Jangchup Lamrim Teachings by HH Dalai Lama

Transportation

The following travel information is, to the best of our knowledge, accurate as of April 2013. However, because situations often change quickly in India, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of this  information and we apologize for any errors. (If you do find errors, please help us improve this page by sending current information to: jangchuplamrim@gmail.com.)

A note about prices: during large events such as teachings with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, prices can vary greatly from the normal rates and are therefore unpredictable, so unfortunately we are not able to list prices below.

The Jangchup Lamrim Teaching Organizing Committee deeply regrets that we are unable to assist with the personal travel arrangements of the thousands of expected attendees. If you require additional advice or assistance to make your travel arrangements, please contact a travel agent, your hotel, or the members of the monastery housing where you will stay.  They will be able to assist you personally.
 

Location and Maps

Sera Monastery is located in Lugsung Samdupling Tibetan Settlement, in Bylakuppe, Mysore District, Karnataka State, South India, approximately 240km/150 miles west of Bangalore (Bengaluru).

The nearest large city is Mysore, which is approx. 90km/55 miles to the east. The nearest small town is Kushalnagar, which is approx. 8km to the north of Sera. The centre of Bylakuppe is approx. 8km to the southeast of Sera. To travel to Sera from either Bylakuppe or Kushalnagar, auto rickshaws (shared or private) and taxis are available.

There are two Tibetan Settlements in Bylakuppe (Lugsung Samdupling and Dickyi Larsoe) and many monasteries and nunneries, including:

A satellite map of Bylakuppe is available on Wikimaps.


View Larger Map

By Air

The nearest international airports are:

  • Bangalore (Bengaluru) – approx. 240km
  • Mangalore – approx. 180km
  • Calicut – approx. 220km
  • Goa – approx. 550km
  • Chennai – approx. 550km

The nearest domestic airport is Mysore Airport (approx. 100km/60miles from Sera). As of April 2013, Spice Jet is offering direct flights between Mysore and Bangalore only. Connecting flights (via Bangalore) are available on Spice Jet to Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Hyderabad. See here for more details: SpiceJet Airlines and InMysore.com.  Please note: These flights between Bangalore and Mysore only began in early 2013 and it is uncertain if they will still be operating during the time of the teachings, so you are advised to book with caution.

As most attendees who fly will travel via Bangalore Airport, here are some details concerning travel from Bangalore airport:

Taxi from Bangalore Airport: Approximately 6 hour drive to Bylakuppe. There is a pre-paid taxi desk inside the airport. For more information about the pre-paid taxis see: Bengaluru International Airport.

24/7 Deluxe Shuttle Bus from Bangalore Airport: Services available to Bangalore city, railway stations, and bus stations from where you can take a bus directly to Bylakuppe/Kushalnagar (see “By Bus” section below). For more info about the Airport Shuttle Bus (routes, timings, fares) see: Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation.

Train from Bangalore Airport: There is currently no direct train service from the airport. You can travel via taxi or Shuttle Bus (see directly above) to Bangalore’s Central Railway Station (approximately 45min) to take a train to Mysore.

By Train

The nearest main railway station is Mysore (approx. 90km/55miles from Sera), which is well connected with many trains to Bangalore and other cities.

For information about train routes, fares and seat availability between any 2 cities in India, see: Indian Railways Passenger Reservation Enquiry.

Specifically for suggestions of trains to/from Mysore, see InMysore.com and IndianRailInfo.com.

IMPORTANT NOTES FOR PURCHASING TRAIN TICKETS: When purchasing train tickets, it is advisable to use a travel agent. Though train tickets can be purchased on-line by individuals, this is usually a difficult process requiring an Indian credit card and an Indian mobile/cell phone number. Indian trains are often booked out months in advance, so you are advised to purchase your train tickets as early as possible. As of May 2013, train tickets can be booked up to 60 days in advance.

By Bus

Sera Monastery is located in between the centre of Bylakuppe (8km southeast of Sera) and the small town of Kushalnagar (8km north of Sera). Both Bylakuppe and Kushalnagar are well connected to Mysore, Bangalore, Mangalore, Calicut, Madras, Coimbatore, Ooty, Cannanore, Panaji(Goa) and many other cities by well-maintained state highways and plentiful bus services. For more info see: Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation.

Bus from Bangalore: There are frequent luxury (“deluxe”), semi-luxury (“semi-deluxe”), and ordinary buses from Bangalore to Mysore (approx. 3 hours) and many of these carry on to Bylakuppe/Kushalnagar (an additional 2 hours; total 5 hours from Bangalore). Note: Direct buses to Kushalnagar leave from Bangalore’s Satellite Bus Station (also known as Mysore Road Satellite Bus Station, or MCTC) which is one of Bangalore’s 6 major bus stations. For more info see: Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation  or Banglaore Metropolitan Transport Corporation.

Bus from Mysore: There are frequent luxury (“deluxe”), semi-luxury (“semi-deluxe”), and ordinary buses from Mysore’s Suburban Bus Stand to Bylakuppe/Kushalnagar (2 hours). For more info see: Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation. For more information about bus services between Mysore and the rest of south India, see: InMysore.com.

NOTE: Similar to purchasing train tickets, when purchasing bus tickets it is advisable to use a travel agent. Though bus tickets can be purchased on-line by individuals, this is usually a difficult process requiring an Indian credit card and an Indian mobile/cell phone number.