Mysore or Mysuru as called by locals is a beautiful city in the southern part of India. It is in the state of Karnataka.
Mysore is the second biggest city in Karnataka after the silicon valley city of Bangalore.
It is famous for its Palace, Temples, Mysore silk sarees, and Mysore Pak (a sweet that is named after the city)
The cheapest way of Sightseeing in Mysore
There are many ways one can visit any city depending on the budget, comfort, etc. Few cities have some facilities that help you save money if you are not hard-pressed for time.
Here is one trick by which you can do full day Mysore sightseeing in Rs.60 only….
Mysore sightseeing in Rs60/- Only!
In case you are a solo traveler, you can save money by buying a day pass from Mysore City Bus stand. A non-ac Mysore bus day pass will cost Rs.60 and an AC Mysore bus day pass cost Rs.100.
You can hop on-hop off any city bus and cover a lot of places with this pass.
Note: AC buses do not ply on all the routes, so you may have to take a non-AC bus with the same day pass.
With a Non-AC bus pass, you can travel on an AC bus by paying the difference in fare for that travel. You get a bus till Vrindavan garden as well, making it very cheap as compared to a cab or auto!
For maximum benefit, arrive at Mysore early in the morning and get the day pass.
For Bangalore to Mysore, the Cheapest train ticket will cost you Rs.90/- (advance reservation needed) and the bus will be Rs.140/- (no advance reservation needed)
Tip: From the Mysore train station or bus stop, you will be approached by many cab operators who charge around Rs.300-500/- per person and will show you around the city.
This cab is also a good option if you don’t like walking a lot or waiting for a bus to arrive.
1. To visit Mysore from Bangalore or other places, reserve a ticket by train. Make sure you arrive around 9am at Mysore junction in case you are on a one-day visit.
Note: Due to covid, unreserved tickets are not being sold at ticket counters. General tickets are now being sold via websites like IRCTC where you get a reserved seat in what was a “general coach” before covid.
KSRTC buses are also a good option if you are traveling from Karnataka.
2. You will be approached by cab drivers who will offer you to take around Mysore and drop you back at the station in the evening. I did not try this service but heard from friends that it’s good. You can opt for it if you are with family or in a group.
For solo travelers, I will recommend taking a walk or any transport to the city bus depot (it
is around 2km from the railway station and bus station)
Ask for a day pass there, it will take care of all your vehicle expenses!
3. Take a bus to Chamundi hills. Bus no.201 will take you there. It has both AC and Non-ac options, board the bus as per your day pass eligibility.
4. While returning, get down at Mysore zoo if it’s on your list. I will recommend it to you.
5. From Mysore zoo, take the bus and get down at the Mysore palace stop.
6. From Mysore Palace, either walk or take the bus to the city bus stop and depending on your next spot, take a bus to that place.
Depending on how much time you have in hand, it will be a good idea to visit Brindavan Garden. Bus no.303,303A will take you there.
The trip to Brindavan itself will take around 45min-1hr. You will need at least a couple of hours at Brindavan.
7. There are lot of cheap lodges available around Mysore in case you opt to stay for the night. Depending on the peak season, you can get yourself a room for as little as Rs.500.
8. Eat local, you are better off sticking to Idly, dosa rather than ordering any fancy dish unless you are in a fancy restaurant.
9. You cannot save on entry charges, so avoid places you are not interested in.
The flip side of traveling by a bus while sightseeing is you may waste some time waiting for the bus to arrive. Also you don’t get a chance to stop at any point to enjoy the view
Don’t forget the following essentials to avoid discomfort while sightseeing!
How to visit Mysore?
Mysore is well connected by Air, road, and trains. Based on your preference, you can opt for either cab or a Government bus or the Indian railways or go for a flight.
The nearest international airport to reach Mysore is the Bangalore airport i.e Kempagauda International airport.
Mysore has a domestic airport called Mandakalli, which is located 10km from the city.
Car rental from Bangalore to Mysore
Bangalore to Mysore is approx. 150km around 3hr journey, either by road or train. Car rental from Bangalore to Mysore is a brisk business and you will have many options.
You can book a private cab that may cost Rs.15-Rs17 per km or an Ola cab (Rs.1400-Rs1700) on one side. Do note that it’s an inter-city drive, hence better to book the cab one day in advance.
Bangalore to Mysore by Bus
KSRTC bus is also an option that will cost you Rs.140 for non-ac and Rs.300 for a Volvo.
These buses do not start from the Majestic bus stop, you will have to go to the satellite bus stand. Take a bus from Majestic and you will reach the satellite but stop in 15min.
The non-ac bus frequency is very good. At any given point in time, you will get a bus.
Trains are cheapest at around Rs90- Rs500 per person, depending on what class of travel you choose. During covid, railways are not issuing any un-reserved tickets. So better reserve a ticket online.
The general coach is referred to as “2nd seating”. So you will be actually traveling in a general compartment but with a reservation.
Since most of the passengers get down at Banglore (Majestic/Kempagauda station), you will easily find a seat on the train to/from Mysore.
The train takes around 3.5/4 hrs.
Flights to Mysore
Mysore airport is also known as Mandakalli Airport. The airport is located 10km from the center of the city. It’s a single terminal airport where only small aircraft operate.
I found flights to Mysore very costly. You can book a flight directly to Mysore (not all the cities are connected) or fly down to Bangalore and take a cab or bus from there.
Bangalore being a big city and having an international airport, you will get very good deals on flights.
Bangalore to Mysore Flights
Air India has a direct flight from Bangalore to Mysore, it takes around 1hr by flight. Rest all the flights are via some other cities and you will unnecessarily waste your time.
Mysore Airport Lounge
Mysore is a small airport and does not have a conventional airport lounge i.e the one you can get free access based on your Credit/Debit card. You can book a private lounge from airssist.
What Is Mysore Famous For?
Mysore is a historic city with many tourist attractions.
Must-visit places in Mysore
Once you reach Mysore, you will find people approaching you with sightseeing offers. Beware of the autorickshaw guys, they will offer to take you around the palace, church, and some shopping spots at a very cheap rate.
They get a commission for bringing in customers to the shopping place, no harm in it, but they will provide you false information about the other spots to lure you into going with them.
1. Mysore Palace:
The Palace is within walkable distance from the bus stop (it’s a 30 min walk as the entrance is on the other side of the fence).
Mysore Palace is an awesome place with beautiful gardens surrounding the royal palace. The best time to visit is around 4pm when the sun is not that bright.
You will have to pay Rs.100 per adult and Rs.50 for kids aged till 12years. This ticket is only for entering the palace, if you have already visited the palace and just want to spend time in the garden outside, just walk in.
For entering the palace, you will have to deposit your footwear at the entrance, Rs.2 is charged per pair. You need to pay and collect a bag to put your shoes in. Make sure to tie a know (lightly) before depositing it at the counter.
Keep the receipt safe, without it you will not get your footwear.
You can hire a guide as well for Rs.400/500 who will explain the history of all the artifacts.
2. Chamundi Hills:
A beautiful place from where you can have a view of the whole Mysore city.
I will recommend going by car or auto (one of the auto quoted Rs.500 for round trip) so that you can park at the spots and enjoy the view of Mysore city.Ample parking is available if you arrive at nonpeak time.
You can get a KSRTC bus as well from the city bus stop, a non-AC bus ticket is Rs.20 and an ac bus is Rs.35 per person, on each side.
You can reach the hilltop and visit Chamundeshwari Temple. At times it gets very crowded, to avoid a long queue you can buy a VIP pass costing Rs.30 or Rs.100. This will save you some time.
Beware of Monkeys, it will jump and grab any food item/water bottle.
3. Vrindavan Garden:
Note: Vrindavan Garden’s musical fountain will be closed from 15Feb 2023 due to restoration work.
A place to visit in the evening. I recommend reaching there after 4pm, enjoy the beautiful garden and water bodies.
Around 630pm the garden is lit with beautiful lights.
On the other side of the garden, you can visit the musical fountain. It starts around 630pm. Each person has to pay Rs.100 for entry.
4. Mysore Zoo:
If you have time, you can keep this on your list or can skip it. You will need at least a couple of hours in the zoo and you will not be dis-appointed.
Mysore Weather:
Avoid summer when planning for Mysore. The rest of the time the weather is pretty mild and you will enjoy it.
Mysore Dasara:
Mysore is famous for its Dasara festival. The whole city is buzzing with festivities and the Mysore palace is lit with thousands of light, enhancing its beauty. Dasara gets very crowded, hence plan accordingly.
Mysore To Nandi Hills
Nandi Hills is near Bangalore airport where as Mysore is in the opposite side.
To visit Nandi hills from Mysore, you will have to cross Bangalore, towards the airport. It will take you around 5-6hrs of travel time.
Conclusion:
Mysore is a very nice city and if you are in Karnataka or a nearby place, do plan to visit. Do read more informational posts on Places To Visit In India
