Coimbatore (CJB): prepaid counter inside, Gandhipuram buses outside
A short run east of the city with a prepaid taxi counter that fixes the fare. This is also the airport for Ooty and Coonoor, which is a much longer journey.
- The airport is 10 to 15 km east of the city centre, in Peelamedu.
- A taxi takes 30 to 45 minutes; a bus 45 to 60.
- Official prepaid taxi counters operate in the terminal, which avoids negotiating a price.
- Ola and Uber both work actively in Coimbatore at competitive rates.
- Tamil Nadu State Transport buses run to the Gandhipuram central bus stand and other parts of the city.
- Bus fares are a matter of tens of rupees, against several hundred for a car.
- One modern integrated terminal handles domestic and international flights.
- Free wifi, ATMs, currency exchange, duty free, restaurants, lounges and medical services.
- IndiGo and Air India domestically, with Air Arabia to Sharjah and Scoot to Singapore internationally. The first international service was Air Arabia to Sharjah in 2012.
- This is the airport for the Nilgiris. Ooty and Coonoor are up the ghat road, several hours away, and the toy train from Mettupalayam is the scenic alternative.
Into the city
- Peelamedu, 10 to 15 km east of central Coimbatore. Sources give the distance as 10, 12 and 15 km, which is the usual variation for where you count the centre.
- A taxi is 30 to 45 minutes, a bus 45 to 60.
- The prepaid taxi counter in the terminal is the thing to use. In India this is consistently the least stressful option.
- Ola and Uber both operate actively and are competitive with the prepaid rate.
- Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation buses connect the airport area with the Gandhipuram central bus stand and other city districts for a few tens of rupees.
The terminal
- One modern integrated terminal for domestic and international traffic.
- Restaurants, duty free, lounges, free wifi, ATMs, currency exchange and medical services.
- It is an easy airport, small enough to move through quickly and busy enough to have what you need.
The route map
- IndiGo and Air India carry the domestic traffic, principally to the metros.
- Air Arabia flies to Sharjah and Scoot to Singapore, which is a Gulf-and-Southeast-Asia pattern shaped by the region's diaspora and its textile industry.
- The first international flight was Air Arabia to Sharjah in 2012.
Where people are really going
- Coimbatore is the gateway to the Nilgiris. Ooty and Coonoor are up the ghat road and are the reason many visitors fly here.
- That is a several hour drive, so budget for it rather than treating it as an airport transfer.
- The Nilgiri Mountain Railway from Mettupalayam is the slow and far better way up, and Mettupalayam is about an hour from the airport.
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