Ankola railway station is a railway station serving the town of Ankola in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, India. It lies on the Konkan Railway route, which connects Mumbai with Mangaluru along the western coast of India.
| Name | Ankola railway station |
|---|---|
| Location | Ankola, Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka |
| Country | India |
| Line | Konkan Railway |
| Operator | Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) |
| Region | Karwar–Mangaluru section |
The station is one of several halts located on the southern stretch of the Konkan Railway, which traverses the coastal districts of Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka. It serves as a local railhead for Ankola town and the surrounding villages along the Karwar coast.
The Konkan Railway, on which Ankola lies, was constructed by the Konkan Railway Corporation Limited, a public sector undertaking under the Indian Ministry of Railways. The line was completed and commissioned in the late 1990s, opening through services between Mumbai and Mangaluru and providing rail connectivity to coastal towns such as Ankola for the first time. Before its construction, the region was largely dependent on the National Highway running parallel to the coast.
Ankola is situated on the Arabian Sea coast in northern Karnataka, between Karwar to the north and Gokarna to the south. The railway station provides connectivity to nearby stations including Karwar, Gokarna Road and Kumta. National Highway 66, the principal coastal highway, passes close to the town.
The station supports passenger movement for residents, pilgrims travelling to nearby temple towns such as Gokarna, and tourists visiting the beaches of the Uttara Kannada coast. It also facilitates labour and trade movement between coastal Karnataka and the larger urban centres of Mumbai, Goa and Mangaluru.