Pune to Thiruvananthapuram Flights

  About Pune

Pune is easily one of the best cities in Maharashtra after Mumbai. Located just 160-180 km from Mumbai, the city of Pune is actually like a weekend retreat for Mumbaikars. It is also known as one of the most important cities in the state for its extensive growth in the IT industry. After Bangalore, Pune is the second-most leading cities to be a hi-tech hub. The city is perfectly connected with other metropolitans and holds a robust economic stance in the state and country.

Best time to visit Pune

Pune's monsoon and winters are to die for! The months from July to February have the best mix of seasons to attract tourists. The monsoon lights up the greenery that Pune has to offer. It often gets quite heavy with streets being flooded. However, there are various treks and trails around Pune that can be explored during the monsoon. Not to mention how they are all safe treks. The weather is cold and charming. Add the bit about various festivals such as Ganesh Chaturthi and Raksha Bandhan that add more fervour to the city's celebratory moon.

Winter season in Pune is from October to February. The temperatures often drop low, making the city breezy and romantic. More than the weather though, the city's 3-day long celebration in December is what draws a majority of the crowd. The city organises a classical music rendezvous called Sawai Gandharva Music Festival, which unites stalwarts of the music industry. Aside from this, there are crazy music carnivals on NH7 called NH7 Weekender, which brings together famous global artists. You should book a hotel room in Pune ahead of these music festivals as the city does encounter multitudes of crowd.

Falling in the months from March to June is the summer season, probably not the best from the lot. The weather gets quite hot during summer as the scorching sun directly hits you in the face. Not to mention how there are high chances of suffering from heat strokes, especially if you are not comfortable or habituated with a tropical climate.

Places to visit in Pune

Shaniwar Wada Palace is actually a historical landmark for Pune. The majestic fortress was built back in 1732 during the existence of the Maratha Empire. Historically, the place holds a lot of significance and hence, should be visited. Aga Khan Palace makes for an intriguing setting that you should visit. Dated back to 1892, the landmark is said to have been built as an act of charity by Sultan Muhammed Shah Aga Khan III. You will be amazed by the story of this place and why it is one of the most-visited spaces in Pune.

Maharashtrian's worship Lord Ganesha and have quite a few famous temples to honour the deity. The Dagdusheth Halwai temple is also one such temple where pilgrims visit in large numbers. The place is especially lit with celebrations during Ganeshotsav, which falls in the months of August and September.

One of the most popular and renowned places to visit in Pune has got to be the Osho Ashram in Koregaon Park. Founded by spiritual leader Osho Rajneesh, the ashram further depicts some of his teachings and stories that you should learn about.

Things to do in Pune

Paash organic cafe, located in Pune, is known for its sustainable lifestyle. Right from the architecture of the cafe to the organic food, Paash certainly stands tall as a must-visit and indulge place in Pune. Lose yourself amid beautiful and rare flora that is preserved by the Agri-Horticultural Society of Western India at the Empress Garden. The garden is exquisite and stunning with the varied floral species of plants that simply captivate the senses. Sprawled across 39 acres of land, you can take postcard-worthy pictures at this garden and let your social media abuzz.

For the adventure junkies who want to spend a day away from the city and lose themselves in the green expanses of the Sahayadri Ranges, you should take up the Rajmachi trek. The place is always crowded with trekkers and hikers visiting from different parts of the state. The trek is especially enjoyable when undertaken during monsoon. In fact, there are many places that you can check out close to Pune that spring to life during the rainy season. Pune's food culture is the second-best in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai. There are dedicated streets in the city that cater to the foodie in you. Elevate your gastronomical senses and explore more of the food culture of Pune. You can explore this on your by ensuring that you visit the right streets to check out the delicious street food.

Food and Restaurants in Pune

Much of Pune's food culture comes from its inspiration from Mumbai city's eclectic restaurant chains. From the famous South East Asian restaurant Shizusan to the German joint Malzheit, these places have also found a sweet spot in Mumbai's culinary heart. However, Pune does have some standalone stars with scrumptious cuisine that would make one go weak in the knees. Head to the Greedy Man Pizzeria to devour the city's best Napolitano-inspired pizzas, with 12-inch being the standard and only size of the bread. Doolally may have found fame in Mumbai thanks to the lovely brewed beer and quaint vibe the place sells but it actually originated in Pune. You can go for a fun brunch here and relish their freshly brewed beer. Another perfect place to delve into exquisite culinary is the 212 All Day Cafe and Bar, a project introduced by Chef Paul Kinny. You will find a slew of scintillating seafood ranging from flavoured crustaceans to barbecued ribs.

The union of South Indian cuisine with Syrian Christian and you've got Savya Rasa. This restaurant sells lip-smacking dishes ranging from Gongura Mamasam (mutton being the prime meat), Meen manga curry (fish curry with mango) and Bendakkai Goju (okra), to name a few. You can also check out Malaka Spice, a restaurant specialising in South-East Asian recipes with special attention to Vietnamese and Thai dishes. The dishes range from Mandarin duck to mutton teamed with sweet-textured sauces made from fruits.

How to reach Pune

By Air

Pune International Airport, which will soon be renamed as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje Airport, is a very important airport that sees a tremendously good connection with major cities in India. Located approximately 10 km away from the city centre, the airport sees a high footfall of passengers and is touted to be one of the busiest airports in India. The flight connectivity from Pune to various cities in India including Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Nashik, Ahmedabad, Goa, Kochi, Lucknow, etc. With such excellent domestic routes from Pune to other cities, the airport easily becomes one of the best.

For the domestic flights, the airport sees airlines such as AirAsia, Air India Express, GoAir, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara and Air India provide flight services to connect Pune airport to metropolitan cities in the country. The airport also has an international wing with dedicated flights to and from Dubai, Frankfurt and Abu Dhabi as well as layovers of other flights coming to Pune from international routes. Since Pune is an international airport too, it is split between two terminals handling domestic and international flight from and to Pune. The accommodation scenes in Pune are also quite convenient. You will find cheap but good hotels and luxurious hospitality settings too. You can book your hotel in Pune by choosing from the range of lovely accommodations they have to offer. It will enhance your staycation experience.

By Rail

Pune Junction Railway Station also caters to connecting the city to other prime destinations in India. Pune enjoys services of superfast and express trains which travel faster than a mail. This enables the city to be well-connected. Prominent express trains such as Deccan Queen, Mumbai and Shatabdi Express pass through Pune. The city's railway station has astounding intercity transportation options. There are buses and rickshaw rides available right outside the station. You will also find taxi cabs lined up outside the Pune station, waiting to take you to the hotel you booked in Pune. Reaching various parts of the city is not very tough as you can always book rides on your phones, in case you are unable to haggle with the taxi cab driver.

By Road

Pune's connectivity doesn't falter even via roadways. In fact, the Expressway built connects Pune and Mumbai perfectly, enabling smooth and quick transport. The Expressway is actually one of the popular routes connecting Pune, enabling less travel time. There are a plethora of public and private-owned buses that also travel to Pune from big cities. Many jeeps and vans also board passengers to share the ride to Pune. In fact, some travellers prefer going to Pune by road, mainly because it has a beautiful highway. The buses and other road transports reaching Pune will drop you at any of the stops falling on the way to the railway station. You can book your hotel room in Pune from their wide range of accommodations and ask the taxi cab driver to help you reach the same.

  About Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram, popularly called Trivandrum, is the capital of Kerala and a very popular tourist destination in the state, too. While the city does have quite the urban and modern setup, it has also maintained its old charm and colonial legacy. Trivandrum has quite a lot of museums, beaches, palaces and temples. The Kovalam and Varkala beaches are some of the most popular tourist spots that are close by. The city's history and culture will leave you fascinated. The Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Kuthiramalika Palace Museum, Napier Museum are some of the popular tourist spots within the city. Not to mention, you will also be treated to some lip-smacking food that are specialities in Kerala.

Best Time to Visit Thiruvananthapuram

It is not surprising that monsoons in Kerala are the most beautiful to experience. It only adds to the lush greenery around the city. But it is the winter that makes Trivandrum an ideal time to visit. October to February is considered to be the best time to plan a vacation to Trivandrum. The temperature drops down to 15 degree Celsius during winter, especially in January and February. Make sure you book a hotel in Trivandrum that has a view of the hills. Though it might be a tad bit expensive since it is peak season, it will be worth it. You will also get to indulge in a lot of outdoor activities and adventurous ones during this season, as compared to the other seasons and you will also come across decent flight deals to Trivandrum online.

July to September is when the city experiences monsoon, which also leads to extreme humidity. The city witnesses heavy rainfall in the months of June, July and August. However, the downpour does reduce from August. Despite the torrential rain, the city does see a lot of tourists since the famous Onam festival also falls during this time. This also might be a great time for you to get cheap flight tickets to Trivandrum.

Summer begins from March in Trivandrum and lasts till June. The temperature reaches up to 35 degree Celsius during summer, and the weather does not make it favourable for you to plan a trip during this season. All of your sightseeing and outdoor activity plans will be affected, thanks to the humidity and scorching heat. Though you can go to the beach and chill, there won't be a lot of other options to try out.

Places to Visit in Thiruvananthapuram

Trivandrum's Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the city. The temple is only open to Hindus and dedicated to Lord Padmanabha, who is an avatar of Lord Vishnu. The temple sees a lot of pilgrims and devotees throughout the year. The Karikkakom Chamundi Devi temple is another one that you must visit. It is 7 km away from the Padmanabhaswamy temple and dedicated to Goddess Chamundi. The Neyyar Dam and Wildlife Sanctuary are another one of the major tourist spots in the city. It is popular for its Deer and Lion safari. You will also find crocodiles and elephants in the sanctuary. You will have to pay a nominal fee to enter the sanctuary and a separate fee for the safari. You can also go boating at the Neyyar Dam. You can also go fishing here.

For the adventure lovers, there is the Academy of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports. Whether it is Scuba Diving that you want to attempt or skydiving, the academy offers a lot of adventure sports for you to try out and they also make sure that the equipment used is state-of-the-art. The Kanakakunnu Palace is a popular site to visit. It was built under the rule of Travancore King and is also close to the Napier Museum. The palace now hosts a lot of cultural programs on its premises and make sure you catch one if there is any hosted during your visit. Vizhinjam Lighthouse, at Kovalam beach, is a 45-year-old lighthouse that is a major attraction here. The view from the top of the lighthouse is breathtaking and will leave you awestruck. You can also visit the Varkala beach, which is close to Trivandrum. You can, in fact, book a hotel in Trivandrum that is close to the Varkala Beach.

Things to do in Thiruvananthapuram

Go sightseeing to the famous museums in the city. You can either hire a cab for the entire day to visit the major tourist spots or use the public transport to do so. Don't forget to stop by the Indian Coffee House for some authentic filter coffee. Kerala is called God's Own Country for a reason. Explore the temples here along with enjoying the beautiful scenery. If you are planning to visit the beaches, make a day of it and take up a few water activities by the beach, too. You will also find a lot of food stalls and restaurants near the beaches that serve Kerala's best street food. Take up boating or fishing at the Neyyar Dam while you soak in the stunning view. If you want to explore nature at its best, there are a lot of tour guides and companies that host camping and trekking activities in and around the city.

While you are at it, you can also try activities like paragliding, skydiving, scuba diving and rafting at the Academy of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports. Catch the sunset from the Vizhinjam lighthouse. It will certainly be a fulfilling experience. If you are in the mood for going on a shopping spree, visit the Chalai Market. It's one of the busiest markets in the city, and you will get everything that you desire. Ayurvedic massages are a speciality in Kerala, and you will feel absolutely rejuvenated. Head to the Ayushmanbhava Ayurvedic Centre for a healing massage. If you don't feel like taking up an activity and just lying around the whole day, you can do so at the beach. Lying on the beach, under the stars and near the waves of the ocean is the most relaxing thing to do.

Food and Restaurants in Thiruvananthapuram

Apart from the panoramic landscape that Kerala has to offer, it is also known for its cuisine. From spicy seafood to desserts, you'll love everything about the food in Kerala. It is known for its delicacies that are made of or with coconut. The tapioca chips that you get here are fried in coconut oil. Almost every tourist packs a few of these to take back home. Make sure you also try the Sarkara Upperi, which is basically banana chips that are coated in jaggery. You will come across a lot of stalls that sell this, especially during Vishu. The Appam and stew combo that you get in Kerala is also quite popular. You must definitely try this combo for breakfast. You can either opt for a sweet appam or a savoury one. If you have additional time on your hands, do head to Kozhikode or Thalassery to try the Malabari biryani. It's only 70 km away from Trivandrum. Your food experience in Kerala is incomplete without Sadya. It's usually served during weddings or festivals on a banana leaf.

Ananda Bhavan is a very popular restaurant franchise down South, and this one will also not disappoint. If you are in Kerala on your honeymoon, make sure you go to Curry Chatty. The food and the ambience complement each other perfectly. They also have an intimate setting for couples to enjoy a romantic evening. Jasmine Bay, at Vivanta Hotel by Taj, is open 24 hours and has a plethora of cuisine options You can also try the street food at popular tourist spots here. The rice here is quite unique, but you won't regret trying it out.

How to reach Trivandrum

By Air

Trivandrum is a coastal city and a beautiful one at that, too. Trivandrum airport has both domestic and international ports, since it is the capital of the state. It is 4 km away from the city and is also near Kovalam beach. You will be treated to a beautiful view of the sea as you land. The flight connectivity to and from Trivandrum is excellent. There are frequent flights from Trivandrum to other cities in the country and internationally. Connecting flights from Bangalore and Chennai are some of the popular routes to Trivandrum via air.

By Rail

Trivandrum is also well-connected by rail, and the Trivandrum Central railway station is one of the largest stations in India. It is also one of the cheapest ways to reach the city. The Netravati Express, Anantapur Express and Sabari Express are some of the trains that start from and stop at the city.

By Road

The city is also connected really well by road. You can either take the public transport or a private one to reach the city. You will get buses from Bangalore, Mysore, Chennai, Coimbatore and Kochi quite easily. The transport system within the city is also quite convenient. You can easily ditch the luxurious ways of travel to use the public transport here

  About Pune Airport

Pune Airport is a civil enclave (a joint-use airport) that is situated approximately 10 km from the city centre of Pune, in the state of Maharashtra. The airport also caters to the Indian Air Force as the Air Force Station of Lohagaon. It serves as both domestic and international airport with quite a few flights operating for West Asia. Due to the increase in the demand for flights, the airport is undergoing renovation to accommodate a new terminal as well as extend the runway. The idea is to accommodate more flights at the airport and increase the connectivity to various Indian cities as well as international destinations.

The airfield was originally established under the Royal Air Force in 1939 to offer air security to the city of Bombay (renamed as Mumbai) and also played as a base to squadrons of de Havilland Mosquito and Vickers Wellington bombers, during World War II. After independence, Pune Airport primarily turned into a customs airport, as on January 1997 and serviced export of specific goods. Eventually, in 2005, the airport received a green signal to charter passenger flights along with being a customs airport. The same year, flights to international cities such as Dubai and Singapore commenced. While the airport started as one to only accommodate about 60,000 passengers in a year, rose to handle over 2.8 million in a year by 2011.

About Pune Airport terminals

Terminal 1 - Terminal 1 of Pune Airport is reserved for domestic services. Basically, all domestic and regional carriers have operations that take place from Terminal 1. The airport's Terminal 1 is divided into two levels, the ground level is for arrivals section while the first level is for departures. The terminal offers various facilities, including baby care rooms, ATMs, medical services, smoking lounge and spa services, to name a few.

Terminal 2 - Terminal 2 accommodates international operations. The terminal is reserved for all kinds of international flight activities. There are dedicated flights to Dubai and Germany that operate from Terminal 2. The terminal also caters to a few facilities such as ATMs, spa services, currency exchanges and restaurants, to name a few.

About Airport Authority

Pune Airport is owned by the Indian Air Force with operations taken over by Airports Authority of India. Although the airport authority has been trying to extend the runway at Lohegaon Airport, the lack of acquiring private plots on the western side of the airport has been concerning. The Indian Air Force has also been brought in to help with the acquisition of the land that is owned by the air force. With the growth in air traffic, the expansion project has become quite essential for the city of Pune. What makes it an important move aside from accommodating air traffic is how the extension of the runway could help accommodate operations of wide-body aircraft such as Airbus A330 and Boeing 777.

The airport authority launched an INR 1 billion worth airport expansion and upgradation plan to prepare for the Commonwealth Youth Games that was hosted in Pune. The construction of two new terminal extensions was completed in 2008 by the Airports Authority of India. The new terminal measured about 12,000 square metres on either side of the main terminal building. The previous terminal was inadequate for passenger traffic and flight operations. Hence the terminal expansions took place. With this, the airport managed to ease and accommodate passenger traffic. Newer facilities including a new parallel taxi track as well as an apron expanded enough to accommodate about eight Airbus A320 or a Boeing 737 aircraft, were also brought forth in the new airport terminal.

Further, as part of the expansion plans to introduce a new terminal building is also in the works with the Airports Authority of India is set to invest INR 400 million. They plan to integrate the new terminal into an existing one. The building will also accommodate offices of AAI. The airport authority is also working on renovating and extending the runway to 3,250 metres.

As the expansion options are limited, the government of Maharashtra has proposed the construction of a whole new airport in the Pune metropolitan region. Responsibility to execute the new Pune Airport called Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje International Airport has been entrusted to Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC). The greenfield airport is set to cover over 1,800 hectares of land and will accommodate two runways. For the same, the State Government allocated about INR 2 billion in 2012 to acquire the land for the airport.

Facilities at the Pune Airport

WiFi – Pune Airport offers WiFi services that can be availed for 30 minutes. If you need to use it for more than 30 minutes, then you will be asked to pay a certain sum.

ATMs – ATM kiosks can be found at the departure as well as the arrivals section of the terminals at Pune Airport. They are mostly of local banks.

Baby care rooms – For travellers who are with infants, the baby care rooms come as a blessing. These rooms can be utilized to feed the baby as well as change their clothes and diapers. The rooms are quite comfortable and sanitized to ensure that the parent and child are safe.

Medical services – Medical assistance is also provided with a 24/7 team of experts stationed at the airport's terminals. They often cater to medical emergencies and are equipped with basic first aid kits too.

Smoking lounge – To avoid discomfort to others, the airport has reserved smoking lounge where passengers can smoke away. You can also purchase cigarette boxes at the airport, right outside the smoking lounge.

Currency exchange – The airport offers currency exchange counters that can be found in the arrivals section of the airport terminal. The exchange rates are also quite decent and as per the market.

Baggage – With an international stature, the airport's baggage facilities are also quite next level. There are free trolleys that can be picked up from anywhere in the airport terminal. The airport also has luggage wrapping services that many can opt for if they are travelling with fragile content.

Restaurants and shops – There are many restaurants and shops available in the departure section of the airport terminal. To pass the time, one can indulge in some exquisite food that can be found at the airport's food court. Plus, there are shops also available where you can purchase exquisite items that glorify the cultural heritage of Pune.

Lounges - The airport has a specific lounge for the public called Bird Lounge. After paying a certain sum at the entrance, you can avail the comfortable services of the lounge. There are newspapers, cosy plush seating arrangement, quaint ambience, good food and hospitality, TV and more, available in the lounge. Passengers can also get access to the lounge WiFi without any specific time limit and finish office-related work.

Top airlines flying from Pune Airport

Pune Airport sees flight operations from airlines such as AirAsia India, Air India, Air Arabia, Air India Express, Alliance Air, GoAir, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Lufthansa, Silkair, Kam Air and Vistara. As an airport that caters to domestic and international cities, the airport connects to a slew of cities. In India, Pune Airport connects to cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Jaipur, Goa, Nashik, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Indore, Coimbatore, Chennai, Chandigarh, Nagpur, Belgaum, Allahabad and more. As for international cities, Pune Airport has flights flying to cities such as Sharjah, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Kabul, Singapore, Frankfurt and more.

How to reach Pune Airport

By Bus

The city has dedicated shuttle services allocated by Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd (PMPML) to reach Pune Airport. Under the PMPML, the providers are separated into two, namely, Pune Municipal Transport (PMT) and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Transport (PCMT). Although the airport doesn't have a direct bus stand or connection available, there are locations in the proximity that helps passengers to reach Pune Airport. Passengers will have to get down at Burma Shell Stop, which is situated about five minutes away from the main passenger terminal. Scheduled buses operate from within the city to reach Pune Airport, and the journey takes about 30 minutes. The ticket fare is quite cheap and affordable and perfect for budget travellers. Schedule of the buses can be found on the official website of Pune Airport. You can peruse through the page and get details about the bus service and which time is the most convenient for your journey.

By Taxi cabs and auto-rickshaws

Another sought-after transport mode to reach Pune Airport is a prepaid taxi and auto rickshaws. There are many taxis that can be found in the main city of Pune. To reach Pune Airport, you can hail a cab from the city, or you can also book a taxi cab in advance. A one-way trip from the city centre to Pune Airport should cost approximately INR 260. However, depending on where you are reaching Pune Airport, it may vary. You can also hail auto-rickshaws and car rentals. It would be beneficial to pay for the ride in advance or fix up a cost before the journey to the airport commences.

  About Trivandrum Airport

Trivandrum International Airport serves as the international airport to Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital of Kerala. The airport came into existence in 1932 and has been recorded as the first airport of the state. It is also acknowledged as the fifth international airport that was installed by former Prime Minister of India, VP Singh. Despite being the state capital, Trivandrum International Airport is the second busiest airport, following Kochi International Airport. In the country, Trivandrum International Airport falls in the fourteenth position as the busiest airport in India. The airport recorded to accommodate about 4.4 million passengers, as on 2018-19, with aircraft movements of 33,093 in the same year. Trivandrum International Airport is only 3.7 kilometres away from the city centre and about 13 km from Technopark and 16 km from Kovalam beach. The airport is sprawled across an area of 700 acres of land. Currently, the airport handles two terminals, each dedicated to domestic and international flight operations, respectively. The airport also purveys to the Indian Air Force and the Indian Coast Guard. In fact, IAF has an exclusive apron reserved for operations of the government security body. Additionally, it also allows pilot training activities that are facilitated by the Rajiv Gandhi Academy for Aviation technology.

About Trivandrum International Airport terminals

The airport has two terminals, one reserved for domestic operations and the second for international operations. Air India is the only airline which operates from the terminal 2. Ground operations at the international terminal are also handled by Air India SATS Airport Services Pvt. Ltd. and Bhadra International India Pvt. Ltd. The terminal is fully air-conditioned and has WiFi facilities available. Some of the other features of the international terminal include exquisite lounges, brilliant natural lights with the use of glass roofing and efficient conveyance services for passengers. Meanwhile, the domestic terminal mostly caters to good cafes, book shops, phone-recharging points and more. Along with the terminals, Trivandrum International Airport also has a narrow-body maintenance, repair and overhaul unit (MRO) operated by Air India. They cater to twin hangars for services of Boeing 737-type of aircraft and a plethora of Air India Express aircraft. At a time, two aircraft can be accommodated simultaneously at the two hangars of MRO.

Terminal 1 - Terminal 1 or the domestic terminal covers an area of 99,000 square feet and has the capacity to handle 400 passengers at a go. Into Place Services fuelling operations that are facilitated by IndianOil Skytanking are also present in the domestic terminal.

Terminal 2 - Terminal 2 is a newly built building that has three jetways along with parking bays that can handle eight aircraft. It is built right opposite Terminal 1 and is closer to the city side. Constructed by the Airports Authority of India, the designs for the new terminal were taken up by architects of the UK-based firm, Pascall+Watson. The terminal serves as a catalyst for the development of the IT sector as well as the tourism industry of the southern districts of the state of Kerala. The international terminal is sprawled across an area of 380,000 square feet. It is capable of handling passengers of large aircraft such as three Airbus A340s and one Boeing 747. The passenger crowd mainly adds up to roughly 1500 passengers.

Meanwhile, the recorded passenger handling capacity has been recorded at 1.8 million, in a year. The area of the check-in floor is about 10,200 square feet while the arrival area covers about 6,500 square feet. With a view to enabling the passengers to check-in at any counter without having to waste time, the airport has installed a Common Users Terminal Equipment (CUTE). Along with this, there are X-ray machines installed right next to the conveyor belts to enable faster clearance of baggage. The terminal's entrance is perfectly connected to the Chacka-Eenchakkal road. A bridge has also been constructed across the Parvathy Puthanar canal that links the new international terminal to the Kazhakuttam-Inchivila National Highway. Further, the car park space of the terminal can accommodate nearly 600 cars.

About Airport Authority

Trivandrum International Airport is owned and operated by the Airports Authority of India. The statutory body has taken up the responsibility to manage, operate and maintain the airport's infrastructure. It has also undertaken roles of upgradation and expansion of the airport terminals and runways. Over the years, AAI has worked extensively towards making Trivandrum International Airport a state-of-the-art structure. They have enabled world-class facilities and installed better equipment for efficiency.

As part of the expansion plans proposed by the Airports Authority of India, they have demanded 82 acres of land to demolish the existing domestic terminal and to construct a new one altogether. The airport authority also plans to install newer and better facilities in the domestic terminal of Trivandrum International Airport. On the same, the state government has agreed to acquire about 18 acres for construction purposes of the domestic terminal. The new terminal that they plan to construct would be sprawled across 40,000 square metres to spruce up the city's common airport terminal area. Works regarding the new terminal, including blueprints of the new terminal building, have already begun at the AAI headquarters. They plan to complete the construction of the new terminal in about 18 to 24 months as soon as the Kerala government hands over the portion of land to the airport authorities. The new terminal is said to be a replica of the existing terminal 2.

Facilities at the Trivandrum International Airport

ATMs and forex counters – As an international airport, Trivandrum International Airport has provisions for currency exchange. You can find these counters in the arrivals section of the airport terminal.

Medical services – The airport has installed medical services and facilities to cater to emergency cases. There are dedicated rooms as well as free medical services that passengers can avail, in case they are facing some discomfort or unrest. Along with medical centres, the airport also has pharmacies.

Lounges – There are luxe lounges also available at the airport. Both the domestic and international terminals have lounge services which can only be accessed by specific ticket holders or VIP guests.

Baby care room – Child care rooms have been installed at the airport premise to make travelling easy for parents with infants. These rooms can be utilized for breastfeeding and diaper-changing activities.

Smoking zones – The airport follows a strict no-smoking protocol in public spaces. They have instead installed smoking zones for travellers who wish to smoke. These can be found at both the terminals of the airport.

Baggage – The baggage services are impeccable at the airport. They include facilities of trolleys, baggage wrapping services and porter systems.

Top airlines flying from Trivandrum International Airport

Presently, Trivandrum International Airport sees an equal amount of domestic and international flight operations. Some of the top domestic airlines operating from Trivandrum International Airport are Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Vistara. While the number of domestic airlines operating from Trivandrum International Airport is limited, the international flights are aplenty. Many international airlines that operate from Trivandrum Airport include Air Arabia, Air India Express, Emirates, British Airways, Gulf Air, Kuwait Airways, Maldivian, Malindo Air, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Scoot and SriLankan Airlines. A majority of cities that the airport is connected to are Sharjah, Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Riyadh, Kochi, Coimbatore, Doha, Muscat, Abu Dhabi, London, Bahrain, Kuwait, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Colombo, to name a few. Trivandrum International Airport also accommodates cargo facilities and operations to be conducted from the airport terminal. Some of the important carriers include Blue Dart Aviation, Emirates SkyCargo, FitsAir, Qatar Airways Cargo, SriLankan Cargo and Saudia Cargo.

How to reach Trivandrum International Airport

By Road

Trivandrum International Airport is located in proximity with National Highway 66. The airport has been situated in such a way that access to the city is enhanced. The new integrated terminal is perfectly connected to the city centre. Various buses can reach you to Trivandrum International Airport. The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation mainly operates these buses. They have bus services across the city and interstate as well. You can easily reach the Trivandrum International Airport from the city limits. Plus, they are cheap and affordable too so travelling to reach Trivandrum International Airport is convenient. You can also opt for prepaid taxi service to reach both the terminals of Trivandrum International Airport. Cab aggregators such as Uber and Ola also have services in the city to reach Trivandrum International Airport. The cab fare is also fixed on Ola and Uber so you wouldn't have to haggle with the taxi driver.

By Rail

The airport is in reach of the city's central railway stations, Kochuveli Railway Station and Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station. They are located about 5 km and 5.5. km away from Trivandrum International Airport, respectively. The city is perfectly connected with the rest of the state from the railway station. You can easily reach the Trivandrum International Airport from the railway station. There are prepaid taxi cabs and other such services also available from the railway station.