Thiruvananthapuram to Zurich Flights

  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 Zurich

Switzerland is a dream vacation for a lot of people and for the ones who have been there, it's a place they would always willingly go back to for a holiday. Zurich is one destination where you can really splurge. The city has great weather, nightlife to look forward to and breathtaking views of the Swiss Alps. The city is also a gateway to central Switzerland. Zurich also has a lot of typical sightseeing spots and activities for tourists. You can admire the medieval architecture here, head to museums, plan a picnic near the Zurich lake or just party all night before you head to the mountains. It is one of the best places to visit in Switzerland and highly recommended, too. If you are covering a lot of other European countries or cities in your itinerary, Zurich will be a pleasant break before you head for your next adventure.

Best Time to Visit Zurich

Though a lot of people think that Zurich is best visited during winter since it allows you to go skiing, it's actually summer that is a peak season in Zurich. A lot of tourists prefer summer, and it is a high season to visit the city. Flights tickets to Zurich are expensive in summer, and you cannot even book a hotel in Zurich at an affordable price unless you do so way in advance. June to August is when Zurich experiences summer, and while everything is expensive, the city makes it worth every penny spent. This is probably the only time you can go swimming at the Zurich lake or sailing if you don't want to take a dip in the water. There are quite a few festivals and parades, too, that happen in Zurich in summer. You can be a part of those if you are visiting Zurich between June and August. The temperatures range from 11 to 22 degree Celsius.

September to November is autumn, and though you won't find a lot of tourists in Zurich as compared to summer, you will enjoy your stay. You might even get a good deal on flights to Zurich, along with accommodation. The Zurich Film Festival takes place in September and October. If you are a cinema lover, you would love to attend this. You can also attend the Contemporary Art Fair Zurich that happens in September or the Swiss Cup Zurich. The temperature ranges from 10 to 7 degree Celsius. It even drops to as low as 1 degree Celsius in November, since it is inching towards winter.

It snows heavily from December to February, courtesy winter. This season sees a dip in the number of tourists, but everyone who enjoys skiing or snowboarding plans a trip to Zurich in winter. This is one of the reasons that the hotel prices remain high, along with the flight rates. Make sure you carry a lot of layers of warm clothes. The temperature ranges from -1 degree Celsius to 4 degree Celsius. March to May is the spring season and one of those times that you will find hotel rooms at affordable prices. The temperature ranges from 0 to 17 degree Celsius. It also rains a lot in May, so you might want to pack your umbrella, too, if you are travelling to Zurich in May. You can enjoy sightseeing and other activities that spring has to offer to you and leave the city right before the high season begins. Apart from the heavy showers in May, the weather remains quite pleasant during the spring and autumn seasons.

Places to Visit in Zurich

The Fraumunster Church is one of the major tourist attractions in Zurich. It translates to Women's Church and has quite an interesting piece of history attached to it as well. You can also visit St Peter's Church that has the largest clock face in Europe. It is an old church that dates back to 1880. Zurich is also home to several museums like the Rietberg Museum and Schweizerisches Landesmuseum (also called the Swiss National Museum). You will have to pay a certain entry fee to get inside the museums and a little extra if you want to hire a guide. The museums have preserved a lot of the history of the city be it objects that were used every day in the prehistoric times or handicrafts. You will also find Swiss masks and cult objects from across the world. There are objects from South America, and there is Buddhist Art from Asia and a lot of stunning sculptures from Africa. Both of these museums are highly recommended tourist attractions in Zurich. They are also a part of tour packages that are offered to you in the city. You can also visit the Money Museum to catch a glimpse of antique coins and currencies. The Zurich Opera House is another marvellous tourist spot in the city. If you are lucky, you might even catch a performance here.

If you are a fan of performance art, you can head to Theatre Neumarkt. The theatre also hosts plays that are apt for kids, in case you are travelling with your little ones. Chinese Garden is another tourist attraction in Zurich that you must visit. It is a beautiful Chinese temple garden that also has a beautiful pond and a small island inside. The Zurich lake is one of the main reasons why tourists decide to stop in the city for a day or two before they head to the mountains. If you are travelling to Zurich in summer, you can swim in the lake or go sailing with your family. You can also catch a mesmerizing sunset by the lake in the evening. You will certainly be treated to a beautiful view of the Alps from here.

Things to do in Zurich

One of the major and popular activities is taking a day trip to Mount Titlis. You can opt for a cable car ride that offers you an amazing view of the mountains. Zurich is also known for its beautiful churches and museums. Zurich is one place where you can really splurge since it is one of the most expensive cities in Europe. You can also go out partying; the nightlife scene in Zurich is excellent. You can even go bar hopping with your friends and have the craziest night of your vacation. One thing the city is famous for is the Swiss cheese and Swiss chocolates. You can go cheese tasting or even visit a chocolate factory, pack some of these to take back home to your friends and family. You can also plan a picnic by the Zurich lake or go swimming if it is summertime.

Foods and Restaurants in Zurich

Zurich is known for its cheese and chocolates, but there is more to food here than just Swiss cheese and chocolates. A lot of cuisines in Zurich have German roots since it is quite close to the German border. You can try the Nach Zurcher art, which is made of meat, mushrooms, butter, potatoes and cream. If you want to try traditional Zurich cuisine, you can go to Old Town and try a few restaurants there. You can try Zeughauskeller or Haus zum Rüden or Kindli. Make sure you try the rosti, which is basically shredded fried potatoes and burli, which is crusty bread rolls. You will also find a lot of spots where you can try traditional cheese fondue. Zurich also has a Fondue Tram that you must certainly try. It travels throughout the entire city from November to February. Swiss Chuchi Restaurant and Kreis 8's Chasstube Rehalp are some of the popular restaurants to try authentic Swiss cheese fondue. Make sure you also pack some chocolates to take back home if you are taking a tour of the chocolate factory. Make sure you also try Champagne truffles in Zurich at Teuscher Chocolates of Switzerland. Since Zurich is also known for its nightlife, you will also find a lot of pubs here.

How to reach Zurich

Zurich International Airport is the largest airport in Switzerland and a preferred way to reach the city, too. The flight connectivity to Zurich from India is excellent. Since Zurich is the hub for Swiss International Air Lines, you will also find direct flights to Zurich from India. Though they aren't very frequent, there is at least one direct flight to Zurich every day. Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines and LOT Polish Airlines are some of the most numerous airlines that you can pick. While it is difficult to get cheap flight tickets to Zurich, you might come across interesting flight deals to Zurich online. If you are covering other European cities as well, taking a train from Germany, France, Netherlands or Italy are some of the popular routes to Zurich. The international airport in Zurich has quite a few facilities for your convenience like shopping areas, lounges, buses or taxis from the airport and guided tours, too, in case you need it. The services offered here are excellent.

  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.