Most visitors see the Kerala backwaters from a private houseboat for a night or two. But there is an older, cheaper and in some ways better way to travel their full length: the public tourist boat between Kollam and Alleppey — one of the longest and least expensive backwater cruises in India.
Eight hours down the water
The boat leaves at 10.30 in the morning and takes about eight hours, arriving by early evening. It crosses the open expanses of Ashtamudi and Vembanad lakes, threads narrow palm-lined canals, and passes villages, churches, paddy fields and the below-sea-level world of Kuttanad. There are breaks along the way — a lunch stop and a tea stop — so you can stretch and eat.
How to ride it
This is a seasonal, alternate-day tourist service running roughly December to March, and you should confirm it before planning a day around it: it was suspended when the canal was blocked in 2023 and resumed on 5 December 2025. Tickets are a fraction of a houseboat’s cost — travellers report about ₹600 from the Alleppey end, cash only, bought at the water transport office or from the conductor on board. Bring water, sun cover and a book; it’s a slow, sociable day among backpackers and travellers rather than a luxury cruise, and that is exactly its charm.
One correction to what we used to say here, and to what most listings say. We described this as a District Tourism Promotion Council boat leaving both towns at the same time each morning. The Kerala State Water Transport Department’s own station timetables do not support that: the Alleppey timetable carries the service at 10.30 to Kollam, and the Kollam timetable has no Alleppey row at all — the word does not appear on it. Treat the Alleppey departure as the one on the public record, and ask at the jetty about the return leg. For a reliable year-round boat trip at the Kollam end, the department’s own five-hour "See Ashtamudi" service at ₹400 runs daily from Kollam.
- Seasonal and alternate-day, mainly December–March; suspended in 2023 and resumed 5 December 2025 — confirm before planning around it.
- The 10.30am departure on the public timetable is the Alleppey one; the Kollam timetable does not list this service at all.
- About ₹600 from the Alleppey end, cash only, at the water transport office or from the conductor — no aggregator needed.
- Bring sun protection, water and snacks; there are lunch and tea breaks but it’s a long day in the open.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Kollam to Alleppey ferry?
About eight hours, leaving at 10.30am and arriving by early evening.
How much does the Kollam–Alleppey backwater ferry cost?
A small fraction of a houseboat. Travellers report about ₹600 from the Alleppey end, cash only, paid at the water transport office or to the conductor on board. Rates change, so check locally.
When does the Kollam–Alleppey ferry run?
It is seasonal and alternate-day, operating mostly from about December to March. It was suspended when the canal was blocked in 2023 and resumed on 5 December 2025, so confirm it is running before you travel.
Can I start from the Kollam end?
Ask before you count on it. The state Water Transport Department’s Alleppey timetable lists the 10.30 service to Kollam; its Kollam timetable does not list an Alleppey service at all. The dependable boat trip from Kollam is the department’s own "See Ashtamudi" tourist service, five hours for ₹400.