Getting from Goa to Hampi

You’re in Goa, land of sun, sea and inexpensive alcohol, the ideal life for any hedonist. Where next? What can possibly keep up with the beautiful life of Goa? What could keep you hooked? You should go from Goa to Hampi.

A village in north Karnataka, Hampi means champion. It’s located on the ruins of the ancient city Vijayanagara of the empire of the same name. The ruins are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the area is almost unaffected by time. Hampi is honestly a delightful and picturesque idyll.

It’s stuck in 16^th century and positively oozing with that old world charm. It’s backpacker central there, so it should definitely be on your itinerary if you’re not willing to end the vacation in Goa.

Our practical guide explains the different travel options between Hampi and Goa and the pros and the cons of each mode. It’s not exactly a hop-skip and jump away, but Hampi is truly worth the travel effort. The distance from Goa to Hampi is 344 kilometres. There are no flights from Goa to Hampi so can either take the train or bus.

If you’re interested in going to either of these places, let us know and we’ll handle all the logistics for you. 

Once you have relaxed on the beaches of Goa you now can explore Hampi

By bus

There are state transport buses that run from Goa to Hampi, we have not tried them. They tend to take much longer and can be uncomfortable.

We frequently use Paulo Travels, which provides two bus services from Goa to Hampi and viceversa. You have the choice of a Volvo Sleeper and a Non AC bus. Both buses are scheduled for the evening. One leaves at 18:55 IST and the other at 19:04 IST. It takes about 7 to 8 hours to reach Hampi by bus and should not cost you more than INR 600 – 800 (USD 8-11, EUR 7-9)

Tickets can be purchased directly in Goa, or purchased online.

Side note: Paulo Travels is usually a reliable bus in terms of punctuality and comfort. They frequently ply between Goa and Mumbai too. VRL is our favourite and Neeta is another good bus service.

The ancient ruins you can see in Hampi are practically unaffected by change

By train

Getting from Goa to Hampi by train is our preferred option. We recommend you take the Howrah Express (not available Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays). You can board this train from Vasco De Gama Station at 7:20 IST in Goa and reach Hospet at 14:00. Hospet is the closest station to Hampi, where you can take a rickshaw for about 20 km to reach Hampi. We suggest the train because it’s fast and you reach Hampi in the afternoon which leaves an extra evening to spend there.

The journey is pretty beautiful, full of ghats and the mesmerizing Dudhsagar waterfalls. The Mandovi River making a leap in all its grace (looks like milk flowing from a mountain), hence named the Dudhsagar waterfalls (sea of milk).

The Howrah Express passing through Dudhsagar Falls – Credit: Benjamin Rualthanzauva

By Car (and driver)

Once can hire a private car and drive from Goa to Hampi. It’s a long drive and quite expensive. Expect 7 to 8 hours (up to 9) on the road. It would also cost you anywhere between INR 9000 to 11000 (USD 120-150, EUR 110-135), and this is including fuel costs.

Hampi can also be a day trip, tourists can rent a car, go to Hampi and back. Honestly, we think that is a tortuous amount of driving and Hampi deserves more time for how stunning it is! A sunset or sunrise may well be one of your most memorable India experiences. The entire red granite landscape glistens in the sun’s rays.

Hampi’s ruins are not only magnificent and have a rich history behind them, but they’re also so abundant throughout the town

Getting from Hampi to Goa

You can use the same bus and train services from Paulo Travels or Howrah Express from Hampi to Goa. When travelling from Hampi to Goa, we highly recommend the bus. This is because the trains originate from Kolkata, which is 36 hours away from Hospet, so they’re often late and at times can be very dirty.

If you have reached Hampi and you’re wondering where to go next, try Kerala, ‘God’s Own Country,’ out.

Here are travel options between Goa and Kerala.

What are you waiting for? Plan your trip with us now and you won’t regret visiting Goa, Hampi or any other idyllic place in India you’d be interested in!

You can also try out rock climbing or bouldering – Credit: derek_2001