A link bus connecting Kochi airport to the nearest metro station has begun operating on Thursday. The Pavan Doot buses, which would ply between the airport and the Kochi metro, run on electricity.
Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) Managing Director VJ Kurian flagged off the Pavan Bus services at a function held in Kochi airport on Thursday evening. "We have already planned airport connectivity as phase three. This is the first step towards achieving the goal. Twelve thousand persons are working here. They will also benefit,” said Kurian.
Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) managing director Alkesh Kumar Sharma gave the ticket to the first passenger.
"It is a great start to a much awaited partnership. We thank CIAL for all the support," said Alkesh Kumar. "Within a short timeframe, KMRL signed an agreement with KSRTC (Kerala Road Transport Corporation). We can find out how many people will travel in metro to reach airport with the launch of Pavan Doot.”
The buses start running from 5 am from the designated stops at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. The service is available from Aluva metro station to Kochi airport at 5.40 am. The last bus service is at 10 pm.
There are 30 seats in the bus and there would also be space for keeping the luggage of the passengers.
In the first phase, there would be two buses. The bus service will be available from the airport to the Aluva metro station and vice-versa every 40 minutes.
The bus fare for one trip is Rs 50.