too much; the boat is smoother.
- Pack warm layers for the dawn drive even in summer; open vehicles feel cold at speed before sunrise.
- Carry regular medicines and a basic first-aid kit. The nearest large hospitals are in Mysuru, around two hours away.
- Ask the airline or railway for wheelchair or porter assistance when you book, not on the day.
- Pre-book the pickup from the airport or station, so nobody has to negotiate with drivers after a long journey.
- Choose arrivals in daylight where you can, and keep the first afternoon free to rest.