By plane
Kochi International Airport (http://www.cochin-airport.com/) Cochin 93 km away, is the nearest airport. The airport has flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Kozhikode, Tiruvananthapuram, Agatti, Mangalore, Goa, Colombo, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and every international airport in the Middle East. The airport is currently served by the following airlines: Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines, JetLite, Kingfisher Red, Go Air, IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, Srilankan Airlines, Silk Air, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Oman Airlines, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Gulf Traveller, Etihad Airlines, Air Arabia, Jazeera Airways, Bahrain Air and Air Asia. From the airport, it is possible to get to Kottayam either by road buses and taxis are available, and recommended for convenience or by rail via railway stations at either Angamali the closest to the airport, but very few trains stop here, Ernakulam Junction or Ernakulam Town.
Alternatively Thiruvananthapuram Trivandrum airport, 152 km away, can be used as an entry point, followed by road or rail travel to Kottayam. In addition to the destinations listed for Kochi International Airport, flights to Male in the Maldives are available from here. Other options are Kozhikode Calicut, Chennai, Bangalore,Coimbatore and Mumbai airports and further travel to Kottayam by road or rail.
By ship
Frequent ferries run by the Kerala State Water Transport Corporation from Alappuzha Alleppey run throughout the day. Plying through the backwaters, it takes approximately two hours to reach Kottayam. This is the cheapest mode of travel in the state, though not the fastest.
By road
Kottayam is well connected to other cities like Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha Alleppey, Chennai, Kannur, Kozhikode, Mangalore, Bangalore, Coimbatore by road.
By train
Kottayam has a number of long distance trains coming through. The town is linked to most major cities in India by trains, categorized as being either express or non-express. Short-haul trains also pass through Kottayam, connecting it to most cities and towns in Kerala.
By bus
There are bus services operating from cities like Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, Chennai, Bangalore, Mangalore, Coimbatore to Kottayam. The quality of buses that operate vary significantly. Seats on comfortable, safe and air-conditioned buses that ply on long-distance routes can be had on paying higher fares. So, it is best to verify that what you are getting is in line with your expectations.
KSRTC Kottayam