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Hampi Travel Guide: Bike, Auto and Car Rental in Hampi

Travel to Hampi

Hampi is one of those places that needs at least a week or more to really explore. If you’re visiting for just two or three days however, you can make the best use of your time by taking an overnight train or bus or an early morning flight. The nearest junction for this is the town of Hospet. Hospet has all the major connections by train and bus. However, if you wish to travel to Hampi by air, you should read on! 

Travel to Hampi by Flight 

The nearest airport to Hampi is Toranagallu, in Sandur Taluk (the equivalent of a 'county') of Bellary District. From Torangallu to Hampi, is a 1.5 hour journey by car.  Most people prefer to book taxis. Keep in mind that you may not be able to get an airport taxi, so check with your accommodation provider about this. You could also call us to make the booking for you. We do charge convenience fees. There are also airports from Hubli District, another place close to Hampi. Once you land in Hubli or Toranagallu, you will still need to book your transportation, by either train or road to Hampi.  From Hubli to Hospet, it may be more convenient to travel by road, as you have the option of reaching your hotel or accommodations in Hampi directly. This should take around 3.5 hours via route NH63. There are also direct buses available from Hubli to Hampi. If you wish to travel by train from Hubli, then you will have to get off in Hospet junction and find your way by local transport to your accommodations in Hampi. Keep in mind that you may still have to travel up to 20 km from the train station to your hotel or accommodation in Hampi.  

Bangalore to Hubli: There are at least 2 direct flights available on this route daily, one early morning and another late afternoon. It takes about 1.5 hours to travel directly from Bangalore to Hubli by flight. 

Chennai to Hubli and Mumbai to Hubli: While there are flights available from Mumbai to Hubli and from Chennai to Hubli, they are not direct. Each flight has at least one stop-over and can take anywhere between 6 to 8 hours. It may be better to book a flight to Bangalore and then take a connecting flight from Bangalore. 

New Delhi to Hubli: There are no flights available from New Delhi to Hubli. The best-recommended route by flight is to book a  ticket to Bangalore and then another from Bangalore to Hubli. 

Travel to Hampi by Rail/Train

The nearest junction for train connectivity is Hospet. The most popular train is the 'Hampi Express'. It leaves from Banglaore before midnight and reaches Hampi by around 7:00 a.m. in the morning.  Visit the IRCTC website to book your tickets.

Travel to Hampi By Road

Driving to Hampi and making a road trip out of it is also great fun. Bikers and roadies-at-heart will especially love Hampi. There is good connectivity by road from Hampi to Pune, Hampi to Bangalore and Hampi to Goa. Keep in mind that there are few places to eat on these highways. Take the options you find along the way because there will be long stretches without them. 

Travel in HampiTraveling in Hampi

The Tungabhadra River divides Hampi into two: one side falls in Koppal District and the other in Bellary District. An enthusiastic traveler visiting the site has to cover large distances of up to 20 km and more to see many of the monuments and places of interest. If you haven’t come in your own car, you will most probably need transportation to get around inside the protected zone of Hampi. 

Renting a bike

Motorbikes and bicycles can be hired for rent in any of the numerous shops that are available on either side of the river. These cost around Rs. 250 per day, but you can rent them for cheaper rates if you hire them for more than one day. This is actually the best way to travel around Hampi. Make sure to apply a lot of sunscreen lotion or you may burn in the warm Hampi mid-day Sun. 

Useful Tip: there is often a rivalry between the bike rental shops on the Koppal (or commonly known as Hampi Island or Virupappura Gadde or 'Hippy' Island) side of the river and the auto-rickshaws on the Bellary (near the main temple) side of the river. This means that bikes rented on the Koppal side aren’t allowed on the Bellary side. Make sure you have a good itinerary planned before heading out or you may have hired a bike in vain!

Renting a rickshaw

These cost anywhere from Rs. 500 to Rs. 1500 per day. You can always bargain with them, but prices usually vary depending on what you want to see.  We recommend that you hire them from pick up to drop off for the whole day.

Renting a Tempo Traveller or a Car

This may be one of the best ways for you to travel around Hampi if you are coming together as a couple. The roads around Hampi are reasonably good. Having your own car will also give you the freedom to travel as you like. A plus side is that you can avoid Hampi’s warm mid-day Sun in a car.

Sounds like it's a bit of a headache? Contact us so we can help you plan the perfect trip for your budget!