Planning · 9 min read

How to reach North Malabar for Theyyam: Kannur, Thalassery, Payyannur, Kanhangad and Kasaragod

By Geethu · Updated 29 May 2026

A shrine ground at night with a palm-leaf flagstaff, lights and devotees at the edge

Theyyam is kept in villages across Kannur and Kasaragod districts, so there is no single place to arrive. The good news is that the whole region sits on one railway line and two airports, so most routes are shared. Here is how to reach each base town from the big cities.

In this guide

The five base towns

Most visitors base themselves in one of these towns and travel to village shrines by road. They are listed from south to north along the coast.

Thalassery: a historic coastal town with its own station. It is close to Kannur airport, about 24 km. See Thalassery: Theyyam, cake, circus and cricket.
Kannur: the main hub, with a large station and Kannur International Airport about 28 km away.
Thaliparamba: inland from Kannur, in the middle of many shrines. Reach it from Kannur or Payyannur and continue by road.
Payyannur: a station town between Kannur and Kanhangad, well placed for northern Kannur and southern Kasaragod.
Kanhangad and Kasaragod: the base for the Kasaragod district shrines, closer to Mangaluru airport than to Kannur.

A note for visitors

Schedules, fares and routes change often. This guide was put together from public listings in October 2026. Please confirm timings with the airline, Indian Railways (NTES or IRCTC) or the bus operator before you book. Photography and video are not allowed at some rituals, so ask your guide first.

Two airports cover the whole region

Kannur International Airport (CNN) is at Mattannur, about 28 km east of Kannur and 24 km east of Thalassery. It is the closest for Kannur, Thalassery and Thaliparamba. Listings give about 69 km to Kanhangad and 88 km (nearly 110 km by road) to Kasaragod, so it also works for the northern towns. Prepaid taxis run around the clock and KSRTC buses serve Kannur, Kasaragod and Kozhikode. Ride-hailing apps were not available at the airport at the time of writing, so plan on a prepaid taxi or a pre-arranged pick-up.

Mangaluru International Airport (IXE) is in Karnataka, about an hour by road from Kasaragod (roughly 60 km) and about 73 km from Kanhangad. For a Kasaragod or Kanhangad base it is often the nearer choice. Check its routes from your city, because they differ from Kannur’s.

Kozhikode (CCJ) is about 90 km south of Kannur and is a useful back-up from the Gulf and from Kochi side connections.

One railway line serves all five towns

Every base town above sits on the Shoranur–Mangaluru line along the coast. That means the same trains can serve several of them. Pick the stop nearest your stay, and check that your train halts there, because express trains skip smaller stations.

Station codes: Thalassery (TLY), Kannur (CAN), Payyannur (PAY), Kanhangad (KZE). Smaller stops along the way include Payangadi, Kannapuram and Nileshwar.

Trains that are listed on this stretch include:

Netravati Express (16345/16346) between Thiruvananthapuram and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus in Mumbai, via the Konkan line.
Mangala Lakshadweep Express (12617/12618) between Ernakulam and Hazrat Nizamuddin in Delhi, via the Konkan line.
Chennai–Mangaluru Mail (12601/12602), which runs through the coast line to Mangaluru.
Ernakulam–Kannur Express (16305), Ernad Express and Mangalore Express, on the Kochi to Kannur and Mangaluru stretch.
Kannur–Thiruvananthapuram Jan Shatabdi (12081/12082), a daytime train that does not run every day.
Yesvantpur–Kannur Express (16527/16528) from Bengaluru, ending at Kannur.

Buses

Long-distance buses run along the same coast. Karnataka and Kerala state buses and private operators reach Kannur and Thalassery from Bengaluru and Mysuru by the Iritty road. Within Kerala, KSRTC buses run along the coast from Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, but a train is usually quicker. From the farther cities a bus is not practical.

From each hub city

Bengaluru (the easiest)

Flight: direct flights to Kannur are listed on IndiGo and Air India Express, taking a little over an hour. Bengaluru–Mangaluru is also a short hop for a Kasaragod or Kanhangad base.
Train: the Yesvantpur–Kannur Express runs daily over about 660 km, in roughly 13 hours. Go on to Thalassery or Payyannur by local train or taxi.
Bus: KSRTC has announced a non-AC sleeper from Madiwala in the evening to Kannur in the early morning, about 10 hours via Mysuru, Virajpet, Iritty and Thalassery. Private overnight buses use the same road. Check that the KSRTC service is still running.

Chennai

Flight: IndiGo lists a direct Chennai–Kannur flight.
Train: the Chennai–Mangaluru Mail runs through the coast line and serves the five towns. It is a long overnight run, so book early.
Bus: not practical.

Delhi

Flight: IndiGo lists a direct Delhi–Kannur flight. Some listings disagree, so confirm before planning around it. Mangaluru is the alternative for Kasaragod.
Train: the Mangala Lakshadweep Express runs along the Konkan coast and serves this line. The journey is about two days, so most visitors fly.
Bus: not realistic.

Mumbai

Flight: IndiGo lists a direct Mumbai–Kannur flight. Navi Mumbai is also listed, so check which airport your flight uses.
Train: the Netravati Express runs on the Konkan line to the coast towns. It is an overnight and day-long journey.
Bus: not practical.

Hyderabad

Flight: IndiGo lists a direct Hyderabad–Kannur flight. Some sources show it running six days a week.
Train: I did not find a confirmed through train. If you prefer rail, change at Chennai, Bengaluru or Kochi.
Bus: not practical.

Kochi

Flight: IndiGo lists Kochi–Kannur. It is a short hop, but transfers at both ends can make the train faster door to door.
Train: the Ernakulam–Kannur Express (16305) runs daily, in about six hours. The Ernad and Mangalore expresses also stop at Kannur and continue north.
Bus: KSRTC and private buses run along the coast road, but they are slower than the train.

Thiruvananthapuram

Flight: Air India Express lists a direct Thiruvananthapuram–Kannur flight.
Train: the Kannur–Thiruvananthapuram Jan Shatabdi is a daytime train. Check which days it runs. Night trains on the same line also continue to Kannur and beyond.
Bus: KSRTC runs long-distance buses, but it is a long day.

Tips for planning around a ritual night

Arrive a day early. A Theyyam can run through the night. Do not plan to land at noon and attend that evening.
Leave the day after. Keep the morning after free and book a late departure.
Trains arrive early. Overnight trains reach the coast around dawn. If you cannot check in that early, ask your stay about luggage storage.
Pre-book night transfers. Village roads are dark and taxis are scarce late at night. A driver who knows the area helps.
Travel lightly. Dress modestly and carry only what you need, as many shrine grounds are muddy or crowded.

Tell us where you are starting from

Share your city and tentative dates. We will suggest the easiest way to reach the region and arrange transfers to your stay and to the ritual, with a guide if you want one.

Plan a trip

Quick answers

Which airport is best for Theyyam in North Malabar?

Kannur International Airport (CNN) at Mattannur is the closest for Kannur, Thalassery and Thaliparamba. For Kasaragod, Mangaluru airport is nearer, about an hour by road. Kanhangad is between the two.

Which railway line do I need?

The west-coast line from Shoranur to Mangaluru. Thalassery, Kannur, Payyannur, Kanhangad and Kasaragod are all on it, so the same trains serve all five. Express trains do not stop at every station, so check that yours stops at your base town.

Is there a direct train from Bengaluru?

Yes. The Yesvantpur–Kannur Express runs daily and takes a little over 13 hours. There is also an overnight KSRTC bus.

How early should I arrive before a Theyyam?

Arrive the day before if you can. Rituals often run late into the night and sometimes into the morning, so a tight connection on the same day is risky.