Bhubaneswar by road: how to get there and what a car costs
Bhubaneswar is about 60 km from Puri, typically 1.5 hours on NH316, and about 440 km from Kolkata on NH16. A RutzIndia.com sedan from Puri costs Rs 3,960 Pay Now to Reserve one way (Innova Rs 6,930 Pay Now to Reserve, minimum fare applies), and a full day of temple sightseeing on the 8 hr / 80 km package is Rs 7,200 Pay Now to Reserve by sedan, before 5% GST.
Odisha's capital is two cities at once. One is a planned post-independence capital of wide avenues, government buildings, IT parks and hockey stadiums; the other is the ancient temple town of Ekamra Kshetra, where hundreds of sandstone shrines were raised between roughly the 7th and 13th centuries, their curved towers showing the whole evolution of the Kalinga style of architecture. Add the Jain caves of Udayagiri and Khandagiri and the Ashokan edicts at Dhauli, and you have one of the densest concentrations of heritage in eastern India.
Most visitors arrive by air at Biju Patnaik International Airport, which sits almost inside the city, or by train, and then use Bhubaneswar as the base for Puri, Konark and Chilika Lake. Others drive in from Puri at the end of a beach holiday, or from Kolkata along the coast. This guide covers the roads in, the sights and how to sequence them, seasons and festivals, the fares for local and outstation hire, and practical tips. You can book online at any time.
What to see in Bhubaneswar
The old temple town
- Lingaraj Temple, built around the 11th century and dedicated to Shiva as Harihara, is the grandest of all, its main tower rising above a walled compound of smaller shrines. Entry is limited to Hindus; others can see the complex from a viewing platform built beside the compound wall. Cameras are not allowed inside.
- Mukteshwar Temple, from roughly the 10th century, is small, exquisitely carved and famous for its arched stone torana gateway; it is often called the gem of Odishan architecture.
- Rajarani Temple, set in lawns, has no presiding deity and is admired purely for its sculpture, especially graceful female figures; it is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India with a ticketed entry.
- Parasurameswara, among the oldest surviving temples in the city, shows the early, simpler form of the style, while Brahmeswara and the unusual Vaital Deul, with a barrel-vaulted roof, round out a morning's walk.
- Bindu Sagar, the sacred tank in the heart of the old town, is where the deity of Lingaraj is brought out for the Chandan Yatra festivities.
Caves, edicts and museums
Udayagiri and Khandagiri, twin hills on the western edge of the city, are honeycombed with rock-cut chambers made for Jain monks around the 2nd century BCE under King Kharavela. The Hathigumpha inscription records his reign, and the two-storey Rani Gumpha has lively friezes. Allow two hours and wear shoes you can climb in.
Dhauli, about 8 km south on the Daya river, is where Emperor Ashoka is believed to have fought the Kalinga war and turned to Buddhism. His rock edicts are carved on a boulder topped by the forepart of an elephant, and the white Shanti Stupa, built in the 1970s with Japanese Buddhist support, crowns the hill. The Odisha State Museum holds palm-leaf manuscripts, sculpture and coins, and Ekamra Haat is a good place to buy handloom and crafts in one place.
Families often add Nandankanan Zoological Park, about 20 km north, known for its white tigers and lion safari, and the circular 64 Yogini temple at Hirapur, a quiet 15 km drive south-east. Check official opening days before you set off; our driver will reorder the day if a site is closed.
Evenings and food
Bhubaneswar's evenings are best spent eating. Odia cooking is subtle rather than fiery: dalma, a lentil and vegetable stew tempered with panch phoron; santula, gently spiced vegetables; fish and prawns in mustard gravy; and pakhala, fermented rice in water, eaten with fried sides on hot afternoons. For dessert there is the local rasagola, which carries a geographical indication tag for Odisha, and chhena poda, a caramelised baked cheese cake. Saheed Nagar and the Janpath area have busy restaurants, and hotel kitchens serve good Odia thalis if you ask for them. Your driver can wait while you eat and bring you back to the hotel, which saves haggling with autos late at night.
Roads into Bhubaneswar
From Puri (about 60 km). The four-lane NH316 runs north-west through Pipili, where the highway is lined with appliqué shops. It is an easy, fast road, and the best time to drive is mid-morning or after 3 pm, avoiding pilgrim buses at dawn.
From Kolkata (about 440 km). NH16, the old Kolkata-Chennai highway, is four-laned most of the way via Kharagpur, Balasore, Bhadrak and Cuttack, with regular toll plazas and plenty of dhabas. Expect 8 to 9 hours. Our Kolkata taxi service handles one-way and round-trip bookings on this corridor.
From Cuttack (about 30 km). The twin city across the Mahanadi is now almost continuous with Bhubaneswar. It is worth a half-day for Barabati fort, silver filigree workshops and the famous dahi bara aloo dum sold at street stalls.
From the airport. Biju Patnaik airport is a few kilometres from the old town and the government districts. Pickups include flight tracking, a name board and free waiting of 30 minutes after domestic arrivals and 60 minutes after international ones. Flight information is available through the Airports Authority of India.
When to visit: weather and festivals
The best months are October to March, when the humidity drops and days are warm rather than oppressive, ideal for walking between temples. April to June is very hot, often above 40 degrees, so plan temple visits for early morning and museums at midday. The monsoon from July to September is wet but green, and the city's drains cope reasonably well.
Festivals add colour. Maha Shivaratri (February or March) draws huge crowds to Lingaraj. The Rukuna Rath Yatra of Lingaraj takes place around Ashokashtami in spring, and the summer Chandan Yatra sees deities taken out on boats on Bindu Sagar. Raja Parba in June celebrates the earth and womanhood with swings and special cakes, and Durga Puja in the twin city of Cuttack is famous for its silver-decorated pandals. The Kalinga Mahotsav at Dhauli features martial and dance traditions. Dates vary; the official Odisha Tourism website publishes each year's calendar.
Chauffeured services and fares around Bhubaneswar
RutzIndia.com provides:
- Local hire by the day: 8 hr / 80 km for temple and cave sightseeing, or 4 hr / 40 km for a short visit; see local car rental.
- Airport and railway transfers within the city, and to Cuttack, Puri or Konark.
- Outstation circuits to Puri, Konark and Chilika, or longer drives to Kolkata and Similipal National Park on request.
- Corporate car rental for companies and delegations visiting the state capital's IT parks and government offices, with GST invoices; see corporate car rental.
- Luxury sedans such as the Mercedes E-Class for weddings and VIP visits.
| Service | Sedan | Innova Crysta | Tempo Traveller |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local 4 hr / 40 km | Rs 4,320 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 7,560 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 11,700 Pay Now to Reserve |
| Local 8 hr / 80 km | Rs 7,200 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 12,600 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 19,500 Pay Now to Reserve |
| Local 12 hr (8 hr fare x 1.5 plus 40 km) | Rs 12,240 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 21,180 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 32,370 Pay Now to Reserve |
| Airport or city transfer (up to 40 km) | Rs 3,960 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 6,930 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 10,740 Pay Now to Reserve |
| Puri to Bhubaneswar one way (about 60 km, minimum fare applies) | Rs 3,960 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 6,930 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 10,740 Pay Now to Reserve |
| Kolkata to Bhubaneswar one way (about 440 km) | Rs 15,840 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 25,080 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 34,320 Pay Now to Reserve |
These are pre-tax fares; 5% GST is added on the invoice. Parking at temples and monuments, tolls on NH16 and NH316 and any state permits are passed through at actual cost. For outstation round trips, each calendar day is billed at a minimum of 250 km, and the driver's night allowance is Rs 1,500 per night. Extra hours or kilometres on local packages are charged at the published rates on our fares page. A Mercedes E-Class is Rs 37,500 Pay Now to Reserve for 8 hr / 80 km.
All vehicles are within four model years. If you need to cancel, it is free more than 72 hours before pickup, 10% within 72 hours, 50% within 48 hours and 100% within 24 hours or on a no-show. The full terms are on the cancellation policy page.
Book a car with driver in Bhubaneswar
A day, and three days, in and around Bhubaneswar
Temple city in one day (about 60 km on an 8 hr package). Start at 7 am with Parasurameswara, Mukteshwar and Rajarani while it is cool; Lingaraj and Bindu Sagar before noon; lunch of dalma, fish curry and chhena poda; Udayagiri and Khandagiri in the afternoon; sunset at Dhauli's Shanti Stupa.
Three days in Odisha (about 450 km). Day 1, the temple city as above. Day 2, Puri for darshan and Raghurajpur, the marine drive to Konark for the Sun Temple, and back. Day 3, a boat trip on Chilika Lake from Barkul or Satapada and return for an evening flight.
Practical tips
- Dress code: shoulders and knees covered for temples; leather items are not allowed inside Lingaraj.
- Guides: ASI-approved guides at Rajarani and the caves bring the architecture alive.
- Heat: carry water and sun protection from March onwards; temple floors are hot at midday.
- Parking: the old town's lanes are narrow; your driver drops you at the gate and waits nearby.
- Food and sweets: try the rasagola and chhena poda, and Cuttack's street dahi bara.
- Shopping: Ekamra Haat and the state emporia for Sambalpuri ikat and silver filigree.
Bhubaneswar rewards unhurried exploration. With one car and a local driver, you can see the city's temples in a day and the whole golden triangle of Odisha in three. For more pilgrim and heritage routes around India, browse tours by car.
