Key hubs
Yelagiri airport and railway station
- Airport
- Bengaluru (BLR) is the main option, about 160 km by road; Chennai (MAA) is farther, about 220 km. Salem has a small airport, about 155 km away, with limited services.
- Railway station
- Jolarpettai Junction (JTJ), about 19 to 21 km from the hills, on the Chennai to Bengaluru line
- Getting around
- Private car or taxi from the railhead; autos and buses run locally. The hill road has 14 hairpin bends.
How to reach Yelagiri by air
Bengaluru (BLR) is the main airport, about 160 km away by road, a drive of roughly three to four hours depending on traffic. Chennai (MAA) is about 220 km. Salem airport (SXV) is about 155 km away, with limited services, so check current flights.
How to reach Yelagiri by train
Jolarpettai Junction (JTJ), about 19 to 21 km from the hills, is the nearest railhead, on the Chennai to Bengaluru line. Taxis and autos run from the station towards the hill road.
How to reach Yelagiri by road
The hill road branches off National Highway 48 and climbs through 14 hairpin bends. Yelagiri is about 160 km from Bengaluru and about 220 km from Chennai, with Tirupattur and Vaniyambadi as the nearest towns.
Getting around Yelagiri
A private car or taxi is the easiest way to move between the lake, temple and trailheads. Autos and buses run locally and to nearby villages. Treks need a local guide.
For parents and senior travellers
Easy transfers to and in Yelagiri
- Take the ghat road in daylight with a steady driver, and sit in front if anyone gets car sick; the road has 14 hairpin bends.
- Avoid weekends and holidays if possible, since traffic and queues at the lake and on the hill road build up quickly.
- Choose a hotel with good road access and, if steps are an issue, a ground-floor room.
- Carry water, a hat and a light jacket; mornings and evenings can be cooler than on the plains.
- 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.