The route less travelled...Alappuzha to Kollam in a double-decker boat!

ron_9191 · 22nd November 2015, 23:18

Kollam (Quilon to the British and QLN to the Indian Railways) is where I am originally from. There is also a boat service by KTDC on I believe a boat that is a little more better in creature comforts. But the journey takes roughly around the same time. Always advisable to start from Alleppey coz if you start from Kollam, you will miss the most beautiful scenery to the sunset. The backwater close to the city is quite an eyesore and nobody cares.

swiftnfurious · 23rd November 2015, 00:00

A beautiful thread and quite informative too. Feel embarrassed that I used to stay close (Changanasserri) and I never knew about this service. Anyway, thanks for all the details and am sure it was a fun journey. Alternatively, I used to love driving on the Alappey route from Changanasseri for the long stretch, backwaters on both sides and the cool breeze you get while driving - Priceless moments of life.

Thank you for refreshing those memories. Rating a 4*.

Edit:: The food (lunch and hi-tea) is included in the fare of 400/- or is that different?

condor · 23rd November 2015, 11:53

A different kind of trip !

One question -the distance is a bit less than 100 km. But takes lot more time & also costs 400 each. Why would this service still be running ? Do they see enough passenger traffic to justify the cost of running this ?

TKMCE · 23rd November 2015, 14:06

Condor

The Alappuzha Kollam service is designated as a "Tourist Service". This is a customised boat for that purpose with more comfortable seating than the SWTDs regular boats. A private boat chartered for the same trip will cost much more . There are also other public undertakings in the country which does tourist trips. Didn't BMTC , the Bangalore City bus operator do it for some time in Bangalore?? I do know that back in the 1980s and 90s , Pune Municipal Transport (PMT) used to do "Pune Darshan" in luxury coaches. I think it was named "Aaram Gaadi" or some such.

I did ask the boat crew the same question about viability. From the costing they gave and from a rough calculation it looks like the trip will easily break even at about 25 passengers per trip each way. And in peak season, many days the boats do get close to full.

But with all the hype about the houseboats, services of SWTD are not well publicised . More foreign tourists are aware of this service than Indian ones since guidebooks like Lonely Planet have listed this trip in their guidebooks for decades.

House boats are not cheap. The normal rate currently is around 1500 Rs per hour (for a 2 person boat). During peak holiday season rates will be higher.

swiftnfurious

Lunch and tea are extra. Lunch costs 100 Rs per head but you have to inform the conductor when the boat departs so that the crew can call ahead and order.

ron_9191

The services earlier run by the Kollam and Alappuzha "District Tourism Promotion Councils" (DTPCs) are no longer running. Currently the SWTD boat is the only scheduled alternative. You can also charter boats from private operators but costs will be high as you have to pay for up and down charges.

Raaj* · 25th November 2015, 21:23

Nice photos. Travelling in a double decker boat with a snacks break & a lunch stop over, looks interesting. Thanks for Sharing & covering the minute details.

Is there any limit on the weight of the baggage we carry, like we have in flights?
I was not aware when i visited Kerala, will ensure a trip in the SWTD next time.

Jeevan Sukumar · 8th February 2016, 12:59

First of all thanks for such a nice narration. During the year 2013, I performed this journey with my family. But my experience was quite different. It was such a horrible trip that we want to dismiss from out mind.

We got seat near the engine bay of the boat and just after we started the journey, the crews opened it and the sound was so horrible which we had to suffer during whole journey. The food served at the restaurant was another mishap. Anyway it is so nice to see that you got a good experience.

rxpaul · 22nd February 2016, 19:52

Thanks for this info TKMCE. We plan to travel to Kochi on the 15th of next month & intend to use this boat service on the 16th to travel from Alleppy To Quilon. Is it possible to get SWTD Alleppy's telephone no, so that I could kind of confirm availability for this service for 16th?? (we are a family of four).

sharoncr_17 · 8th January 2017, 10:35

Nostalgic. Your excellent thread brings back fond memories of my MBA Project 'Backwater Tourism in Kerala - A Case Study of Kollam - Alleppey Cruise'. The study was done some 15 yrs ago (in 2001 to be exact) with the aid of KTDC.

The trip from KLM-ALPY is the perfect way to enjoy the splendid mangrove lined backwaters of Kerala. Back in 2000 this trip was a huge attraction among foreigners.

22nd November 2015, 23:18	#16
ron_9191 BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 388 Thanked: 294 Times	Re: The route less travelled...Alappuzha to Kollam in a double-decker boat! Kollam (Quilon to the British and QLN to the Indian Railways) is where I am originally from. There is also a boat service by KTDC on I believe a boat that is a little more better in creature comforts. But the journey takes roughly around the same time. Always advisable to start from Alleppey coz if you start from Kollam, you will miss the most beautiful scenery to the sunset. The backwater close to the city is quite an eyesore and nobody cares.
	() Thanks

23rd November 2015, 00:00	#17
swiftnfurious Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 7,204 Thanked: 9,663 Times	Re: The route less travelled...Alappuzha to Kollam in a double-decker boat! A beautiful thread and quite informative too. Feel embarrassed that I used to stay close (Changanasserri) and I never knew about this service. Anyway, thanks for all the details and am sure it was a fun journey. Alternatively, I used to love driving on the Alappey route from Changanasseri for the long stretch, backwaters on both sides and the cool breeze you get while driving - Priceless moments of life. Thank you for refreshing those memories. Rating a 4*. Edit:: The food (lunch and hi-tea) is included in the fare of 400/- or is that different?
	() Thanks

23rd November 2015, 11:53	#18
condor Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Speed-brkr City Posts: 15,864 Thanked: 16,015 Times View My Garage	Re: The route less travelled...Alappuzha to Kollam in a double-decker boat! A different kind of trip ! One question -the distance is a bit less than 100 km. But takes lot more time & also costs 400 each. Why would this service still be running ? Do they see enough passenger traffic to justify the cost of running this ?
	() Thanks

23rd November 2015, 14:06	#19
TKMCE BHPian Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 542 Thanked: 1,204 Times	Re: The route less travelled...Alappuzha to Kollam in a double-decker boat! Condor The Alappuzha Kollam service is designated as a "Tourist Service". This is a customised boat for that purpose with more comfortable seating than the SWTDs regular boats. A private boat chartered for the same trip will cost much more . There are also other public undertakings in the country which does tourist trips. Didn't BMTC , the Bangalore City bus operator do it for some time in Bangalore?? I do know that back in the 1980s and 90s , Pune Municipal Transport (PMT) used to do "Pune Darshan" in luxury coaches. I think it was named "Aaram Gaadi" or some such. I did ask the boat crew the same question about viability. From the costing they gave and from a rough calculation it looks like the trip will easily break even at about 25 passengers per trip each way. And in peak season, many days the boats do get close to full. But with all the hype about the houseboats, services of SWTD are not well publicised . More foreign tourists are aware of this service than Indian ones since guidebooks like Lonely Planet have listed this trip in their guidebooks for decades. House boats are not cheap. The normal rate currently is around 1500 Rs per hour (for a 2 person boat). During peak holiday season rates will be higher. swiftnfurious Lunch and tea are extra. Lunch costs 100 Rs per head but you have to inform the conductor when the boat departs so that the crew can call ahead and order. ron_9191 The services earlier run by the Kollam and Alappuzha "District Tourism Promotion Councils" (DTPCs) are no longer running. Currently the SWTD boat is the only scheduled alternative. You can also charter boats from private operators but costs will be high as you have to pay for up and down charges.
	() Thanks

25th November 2015, 21:23	#20
Raaj* BHPian Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Chennai Posts: 52 Thanked: 33 Times	Re: The route less travelled...Alappuzha to Kollam in a double-decker boat! Nice photos. Travelling in a double decker boat with a snacks break & a lunch stop over, looks interesting. Thanks for Sharing & covering the minute details. Is there any limit on the weight of the baggage we carry, like we have in flights? I was not aware when i visited Kerala, will ensure a trip in the SWTD next time.
	() Thanks

8th February 2016, 12:59	#21
Jeevan Sukumar BHPian Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Trivandrum Posts: 56 Thanked: 38 Times	Re: The route less travelled...Alappuzha to Kollam in a double-decker boat! First of all thanks for such a nice narration. During the year 2013, I performed this journey with my family. But my experience was quite different. It was such a horrible trip that we want to dismiss from out mind. We got seat near the engine bay of the boat and just after we started the journey, the crews opened it and the sound was so horrible which we had to suffer during whole journey. The food served at the restaurant was another mishap. Anyway it is so nice to see that you got a good experience.
	() Thanks

22nd February 2016, 19:52	#22
rxpaul BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Pune Posts: 365 Thanked: 127 Times View My Garage	Re: The route less travelled...Alappuzha to Kollam in a double-decker boat! Thanks for this info TKMCE. We plan to travel to Kochi on the 15th of next month & intend to use this boat service on the 16th to travel from Alleppy To Quilon. Is it possible to get SWTD Alleppy's telephone no, so that I could kind of confirm availability for this service for 16th?? (we are a family of four).
	() Thanks

8th January 2017, 10:35	#23
sharoncr_17 BHPian Join Date: May 2013 Location: Terra firma Posts: 375 Thanked: 299 Times	Re: The route less travelled...Alappuzha to Kollam in a double-decker boat! Nostalgic. Your excellent thread brings back fond memories of my MBA Project 'Backwater Tourism in Kerala - A Case Study of Kollam - Alleppey Cruise'. The study was done some 15 yrs ago (in 2001 to be exact) with the aid of KTDC. The trip from KLM-ALPY is the perfect way to enjoy the splendid mangrove lined backwaters of Kerala. Back in 2000 this trip was a huge attraction among foreigners.
	() Thanks