[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by sabsubs

Kodanadu viewpoint has a parking fee!!! when I had visited a long time back, there was no parking fee. Seems like almost all the tourist spot in Nilgiris are commercialised.

Thanks. Yes, I guess not just Ooty most of tourist places are suffering from that fate.

Regarding Kodanadu view point, I guess you read it wrong. What I mentioned was both view point entry and parking are free.

Originally Posted by bblost

If someone is visting Ooty in their own car and wants have a train journey in that cute train, how should one go about it?

Originally Posted by jkrishnakj

And my preference is to take the first train out from Coonoor to Ooty - spend a few hours at Ooty, take the bus from Ooty to Coonoor, take my car from the coonoor station and go back to the hotel.

Originally Posted by Tassem

To be honest, I wasn't blown away or anything by the train ride as such. But the first class cabins are definitely more fun than the other

One thing to note here is, the train from Ooty to Coonor is different from that from Coonoor - Metupalayam.

Coonoor- Metupalayam route is done by the steam locomotive, however Ooty - Coonoor is done by diesel locomotive. Pics of both the locomotives are there in the travelogue.

Coonoor station has paid parking, which can be termed safe. However parking space is limited (~ 20 cars), hence you will have to reach there early. If you are taking steam locomotive to Metupalayam the return will have to planned in bus (~2 hours), bus stand at Coonoor is some half KM from station.

Since I have not done either train routes, not in a position to comment how worth taking the train is.

Another good drive is from Coonoor towards Kil Kundah - glorious twisty roads, absolutely zero traffic, great views and peace of mind from the crowd.

True, that was one of the major criterion. Didint want to drive all the way from Bangalore and be a part of traffic jam.

[voyageur]

Great to see the place again. Lots of memories and moreover lots of unvisited places though I stayed there for 4 good long years of my life.

St. Stephen's church looks same and so does the other places. Got to pay a visit to Ooty again.

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers.

Originally Posted by bblost

Thanks for a lovely travelogue.

I have a question though. If someone is visting Ooty in their own car and wants have a train journey in that cute train, how should one go about it?

If you are staying anywhere nearby in the city like Ooty Gate (I don't remember any other places now) you can walk to the railway station / bus stand. It's 15 mins walk not more. Parking in railway station is also a good option as Tassem mentioned.

Cheers.

Originally Posted by Tassem

You can leave your car parked at the railway station in Ooty. It's safe and pay the guard a tenner to keep an eye. This made sense to me since I would be returning to the same station anyways. The bus stand is a stone's throw away as well.

I left my car there for four odd hours (Rs.20 + 10) and came back to no nasty surprises.

OT:
Book first class tickets. (To be honest, I wasn't blown away or anything by the train ride as such. But the first class cabins are definitely more fun than the other.)

Take a look at The Accord Highland. That's my favorite place to stay in Ooty. Brilliantly located!

+1 to first class ticket. Especially if you are with your family. We never used to bother getting first class ticket as we were (and still are) single then and ready for anything.

How expensive is this Accord Highland and Where exactly is this located? How is the service?

Cheers.

[Fillmore]

Originally Posted by bblost

Thanks for a lovely travelogue.

I have a question though. If someone is visting Ooty in their own car and wants have a train journey in that cute train, how should one go about it?

Others can put in their comments here.

But the train has 2 phases
1.Metupalyam > Coonoor
Pushed by a steam engine, it is this journey that is interesting where the gradient is steep and terrain is beautiful.

Once it reaches Coonoor there is a loco change.

2.Coonoor > Ooty
Pulled by a diesel loco, this is almost like a regular train.

I think you should just take the 1st journey, and get someone to drive your car to Coonoor.

[voyageur]

Originally Posted by Fillmore

Others can put in their comments here.

But the train has 2 phases
1.Metupalyam > Coonoor
Pushed by a steam engine, it is this journey that is interesting where the gradient is steep and terrain is beautiful.

Once it reaches Coonoor there is a loco change.

2.Coonoor > Ooty
Pulled by a diesel loco, this is almost like a regular train.

I think you should just take the 1st journey, and get someone to drive your car to Coonoor.

The train journey from Mettupalayam to Coonoor (or vice versa) takes 3:30 hrs iirc. That's a bit long for a 40 km travel. But if you are with a group or if you are interested in photography, go ahead.

From Ooty to Coonoor (or vice versa) is a short travel and the crowd is really high. You might not be able to enjoy the train ride during peak seasons and holidays. It takes nearly an hour to travel from Ooty to Coonoor.

If anyone asks me now, I would say that I will do Mettupalayam - Coonoor trip because one can see small water falls, greenery etc. A delight to the photographers.

Please grab your medicine for altitude as you might feel dizzy during the slow and twisty train ride. When I did the travel, I was hit by fever and was going home. By the time I reached Mettupalayam, I was half dead. If it had been any other time I think I would have enjoyed a lot.

I did the mettupalayam - coonoor trip in train 8 years back, so I am unsure if anything has changed. Hope this helps a bit.

Cheers

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by voyageur

St. Stephen's church looks same and so does the other places. Got to pay a visit to Ooty again.

Thanks. Yes, St. Stephen's church is starngely empty though located near to crowded botanical garden.

Originally Posted by Fillmore

Once it reaches Coonoor there is a loco change.
I think you should just take the 1st journey, and get someone to drive your car to Coonoor.

Yes, I guess Coonoor - Metupalayam route is the best to opt for. However one it not just loco change at Coonor, those are two different trains.

Originally Posted by voyageur

So I am unsure if anything has changed.

Thanks for the update.

[Samba]

Thanks for sharing this lovely travelogue. You just rekindled my sweet old memories. I have done this Bangalore Ooty route 'N' number of times. Ooty may be crowded but it has its own charm. The 36 bend Ooty road was one of my favorite and i loved driving/riding on that route. Just one thing i want to say as you had enough time why did you missed out visiting Dodbetta and Red hills? Both are beautiful location's from Ooty. I cant resist myself from sharing few pics which i found out from my old travel albums in face book. Hope you don't mind and hope you like the pics.

On the way to Dodbetta.



Shooting spot at Ooty.



Pykara falls.



Pykara lake.



Red Hills.



My Alto in which i covered a major part of south Indian while i was in Bangalore. At Red Hills.



At Bandipur. From my single day 632kms ride in 18 hours. Bangalore- Ooty - Dodbetta- Coonoor- Bangalore.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by Samba

Just one thing i want to say as you had enough time why did you missed out visiting Dodbetta and Red hills? Both are beautiful location's from Ooty.

Thanks.

Should say that the Masinagudi - Ooty road is best suited for bike ride. As I had mentioned in my travelogue saw a biker group en-route. Me and few of my friends had planned the same few months back, unfortunately the plan didn't work out.

We decided to give Dodabetta a miss since most of the people who visited there and Kodanadu view point said it was better to opt for the latter. Also, we were fully in Coonoor for the second day and pushing Dodabetta also may make it bit too much of travel. That was the same reason we dropped Redhills from the list. Now that most of the places are covered I guess will make a second trip there sometime later and just stay at Redhills or somewhere near Avalanche.

[RajeshK]

Originally Posted by bblost

Thanks for a lovely travelogue.

I have a question though. If someone is visting Ooty in their own car and wants have a train journey in that cute train, how should one go about it?

Originally Posted by jkrishnakj

Strongly recommend that you BOOK your tickets in advance. In the summers, even booking this would be an issue. Its just out of question to stand in the counter and get a ticket. As an example, three years back, i parked my car at Coonoor. Stood in the queue for about half hour ( ~ 200 people in queue ). The ticket counters open only 5-10 minutes prior to the train arrival/departure and within one/two minutes, the tickets are exhausted.

Its a lot different in winters though.

After this incident, i always book a FIRST class ticket, online, irctc. Helps a lot.

And my preference is to take the first train out from Coonoor to Ooty - spend a few hours at Ooty, take the bus from Ooty to Coonoor, take my car from the coonoor station and go back to the hotel.

I had a short trip to Ooty over the weekend. Reached Ooty on Friday night and came back on Saturday evening. I took the Ooty - Coonoor Passenger train after parking my car at Ooty railway station. The parking fee was Rs.20/for 2hours. The counter opens 45minutes before the train starts and there is no advance booking for the passenger train. At 09:45am, I enquired for any advance booking for the 12:15pm passenger, but I got a response that no advance booking, so I visited Dodabetta peak and came back at 12:00. By this time all the seats were sold out, and had to take standing ticket.
From Coonoor, I came back to Ooty by an Auto which took me around coonoor too..!! Personally I didn't like the train journey till Coonoor, and I think you need to take this further down to Mettupalayam to enjoy the real fun.

[jkrishnakj]

Hi Rajesh
There certainly is advance booking that you can do only for the First Class. And yes, the standing journey isnt fun at all. You just get packed into the coach with little space to manouvre and poke your next out the window to take in the views.

The first class ones are right next to the loco's and is a lot more fun to travel to.

The views between Ooty-Coonoor and quite different to the ones you see between Coonoor - Mettupalyam. Beyond the 14th Hair Pin Bend towards mettupalyam from Coonoor, the views die down and you will start feeling the heat from the plains.

You took an Auto to Ooty from Coonoor - that's a cool 19+ Km's. How much did that cost you?

[RajeshK]

Originally Posted by jkrishnakj

Hi Rajesh
There certainly is advance booking that you can do only for the First Class. And yes, the standing journey isnt fun at all. You just get packed into the coach with little space to manouvre and poke your next out the window to take in the views.

The first class ones are right next to the loco's and is a lot more fun to travel to.

The advance booking might be there for the train going further down to Mettuppalayam. I have clearly asked them for Coonoor, but they refused any advance booking for the train starts at 12:15 which is only up to Coonoor.

Though the train was full, I managed to get seat for me and my family but my big frame doesnot fit in the seat unless I gets in the Exit way..!

Originally Posted by jkrishnakj

You took an Auto to Ooty from Coonoor - that's a cool 19+ Km's. How much did that cost you?

Just took the auto just for the fun of it..!! It costed me 500/- . He took me to places around Willington, valley view etc. (I think all are on the way only..!!)

[bblost]

I am sorry about the delayed update.

We stayed in Fortune Retreats. I left my car at the hotel. Booked a cab who dropped us at the Ooty Station.

After a nice train trip, we got off at Conoor. The hotel had arranged a cab for us there. We went to Sim's park. Later we went to Taj Gateway for a lovely lunch.

The cab brought us back to the Hotel.

We were charged about Rs 1300 or so for this.

[ADI_77]

Good informative travelogue with some amazing pics.
I am planning to visit B'lore-Coonoor in Oct 1st week. Is the train both ways ie from Ooty-Coonoor-Ooty pulled by the steam locomotive.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by ADI_77

Is the train both ways ie from Ooty-Coonoor-Ooty pulled by the steam locomotive.

Thanks ADI.
No, Ooty-Coonoor route is serviced by a diesel locomotive. Only Coonoor- Metupalayam route has steam locomotive. Also, both are different trains (racks). It is NOT that they change the engine and continue.

Steam locomotive from Metupalayam starts to Coonoor in morning and returns to Metupalayam in the evening, this makes it a bit tough to travel in the same both ways.