Search this topic and you’ll get three different answers depending on which map app or forum thread you land on — one page quotes an hour, another says three, a third still talks about a bus route that stopped running years ago. Part of the problem is that the road from Bangalore changed a lot once the Bengaluru–Mysuru Expressway opened, and most of the older posts floating around online were never updated to match.
Here’s the route broken down properly, by starting point and by mode, so you’re not stitching it together from five different tabs the night before your trip.
Quick Answer: Route at a Glance
| Starting Point | Distance | Approx. Travel Time | Best Option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangalore (city) | ~145 km | 2.5–3 hours | Car via Bengaluru–Mysuru Expressway |
| Bangalore Airport (BLR) | ~170 km | 3–3.5 hours | Car or KSRTC airport bus to Mysuru |
| Mysuru Junction (railway station) | ~23 km | 40–60 min | Auto, cab, or city bus |
| Mysore city centre | 18–23 km | 30–45 min | City bus, auto, or self-drive |
These figures move around with traffic, roadwork, and the time of day you travel — treat them as a planning range rather than a guarantee, and check live traffic before you leave if your timing is tight (say, if you’re racing the evening fountain show).
From Bangalore
Driving Yourself or Taking a Cab
This is where the expressway makes the biggest difference. Before it opened in 2023, the drive from Bangalore to Mysore on the old highway ran 3.5 to 4 hours on a normal day. Now, outside of peak traffic, most people get there in under 3 hours, and closer to 2.5 if they leave early and don’t get stuck in a toll queue.
A couple of things that matter if you’re driving:
- There are two toll plazas on the way — Kaniminike and Sheshagirihalli. A car pays approximately ₹300–320 one way across both; a same-day return works out cheaper than paying twice, so hang on to your first toll receipt. (Toll rates are revised periodically — verify the current fee before you travel.)
- Two-wheelers can’t use the main expressway carriageway. Bikers have to stick to the parallel service road for most of the stretch, which takes noticeably longer than the highway itself.
- Coming from the Mysuru end, the turn toward KRS Dam Road branches off before you’d actually enter Mysore city. Set your GPS destination as Brindavan Gardens directly, not “Mysore city centre” — routing through the city adds a detour you don’t need if the garden is your only stop.
- Traffic gets heaviest heading out of Bangalore on Friday nights and Saturday mornings, especially around Bidadi and Ramanagara. A weekday trip skips most of that.
- Once you arrive, note that parking is a separate charge from your entry ticket and is collected before you reach the counter — worth budgeting a few extra minutes and rupees for.
Taking the Bus
KSRTC runs both AC Volvo and ordinary buses between Bangalore and Mysore through the day, mostly out of Kempegowda Bus Station (Majestic) and Satellite Bus Stand. With the expressway, the ride itself is down to around 3 hours for most services — though check current timings online rather than trusting an old printed schedule, because departure frequency does shift.
One thing to know going in: there’s no direct bus from Bangalore straight to Brindavan Gardens. You’ll land at one of Mysore’s bus stands and need a second, shorter ride to actually reach the garden, covered further down. If you’re flying into Bengaluru Airport instead of the city, KSRTC also runs a separate airport-to-Mysuru service, which adds roughly 30–45 minutes to the total journey compared to starting from the city.
Taking the Train
Trains from KSR Bengaluru to Mysuru Junction take a little over two hours on the faster ones, and it’s the easiest way to skip road traffic entirely. The catch is that the station itself sits about 23 km from Brindavan Gardens, so you’re not really “there” when you get off.
Budget another 30–45 minutes for a bus, auto, or cab to cover that last stretch, particularly if you’re timing your visit around the evening fountain show. Outside peak holiday periods, you can usually find autos and cabs outside Mysuru Junction without pre-booking.
Flying In
Bengaluru is the more practical airport for most travellers simply because of how many flights connect there. Mysore Airport (Mandakalli) sits much closer to the garden itself, but its schedule is thin enough that it only really works if a connecting flight happens to line up with your dates. (Flight frequency to Mysore Airport changes seasonally — check current routes before planning around it.)
From Mysore City
If you’re already staying in Mysore and this is a day trip out, the leg is short, and how you cover it mostly comes down to budget and how much you want to control your own timing.
City buses on routes like 303 and 303A run from Mysore’s City Bus Stand toward Krishnarajasagara and stop near the garden entrance — cheapest option by far, taking around 30–45 minutes. Timings thin out outside peak hours, though, and buses fill up fast on weekends. (Route numbers can be reassigned by KSRTC over time — confirm the current route number at the bus stand before you board.) If your plan depends on catching the last bus back, check the actual timing before you leave rather than assuming one will show up.
An auto-rickshaw one way from central Mysore usually runs somewhere between ₹250 and ₹350, though it depends heavily on where exactly you’re starting from and how the negotiation goes. This is a well-worn tourist route, so agree on the fare or ask for the meter before you get in — although many now accept UPI, carrying some cash is still useful in case digital payments aren’t available.
A cab through Ola, Uber, or a local taxi stand makes more sense if there are two or more of you splitting the cost. It also removes the guesswork around bus timings, which matters if you want to arrive early for daylight and stay through the fountain show.
Driving yourself, it’s about 18–21 km from the KRS Bus Stand area via KRS Road. Around 10 km out of the city you’ll hit Pump House Junction — the left turn takes you to Brindavan Gardens, the right one goes to Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary and Srirangapatna, and it’s an easy junction to blow past if you’re not watching for it. A signboard marks the fork, but it’s small enough that first-time visitors often rely on GPS as backup.
Before you reach there check this helpful guide also: Brindavan Gardens Trip Budget: Complete Cost Breakdown for 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a direct bus from Bangalore to Brindavan Gardens?
No. Most KSRTC buses from Bangalore terminate at Mysore. From there, you’ll need to take a city bus, auto-rickshaw, or cab to reach Brindavan Gardens.
Which is the nearest railway station to Brindavan Gardens?
Mysuru Junction is the nearest major railway station, located about 23 km from Brindavan Gardens. The onward journey by road usually takes around 30–45 minutes, depending on traffic and your mode of transport.
Is Brindavan Gardens suitable for a one-day trip from Bangalore?
Yes. A same-day trip from Bangalore is possible if you leave early in the morning. This gives you enough time to explore the gardens during daylight and stay for the evening musical fountain show before returning.
Is it easy to drive from Bangalore to Brindavan Gardens?
Yes. The Bengaluru–Mysuru Expressway has made the journey much faster than before. The drive generally takes around 2.5–3 hours in normal traffic. Keep in mind that toll charges apply, and two-wheelers must use the parallel service road instead of the main expressway.
Before You Set Off
If the evening fountain show is the whole point of your trip, work backward from that — leave with enough daylight to explore the garden first, because show timings shift with the season and you don’t want to arrive right as it’s starting.
June through September brings its own complications. Sections of KRS Road and the older highway stretch can get slippery with reduced visibility during heavy rain, so it’s better to pad the trip with an extra half hour and skip driving after dark on the rural stretches if you can help it.
Weekends are simply slower, full stop — buses run fuller, autos get harder to negotiate, and the road itself sees more traffic both on the expressway approach and near the garden’s KRS Road end. If your schedule allows a weekday, it’s a noticeably easier trip, and it also means shorter queues at the ticket counter once you arrive.
One more thing worth knowing if you’re driving: because the Pump House Junction turnoff splits toward Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary and Srirangapatna as well, a lot of travellers fold one of those into the same day rather than making a separate trip out.
Travel times, toll figures, and fares above are approximate — traffic, toll revisions, and bus schedules all shift over time, so it’s sensible to check current KSRTC timings and toll rates closer to your travel date.
Rahul Sharma is the founder and editor of BrindavanaGarden.com. He researches Brindavan Gardens, Mysore tourism, and nearby attractions using Karnataka Tourism resources, official websites, visitor reviews, maps, and trusted travel references. Every guide is carefully reviewed and updated to keep practical information such as timings, entry fees, travel tips, and visitor advice as accurate and useful as possible. His goal is to help travelers plan smoother, better-informed trips to Brindavan Gardens and the surrounding Mysore region.