Dusseldorf to Kochi Flights

  About Dusseldorf

Dusseldorf is a beautiful city in Germany that is constantly seen competing with two other cities in the country, Rhine and Cologne. Though these cities are approximately 40 km away from each other, they are well-connected and popular among tourists, too. It is one of the best vacation destinations in Germany, and you must add it to your itinerary if you are planning a trip to Germany. The city is known for housing the longest bar in the world. There are approximately 300 bars, pubs and breweries in Dusseldorf. It is obvious by this that the city has a vibrant nightlife and even if you wake up with a nasty hangover, it would be completely worth it. Dusseldorf also has a popular tourist attraction, Rheinturm, that promises an aerial view of the city, and it is completely worth it. You can book a hotel in Dusseldorf that has a magnificent view of the lush green surroundings. It also boasts one of the most beautiful and glamorous shopping streets in all of Europe. You will also find a blend of Japanese culture in certain parts of the city.

Best Time to Visit Dusseldorf

Dusseldorf sees a lot of tourists during winter for its Christmas markets and Carnival celebrations. December to February is winter, and the temperature ranges from 0 to 32 degree Celsius. While the days are mildly cold, the nights are freezing, and you might want to put on all of your warm clothes before stepping out. The Christmas market is one of the main reasons why people love visiting the city during winter. You will find a lot of stalls in the market that sell wooden trinkets, Christmas decor and mulled wine. The market adds all the charm to your festive spirit and makes you want to step out in your best attire. The Germans celebrate Christmas with such grandeur that they have fewer events planned in January so that they can recover from the Christmas hangover. Make sure you book a hotel in Dusseldorf well in advance. Since this is not a high tourist season, you will find the best and luxurious accommodation at the most affordable prices. The snowfall and the well-lit city promise to make your Christmas holiday far more special.

Spring season is from March to May, and the weather is quite pleasant in the city. The temperature ranges from 10 to 25 degree Celsius, and while it is slightly chilly with occasional snowfalls in March, it gets pleasant over time. You can expect to see the flowers bloom and lush greenery take over the snow-clad city. May sees a spike in tourists since there are a lot of long weekends in the month. The local Japanese community here celebrates Japan Day in May. You will get to see a marvellous firework display over the Rhine. Summer hits Dusseldorf from June to August. It is also an ideal time to visit the city. The scorching heat makes it difficult for you to step out during the day. It is not an ideal time to plan a trip to Dusseldorf. In fact, even travelling by the local trams and buses can get quite troublesome if they do not have the central air conditioning system. But if you do plan a visit to the city, you can attend a lot of movie screenings and outdoor concerts. You can also head over to the pubs and gulp down the best German beer.

September to November is autumn season in Dusseldorf. The weather remains pleasant, and visiting the city in the first half of September is also highly recommended. The first frost of winter usually occurs in November, but sometimes, it might even occur in October. Make sure you attend the Oktobeerfest if you are visiting during this time. You will surely find a lot of offers at pubs and get to go on a beer tasting tour.

Places to Visit in Dusseldorf

Altstadt in Dusseldorf's Old Town is a sight for sore eyes. With stunning views of the Rhine, housing the world's longest bar, churches and museums, the architecture of which will leave you mesmerized. Your trip to Dusseldorf will not be complete without visiting the Rhine River. It is the lifeline of the city. You can either take a stroll alongside the banks of the river, on the promenade or sign up for a cruise on the river. You will also find museums near the river that are worth a visit. The Rheinturm is the highlight of the city. It offers an aerial view of the city from its observation deck that is 240.5-meters high. You can even dine at the revolving restaurant here in Rheinturm. Visiting the local Farmer's Market is yet another popular thing to do. You can spend half a day here, and you will leave with a bag full of fresh produce and snacks, too. Nordpark is one of the most beautiful parks in Dusseldorf. You will find lots of meadows, flowerbeds, ponds, fountains, walkways and old trees here. The Japanese Garden here is quite popular.

Hofgarten is Düsseldorf's oldest public garden, and you will also find River Dussel flowing through the park. You will also come across Schloss Jagerhof here, which is a historic former hunting lodge that is now a museum. It flaunts the work of the famous German poet, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Kaiserpfalz is the ruins of Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa's royal palace. If you are a history buff, you will certainly love this place. Konigsallee is one of the most charming streets in Europe to shop, and you can also go window-shopping if you don't want to spend a lot of money. Apart from all the high-end fashion brands, you will also find luxury restaurants here that you can try. Eko Haus is a small place in the city that is dedicated to the Japanese population in the city. You will love the Buddhist temple and the beautiful Japanese gardens here. Head over to the Neanderthal Museum to look at human fossils and re-learn everything about evolution.

Things to do in Dusseldorf

Dusseldorf might not be one of your top holiday destinations, but the city does not disappoint its tourists. If you think Japan is out of your budget at the moment, you can head to Dusseldorf in May or June to celebrate Japan Day. The Rhine Promenade turns into a part of Japan as the locals pay tribute to the culture with traditional Japanese food, kimono fittings, Manga comics, spectacular fireworks and performances. The Rhine River is one of the major attractions in the city. You can go on a cruise at the river and catch a beautiful sunset while admiring the beautiful city and everything it has to offer. Climb on top of the Rheinturm, which is 240.5 metre-high. It offers a beautiful view of the Dusseldorf skyline and the entire city. Make sure you also dine at the revolving restaurant on top as you enjoy the view. You can also head to Altstadt which houses one of the longest bars, pubs and breweries in the world. It is one of the most happening spots in the city.

Food and Restaurants in Dusseldorf

While Dusseldorf boasts of a variety of cuisines from all over the world, you must also try the traditional dishes here like Halve Hahn, Rheinischer Sauerbraten, Himmel und Erde, Blutwurst and so on. You will also find a lot of Japanese restaurants in the city since a small part of the city is dedicated to Japanese culture. Sansibar is a popular restaurant in the city that serves not only German food but also European, Contemporary and fusion food. The sushi and oysters in the restaurant are also quite popular. If you want to try authentic Japanese cuisine, head over to DOX Restaurant. Bob & Mary and Nagaya are also popular restaurants that serve German and Japanese food. Grab a cup of refreshing coffee at Toykio Coffee and Gallery. The Victorian restaurant is ideal for a delicious German dinner with cocktails of your choice. Uerige is a pub that serves the best craft beers in the city along with delicious food.

How to reach Dusseldorf (Transportation)

Dusseldorf International Airport is the third-largest airport in Germany after Munich and Frankfurt. The flight connectivity to Dusseldorf from India is quite good. Turkish Airlines, KLM, Vistara, Air France are some popular flights to Dusseldorf that take off from India. The flights have a certain layover at Istanbul, Amsterdam, Paris and so on. If you book in advance, you will get cheap flight tickets to Dusseldorf. If you are travelling during the off-season, you might come across great flight deals to Dusseldorf online. The airport in Dusseldorf makes sure it has everything for the convenience of its passengers from lounges and waiting areas to restaurants, cafes and shopping areas. The airport also has an airport shuttle and car rental facilities that you can opt for if you haven't pre-booked your taxi already. The airport is not very far from the tourist attractions in the city.

  About Kochi

Kochi is one of the most dynamic cities and the commercial capital of Kerala. The city is constantly bustling while its surrounding remains true to its agricultural roots. Kochi, as a city, plays an essential port to the South-west coast of India. The ports are connected to the Maldives, Lakshadweep Island and many important coastal cities.

Despite having a blend of various seasons, the heat and humidity in the air continue to remain constant. However, that only makes travellers fly to Kochi instead. Not to mention how the gorgeous setting of the city and its impeccable connectivity that allows a traveller to traverse through various terrains.

Best time to visit Kochi

Kochi sees multitudes of seasons and climate all-year-long. Throughout the year, even know specific seasons are set and have been followed, every year, sudden twists in the western forecasts leave the locals in peril. The tropical setting of Kochi and even Kerala it ideal for summers and even winters. In fact, the months from October to February are actually enchanting and the best. The temperatures dawdle between 17 degree Celsius and 33 degree Celsius. Not only is the winter season perfect for backpackers and solo travellers but also couples and newlyweds who wish to go to honeymoon in Mumbai itself.

The months from March to June marks the start of summer in Kochi. The temperatures in Kochi during summer continues to escalate up to 37 degree Celsius. Although it is considered to be a good season to visit the city, it is only because there is less crowd. On off-seasons, tourists avoid visiting places as they fear unpleasant experiences. However, flying to Kochi on off-season might be helpful as people wouldn't have to deal with the excess tourist crowd. Plus, flight tickets to Kochi see some massive price drop. Many airlines also have flight deals to bring down the cost of a ticket to Kochi.

Monsoons in Kochi are exceptional. Even though it is not a peak season for the city as a rain-washed city would not be favourable for tourist activities, many travellers opt for monsoons. The main reason behind choosing monsoon as the best time to catch a flight to Kochi is that the city's lush greenery turns emerald as the backwaters dance under the torrent rains. Booking a hotel in Kochi during this season is also affordable as it is an off-season for hoteliers. The whole sight of the place is enchanting and definitely an unmemorable experience. Kochi experienced monsoon between July to September.

Places to see in Kochi

The gorgeous Arabian sea might border Kochi on one side, and the towering Western Ghats on the other but the melange of the two varied geographies only makes the city alluring. When in Kochi, you should definitely check out some of its famous beaches namely, Veeranpuzha Beach, Cherai Beach, Munambam Beach, Fort Kochi Beach and more. The city also has many pristine churches that should be visited. These are St Francis Church, Santa Cruz Basilican and the Paradesi Synagogue.

Besides these attractions, Kochi also has museums like Indo-Portuguese Museum, Ginger House Museum Hotel, Folklore Museum, and more than would enlighten you about their cultural heritage, their history and more. Not just the beaches but you should also check out what the lush green valleys close to Kochi have to offer. You can witness the Athirapally Falls and the Areekkal Falls. More than anything, you can visit the famous Lulu Shopping Mall too, which is right there in the city centre. You can further continue the pilgrimage by visiting temples such as Shiva Temple, Gowreeswara Temple Cherai, Ernakulam Mahadeva Temple, Thrikkakara Temple and more.

Things to do in Kochi

Elephant Training Centre

A little away from the city of Kochi is an adorable retreat for elephants. An Elephant Training centre has been established by the Ernakulam district where the animals are brought together to live in harmony. At the centre, these elephants are bathed and fed properly. The centre takes good care of the elephants and even allows visitors to come over and play with the giant animals. Visit this beautiful place and feel happy in the company of playful elephants who would keep you entertained with their goofiness.

Fort Ayurveda Spa

Kerala's Ayurvedic spas are world-renowned and for all the right reasons. The therapeutic massages and spa treatments actually help rejuvenate the body, mind and soul. Kochi has the Fort Ayurveda Spa, which lives up to the reputation of providing the customers with excellent services. Book an appointment here and let your troubles be washed away by the gentle touch of a masseuse. The experience will be beautiful and certainly have a lasting effect on you.

Kathakali Centre

The classical dance form of Kathakali is enchanting and compelling. The performances usually have a backstory and a theme based on which the whole show is presented. The art would keep you engaged as the eyes of the dancers would hypnotise you. Often these performances express a certain Hindu mythological story.

Snorkelling at Thiruvankullam

Compared to other parts of coastal India, Kochi has extremely beautiful and clean beaches. The shores are just as bright and spotless as is the Arabian sea that touches the coasts. The clean and clear waters of Kochi have enabled snorkelling in the area. You can head to Thiruvankullam and take up the water activity. You will be surprised to see some exquisite marine life that's prevalent just miles away from the city of Kochi.

Backwater tour

Kochi connects to Alleppey, which is the hub of backwaters in Kerala. Although it is a few kilometres far from the main city, Alleppey has a harbour from where you can either choose a houseboat or a shikhara ride to explore the gorgeous backwaters lined by rice paddies.

Food and restaurants

Kochi's lifestyle is heavily inspired or rather influenced by the Portuguese, Dutch and English. This is easily reflected in their way of living, lifestyle and more importantly, their cuisine as well. While they still have their special curry and parotha as the highlight of the state, the landscape of Kerala cuisine has seen quite a lot of transformations. As a coastal city, the cuisine mainly centres around exquisite seafood and Malabari food. As a developed city of India, Kochi manages to sustain the traditional cuisine as it also embraces other cuisines such as Asian, North Indian, Continental and more.

Sky Grill Lounge and Bar, Fort House, Asian Kitchen, The Rice Boat, Dhe Puttu, Fusion Bay are some of the finest restaurants that you will find in Kochi. You might not know this, but Kochi actually has a lot of quaint cafes to cater to the backpacking audience. In the city and close to the coastal area, you will find small joints and ventures that have a hipster vibe and attract the young crowd. It is a known fact that the seafood in Kerala is a delight to the taste buds. The city centre will acquaint you with not just exciting dishes but also taste and flavour that will be unforgettable.

How to reach Kochi (Transportation)

By Air

The Cochin International Airport, located 29 km away from the city centre sees excellent flight connectivity from Kochi to other major cities in India. In fact, the airport also has flights taking international routes from Kochi to Middle Eastern countries. Kochi airport is known to be one of the busiest and crowded airports thanks to the excellent connectivity it has with the other cities in the country as well as internationally. A plethora of flights fly from Kochi to cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Jaipur and more. The city is always on demand and hence, getting good flight deals for Kochi becomes quite challenging. However, with good planning and timing, you might be able to get cheap flight tickets to Kochi and even decent flight deals.

By Rail

Just like the flight connectivity of Kochi with the rest of the major cities in India, even the railway network is strong. There are two railway stations, namely Kochi Railway Station and Ernakulam Junction Station that connect the city with the rest of the country. There are express trains too that travel to Kochi from Mumbai, Delhi and other big cities. Train tickets to Kochi can be booked online as well as physically at the railway station. The city is well-connected within the state too and has bus and railway services to ensure that the city's stature as one of the economically strong and developed places sustains.

By Road

Kochi has impeccable roadway network as well owing to the city being a commercial hub. The city doesn't just contribute to the state's economy but also to the country's and hence, is blessed with strong roadways network. Several buses enter and leave the city from various parts of the country. The neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, even Goa, have bus facilities that provide services to the city. The Kerala State Run Transport Corporation (KSRTC) travels through several cities, including Kochi. There are options for AC and Non-AC buses that you can choose from for your travel needs.

  About Cochin Airport

Cochin International Airport is located 25 km away from the city of Kochi, at Nedumbassery, in the state of Kerala. The Cochin Airport is the first airport in the country that has been developed under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. The project is funded by about 10,000 non-resident Indians (NRI) sprawled across 30 countries. The airport is known for its busy status as it is the most active in the state of Kerala. The airport is also the largest in the state. Cochin International Airport provides to ap[proximately 61 per cent of passenger movement. The Cochin Airport is also recognized nationally as the fourth busiest airport, with respect to international traffic and eighth most active overall.

About Cochin Airport Terminals

There are three main terminals at the Cochin International Airport. While two of them cater to the domestic terminal, the third one works as an international airport. Terminal 1 was previously used for international flight activities. However, with the new and improved Terminal 3, the international operations were shifted there. The terminal caters to the domestic airlines and operations and can accommodate 4,000 passengers per hour. There are 56 check-in counters, six private lounges and seven aerobridges with a conveyor belt that transfers baggage of about 12 flights at once. Terminal 2 offers an executive experience with CUTE enabled check-in counters, four self-check-in kiosks and six security gates with a space to handle about 400 passengers at once. The terminal was converted as an executive terminal much recently. The international Terminal 3 came into existence in recent times. Built with the Kerala architecture and influence from the Thrissur Pooram, the terminal boasts exquisite fibre elephants adorned with traditional costumes. There are five entry gates, 84 check-in and 80 immigration counters.

About airport authority

The Cochin International Airport is owned by the public limited company, formally known as Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), which is a public-private consortium. The Government of Kerala also holds ownership in the venture with 33.36 per cent stakes. The government is the largest investor in CIAL while various Indian and foreign organizations also have stakes on it. Companies such as BPCL, AAI and Air India have a collective stake of 8.74 per cent. Meanwhile, foreign organizations such as Emke Group from Abu Dhabi, Galfar Group of Oman and Majeed Bukatara Trading of UAE hold 5.42 per cent stake. There are many more players in the venture too such as Federal Bank, Canara Bank and SBT. 38.03 per cent of stake is collectively owned by approximately 10,000 personal investors panned across 29 countries. These are non-resident Indians with stakes in CIAL.

Facilities at the Cochin Airport

Luggage facility: The airport has a slew of services available pertaining to the luggage. There are free luggage trolleys available at the entrance of the airport as well as at regular counters till the check-in. The terminal also allows porterage services where you can avail help from a professional to escort your luggage from one point to another. The porterage services do come for free for senior citizens, expectant mothers, physically disabled individuals, minors and more. It is imperative that you coordinate with the respective airlines to avail the services. Along with porterage and trolleys, the airport also offers baggage wrapping services. You can get your luggage wrapped in plastic to protect them from theft, mishandle and other concerns.

Child care room: The Cochin airport has designated child care centres in the domestic as well as international terminals. This comes in handy for mothers with infants. Women with kids can make use of the room to feed and change diapers. The room also has other provisions of baby products, including toys, to help soothe the child, if needed. The centre is well-sanitized and is maintained perfectly to ensure the hygiene of the space. Mothers must find it safe and healthy.

Information desk: The information desk is available at regular intervals. The space offers all details about the airport, including a map of the airport. The desk provides all the necessary information regarding flights, airlines, boarding gates and other such concerns even if you need to find specific places such as the lost and found and VIP rooms.

Conference halls: One of the major highlights of the Cochin Airport is the conference halls that it has. You can host meetings and other such conventions at the airport. It is excellent and quite convenient as it helps save time for all the parties involved. Business professionals can simply meet at the airport, wrap up the conference or convention and take their flights to return to their cities. It is a convenient setting and hence, is most favoured.

Postal facilities:

Cochin airport has postal facilities as well that work perfectly for the passengers. In case there are some important documents and letters that need to be posted, you can make it happen at the airport. Postal services are available at both the terminals.

Restaurants and cafes: Kochi airport's domestic wing has only a few food establishments in the food court. The international terminal of the airport does have a decent slew of restaurants and food establishments that you will find.

Pre-paid taxi services: From the airport, there are many pre-paid taxi services outside the airport. Outside the airport, the officials have segregated the parking spaces in such a way that specific pillars and lanes are dedicated to taxi cabs. Depending on your bookings, you will be directed to the specific pillar or lane for taxis.

ATMs and Forex: Foreign exchange counters and ATM kiosks are present at regular intervals in the airport.

You can make your currency exchanges and even get a good rate at the airport. You can also withdraw cash at the ATMs to ensure that you have enough money in hand.

Medical facilities: Much like every airport, even Cochin airport has medical services. It is a necessary protocol that needs to be followed by all the airports to have medical facilities. The possibility of a medical emergency is always prevalent at airports.

VIP lounge: The airport has exemplary VIP lounges and guestrooms for special people. Travellers who have first-class tickets or premium memberships at specific airlines will get access to the private lounges or VIP rooms. These lounges and rooms have upscaled luxury services with great hospitality.

Top airlines flying from the Cochin Airport

Cochin International Airport is recognized as one of the largest and busiest airports in the state of Kerala. With an air passenger movement of approximately 61 per cent, the airport easily becomes a busy one in the state. The Cochin International Airport also witnesses tremendous international traffic. As many flights directly fly to Middle Eastern countries from Cochin and witnesses a high demand too, the international traffic is just as busy as the domestic terminal. Cochin International Airport also serves as a base to the operations of the airlines Air India Express. Aside from Air India Express, the airport also sees many other important domestic airlines such as Air Asia India, Air India Express, GoAir, IndiGo, Indian Airlines, SpiceJet and Vistara. There are three passenger terminals with Terminal 3 (international terminal) being the largest terminals in the whole country.

Earlier Terminal 1 served as the international terminal. However, after a massive upgrade that took place and with the genesis of Terminal 3, the international flight activities shifted to the other one. The capacity is also quite good, with over 4,000 passengers per hour. Some of the international airlines that fly from Cochin Airport are Air Arabia, Air Asia, Air India, Air Jazeera, Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai, Gulf Air, Kuwait Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Malindo Air, Oman Airways, Qatar Airways, Saudia, Silkair, Singapore Airlines, Srilankan Airlines, Thai AirAsia and Tiger Airways. These airlines majorly cater to the passengers flying in and out of Middle Eastern countries. As the demand for the Middle Eastern countries is very high in the state of Kerala, quite a few airlines have direct flights to those international destinations. Cochin airport houses airlines that directly connect with cities such as Muscat, Kuwait, Doha, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Riyadh and Jeddah.

How to reach Cochin Airport

There are various ways to reach Cochin International Airport. Buses, taxis and private vehicles can reach you to the Cochin airport without any hassle. There are dedicated buses that travel to the Cochin International Airport. Often many travel to Cochin Airport to reach places such as Alleppey, Munnar and other prominent tourist destinations in Kerala. While the main city does have the main bus stand, there are many bus routes that connect to the airport. These buses have destinations such as Ernakulam, Padma, Thrissur, Fort Kochi, Angamaly, Kaloor and Ernakulam-Vyttil-Thoppumpady, to name a few.

Another famous and favoured way to reach Cochin International Airport is by pre-paid taxis. There are taxi counters available close to the domestic and international terminals. There are booths available within the premise of the airport too from where you can make your taxi bookings. Even outside the airport, there are taxi counters from where you can get your taxis. Ride-sharing services are also available with apps such as Uber and Ola at work. Often many travellers even opt to reach other cities in the Ernakulam district by booking a taxi. To further enhance your trip, the airport also has rental services available. You can make a booking at the taxi counter as well.