Tempo Traveller on Rent in Varanasi

Families rarely come to Kashi alone. Pilgrims arrive twenty strong from Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh or Maharashtra, NRI families return with grandparents for a Ganga snan, and tour groups combine Varanasi with Sarnath, Prayagraj and Ayodhya. A tempo traveller in Varanasi from RutzIndia.com keeps such a group together from the station platform to the ghats and on to the next tirth. We rent AC Force Travellers with 9, 12, 17, 20 and 26 seats, plus Urbanias and mini buses, with drivers who know where the vehicle-free zones begin and how to reach the temples without losing half the party.

Tempo traveller in Varanasi: rates and packages

Local and transfer fares in Varanasi use a 0.92 city factor on our national card; highway kilometres cost the same everywhere. Traveller rates are for the 9, 12 and 17 seat bodies, with 20 and 26 seaters priced on request.

Fares are before 5% GST. Highway tolls, the state permit or tax for Bihar or Madhya Pradesh, and parking are added at actual cost. For overnight trips the driver receives Rs 1,500 a night, and circuits that return to Varanasi are billed on no less than 250 km for each calendar day.

Getting to the temples and ghats with a group

Varanasi's old city was never meant for vehicles, and much of the area around Godowlia, Dashashwamedh Ghat and the Kashi Vishwanath Dham is closed to four-wheelers for most of the day. Your Traveller drops the group at the nearest permitted point, typically Maidagin or the Godowlia side depending on police arrangements that day, and waits at a parking area while you walk or take an e-rickshaw for the last stretch. Our drivers know the current rules, which change on festival days.

For darshan at Kashi Vishwanath, the temple trust publishes aarti timings, special darshan tickets and the list of items allowed inside on the Shri Kashi Vishwanath temple website. Mobile phones and bags are usually deposited in lockers near the gates, so keep valuables in the locked Traveller.

A practical order for a first day on the 8 hour / 80 km package (Rs 17,940 Pay Now to Reserve):

1. A sunrise boat ride from Assi or Dashashwamedh Ghat, past Manikarnika and the old palaces lining the river.
2. Kashi Vishwanath darshan while queues are shorter, then Kaal Bhairav and Annapurna.
3. Lunch and rest; Varanasi afternoons are hot for much of the year.
4. Sankat Mochan Hanuman temple, the Durga Kund temple and the New Vishwanath temple on the Banaras Hindu University campus.
5. The evening Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh, watched from the steps or from a boat.

Dev Deepawali with a group

On Kartik Purnima the ghats of Kashi are lit with lakhs of diyas, and it is one of the most beautiful sights in India. It is also the hardest night of the year to move a group. Roads towards the river close from the afternoon, boats are booked out weeks ahead, and hotel rates rise sharply. For a group, the plan that works is simple: reach your hotel or a pre-booked boat point well before the closures, let the Traveller park at a designated area outside the old city, and meet at a fixed landmark after the celebrations, when crowds thin. We recommend a 12 hour plan for the day, Rs 30,030 Pay Now to Reserve in a Traveller, so the vehicle is available from the afternoon until the late return.

Sawan Mondays and the kanwar season

In the Sawan month, usually July and August, kanwariyas carry Ganga water to Kashi Vishwanath and the city's Shiva temples, and Mondays see the heaviest crowds of the year at the temple. The police convert many roads to one-way routes and close stretches near the old city to vehicles for much of the day. Groups visiting in Sawan should plan darshan for a weekday other than Monday where possible, start early, and expect the vehicle to wait further from the temple than usual.

Boats, ghats and the walking route

A dawn boat ride is the best introduction to Kashi. Rowing boats and motorboats leave from Assi, Dashashwamedh and several ghats in between; agree the fare and duration before boarding and make sure there are enough life jackets for the group. From the water you pass Tulsi Ghat, Harishchandra and Manikarnika, the burning ghats where photography should be avoided out of respect, and the old palaces such as Darbhanga Ghat and Man Mandir. Many groups then walk the riverside path between ghats, which is easier than the lanes above, and rejoin the Traveller at Assi or Rajendra Prasad Ghat parking.

Sarnath and short trips around Kashi

• Sarnath, about 10 km: where the Buddha gave his first sermon, with the Dhamek Stupa, the museum and several international monasteries. A half-day 4 hour / 40 km package, Rs 10,770 Pay Now to Reserve, covers it with time to spare. The museum is closed on Fridays.
• Ramnagar Fort, about 14 km across the river: the Maharaja of Benares' fort and museum, lively during the Ramnagar Ramlila around Dussehra.
• Vindhyachal and Chunar, about 70 and 40 km: the Vindhyavasini Devi temple and the riverside Chunar fort in one day, about 180 km in all, billed on the one-day minimum of 250 km: Rs 19,500 Pay Now to Reserve. Navratri crowds at Vindhyachal are very large.

Pilgrim circuits: Prayagraj, Ayodhya, Bodh Gaya and beyond

All fares below are Rs 78 per km on the chargeable distance in a Traveller; GST, tolls, parking, permits and driver nights come on top.

• Prayagraj, about 125 km: a same-day Sangam snan and return, about 250 km, is Rs 19,500 Pay Now to Reserve. During the Magh Mela in January and February, the police route vehicles to parking zones far from the Sangam; expect a long walk and plan an early start.
• Ayodhya, about 210 km: a same-day return of 420 km is about Rs 32,760 Pay Now to Reserve, but most families stay a night for the Saryu aarti and Ram temple darshan, which is billed on 500 km, about Rs 39,000 plus a driver night.
• Triveni circuit, Varanasi to Prayagraj to Ayodhya and back: roughly 550 to 600 km over three days, billed on the three-day floor of 750 km, about Rs 58,500 plus two driver nights.
• Bodh Gaya and Gaya, about 250 km: two days for the Mahabodhi temple and Vishnupad temple, billed on 500 km, about Rs 39,000 Pay Now to Reserve, plus Bihar permit charges. Families travelling for pind daan rituals at Gaya often add a third day; adding Rajgir and Nalanda makes a three-day, 750 km trip, about Rs 58,500 Pay Now to Reserve.
• Kushinagar, about 260 km, the site of the Buddha's mahaparinirvana, and Chitrakoot, about 270 km, are two-day trips.
• Lucknow, about 300 km: for flights or onward trains, a one-way drop is Rs 23,400 Pay Now to Reserve; our Lucknow tempo traveller and Lucknow taxi service teams cover the other end.

Elders who prefer a car for the same circuits can book through our pilgrimage taxi service or compare sedans and SUVs on outstation cabs.

Plan my Kashi yatra transport

Kashi, Prayag and Ayodhya in four days

1. Day 1, Varanasi. Sunrise boat from Assi, Kashi Vishwanath darshan, Kaal Bhairav and the evening Ganga aarti. A 12 hour city day suits this well.
2. Day 2, Varanasi to Prayagraj (about 125 km). Sangam snan by boat, the Bade Hanuman temple, Anand Bhawan and an evening on the ghats; overnight in Prayagraj.
3. Day 3, Prayagraj to Ayodhya (about 170 km). Via Pratapgarh and Sultanpur, arriving for the Saryu aarti at Ram ki Paidi.
4. Day 4, Ayodhya and back to Varanasi (about 210 km). Ram temple darshan and Hanuman Garhi in the morning, then the drive back to Kashi by evening.

Actual driving is roughly 550 to 600 km, below the four-day floor of 1,000 km, so a Traveller costs Rs 78,000 plus three bata nights, tolls and GST. To use the spare kilometres, add Vindhyachal on day 2 or Sarnath on day 4.

Prayagraj during the Magh Mela and Kumbh

The confluence at Prayagraj draws its largest crowds during the annual Magh Mela in January and February, and on a far bigger scale in Kumbh years. On the main bathing dates, the administration closes the mela area to private vehicles, sets up parking zones on the city's edges and runs shuttle arrangements; walks of several kilometres are normal. For groups travelling from Varanasi we plan a very early start, a pre-agreed parking zone and meeting point, and a return after the peak crowds leave. On such dates a two-day plan with an overnight stay, charged on 500 km, is often more comfortable for elders than a same-day return.

Vindhyachal in Navratri

The Vindhyavasini Devi temple, about 70 km from Varanasi, is one of the region's most important Shakti shrines, and during both Navratris in spring and autumn the queues stretch for hours. Many groups combine it with the Ashtabhuja and Kali Khoh temples on the Trikon parikrama and with Chunar fort on the return. A day trip is charged on the 250 km floor, Rs 19,500 Pay Now to Reserve in a Traveller. On peak Navratri days vehicles stop well outside the town.

Conferences, schools and study tours

The Rudraksh International Cooperation and Convention Centre and the city's larger hotels host conferences and cultural events, and we run Traveller and Urbania shuttles between hotels and venues with a GST invoice for the organiser. Schools and universities from other states send study tours to BHU, Sarnath and the ghats, usually in 26 seat Travellers or mini buses, with a travelling teacher and a passenger list. For groups staying several weeks, such as research teams or film crews, ask about monthly car rental with driver.

Gaya, Bodh Gaya and pind daan journeys

Many families come to Varanasi and continue to Gaya to perform pind daan for their ancestors, especially during Pitru Paksha in September or October, when Gaya's ghats and the Vishnupad temple are extremely crowded. The drive is about 250 km on the Grand Trunk Road. We plan early departures, a night halt near Gaya, and parking close to the Vishnupad area where possible, with the priest and ritual arrangements made by the family. Bodh Gaya's Mahabodhi temple is a short hop from Gaya and is visited by Buddhist pilgrims from across Asia, especially in the winter months. A two-day trip is charged on 500 km, Rs 39,000 Pay Now to Reserve in a Traveller, plus bata, Bihar permit charges and GST.

Food and halts on pilgrim highways

On the Grand Trunk Road towards Gaya there are dhabas and highway restaurants around Mohania and Aurangabad, and on the Prayagraj road near Gopiganj and Handia; for Ayodhya, Jaunpur and Sultanpur have reliable stops. Pilgrim groups who observe fasts or eat only sattvik food often carry their own, and there is room in the vehicle for food boxes and water cans. The chauffeur will pause every two to three hours, and more often for elders, at places with usable washrooms. In Varanasi itself, the kachori-sabzi breakfasts near Vishwanath Gali and the lassi shops of Godowlia are part of the experience; the driver will drop and collect you at the edge of the lanes.

The Buddhist circuit by road

Sarnath, Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, Nalanda, Vaishali and Kushinagar form India's main Buddhist pilgrimage circuit, and Varanasi is a natural start. A six-day loop covering Sarnath, Bodh Gaya, Rajgir and Nalanda, Vaishali and Kushinagar, then back to Varanasi, runs to roughly 1,200 to 1,300 km and is billed on the six-day floor of 1,500 km: about Rs 1,17,000 Pay Now to Reserve in a Traveller, plus five bata nights, Bihar permit charges, tolls and GST. Monasteries and guest houses at each site welcome groups; October to March is the main season. The monuments at Sarnath are protected by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Tempo traveller vs trains and shared taxis for Kashi pilgrims

Areas we pick up from in Varanasi

Assi, Lanka, BHU campus, Sigra, Mahmoorganj, Bhelupur, Sonarpura, Godowlia (from the nearest permitted point), Dashashwamedh, Chowk, Maidagin, Lahurabir, Cantonment, Nadesar, Maldahiya, Orderly Bazar, Shivpur, Pandeypur, Paharia, Sarnath, Ramnagar, Babatpur and Mughalsarai (Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Nagar), plus all hotels and dharamshalas in the city.

Bata, Bihar permits and road notes

Bata. Each night the vehicle spends away from Varanasi adds Rs 1,500 Pay Now to Reserve for the chauffeur; dharamshalas at Gaya, Bodh Gaya and Ayodhya often have drivers' rooms.

Permits. Uttar Pradesh trips normally carry no state tax. Crossing into Bihar for Gaya, Bodh Gaya, Rajgir or Vaishali, or into Madhya Pradesh for parts of Chitrakoot, may involve a tax or permit fee, added at the receipted amount.

Roads and fog. The Grand Trunk Road towards Gaya and the Purvanchal and other expressways are tolled. Winter fog from December to January reduces speeds, so we avoid very early or late highway driving in that season.

Festivals that change everything in Varanasi

Varanasi's calendar is full of dates when crowds, closures and prices all rise. Book early for these:

• Dev Deepawali on Kartik Purnima (November), when the ghats are lit with lakhs of diyas. Boats and hotels sell out months ahead, and roads near the river close by afternoon.
• Mahashivratri (February or March), with very long queues at Kashi Vishwanath.
• Sawan (July and August), when kanwariyas throng the city and many roads become one-way or closed on Mondays.
• Chhath (October or November) and Diwali, with heavy crowds on the ghats.
• Ganga Dussehra and Buddha Purnima, the latter drawing visitors to Sarnath.

District advisories on festival traffic and diversions are published on the Varanasi district website.

Music, BHU and the quieter Kashi

Beyond the ghats, Varanasi is a city of music, scholarship and craft. The Banaras Hindu University campus, with the New Vishwanath temple and the Bharat Kala Bhavan museum, is spacious enough for a large vehicle to drive through. Evening concerts of Hindustani classical music are held at venues around the city during festivals such as the Sankat Mochan Sangeet Samaroh in spring, and the weavers' quarters of Madanpura and Lallapura show how Banarasi silk is still made on handlooms. A half-day 4 hour / 40 km package, Rs 10,770 Pay Now to Reserve, covers BHU and Sarnath or a craft tour.

Regular Traveller, Maharaja or Urbania in Varanasi

Regular Traveller. Pushback seats, roof AC outlets over every row, reading lights and charging points; the dependable choice for pilgrim groups arriving by train.

Maharaja Traveller. Nine large recliners with curtains and legroom at the standard price, easing long legs to Gaya or Ayodhya for elders.

Force Urbania. Individual recliners with personal vents and a calmer, quieter ride on the Grand Trunk Road, at Rs 102 a kilometre and Rs 24,840 Pay Now to Reserve for a Kashi day; chosen by premium tour groups and families visiting from abroad.

Weddings, saree shopping and group functions

Varanasi is also a wedding city. Ghat-side heritage hotels host small destination ceremonies with the Ganga as a backdrop, while larger family weddings move between banquet lawns on the Varuna side, hotels in the Cantonment and marriage halls along the ring road. Our Travellers shuttle guests from stations and the airport, run loops between hotels and venues on each function day, and wait for the late-night return after the reception. A decorated car for the couple can be added from our wedding car rental range, and the whole fleet appears on one GST invoice. The main wedding months are November to February, with a second window around April and May.

Wedding families also travel in groups to buy Banarasi silk. The weaving quarters around Madanpura, Peeli Kothi and Lallapura, and the showrooms near Godowlia and Chowk, sit in congested lanes; the driver drops the group at the edge of the market and waits at a parking point, so nobody carries heavy saree bundles far. Allow a full 8 hour package for serious shopping with lunch in between.

Station and airport pickups

Many pilgrim groups arrive by rail. We meet trains at Varanasi Junction (Cantt), Banaras station in Manduadih, and Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction (Mughalsarai), about 17 km away across the Ganga, which handles several long-distance trains. Share the train number and coach, and the driver will be waiting at the exit.

Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport at Babatpur is about 25 km from the ghats. The Traveller transfer of Rs 9,870 Pay Now to Reserve covers up to 40 km. The driver tracks the flight and meets you at arrivals with a name board, with the first 60 minutes free after an international flight and 30 minutes after a domestic one; longer waits are billed at the hourly rate.

How much is a tempo traveller in Varanasi in 2026? Seat-size rate card

Fares updated September 2026. Kashi's local and transfer prices use a 0.92 factor on our national card; pilgrim circuits beyond the city use the standard kilometre rates. The card is arranged by vehicle so you can compare sizes directly.

The long day is worth knowing about in Kashi, because a sunrise boat ride and an evening aarti bracket most itineraries: twelve hours is often exactly what a first day needs. It is priced as 1.5 times the 8 hour fare plus 40 km at the kilometre rate.

Picking a Traveller size for a Kashi yatra

9 seat Maharaja Traveller

Nine wide recliners for elderly parents on long pilgrim legs to Gaya, Ayodhya or Chitrakoot. Families performing shraddh or pind daan often travel with priests and ritual items, and the extra floor space helps. Same Rs 78 a kilometre as the other Travellers.

12 seat Traveller

The right size for most Kashi families: short enough for the approach roads near Assi and the Cantonment hotels, with space for suitcases, puja samagri and Ganga jal cans. Seat plans are on our 12 seater tempo traveller page.

17 seat Traveller

Economical for pilgrim groups from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat and Maharashtra who arrive by train in batches. Seventeen with overnight bags is fine for a Prayagraj or Vindhyachal day; on three-day circuits, fifteen travel more comfortably.

20 seat Traveller

For Grand Trunk Road and expressway circuits to Bodh Gaya, Prayagraj and Ayodhya; inside Varanasi it stops at the outer parking areas. Priced on enquiry.

26 seat Traveller

For large yatra groups and school trips on highway days with light luggage. For 30 or more pilgrims, a mini bus on rent or a full coach from bus on rent suits better; for small families of five or six, an Innova Crysta on rent is cheaper.

Seven pilgrim trips from Varanasi, costed

The kilometres charged are the actual round trip or 250 per calendar day, whichever is more, multiplied by the vehicle rate. Bihar or Madhya Pradesh taxes, tolls, parking, bata nights and 5% GST are added.

Twenty pilgrims sharing the Ayodhya trip in two 12 seaters, or fifteen in one 17 seater, pay well under Rs 3,000 each before extras. The billing logic is set out on our fares page.

Packing and comfort for pilgrim days

Pack light for temple days: phones and bags are usually deposited at lockers near Kashi Vishwanath, so leave valuables in the locked vehicle. Carry cotton clothes from April to June, shawls for foggy December and January mornings when trains and flights run late, and slip-on footwear for temples and ghats. Every vehicle is within four model years, with pushback or captain seats, roof AC and charging points, and arrives cleaned with a medical kit on board. Smoking and alcohol are not allowed inside. For a quieter premium cabin, compare Urbania on rent. Small families can use sedans from our Varanasi taxi service, and families visiting from abroad can combine a Traveller with our NRI car hire service.

Booking, payment and cancellation

Enter your pickup point, dates, seat count and pilgrimage plan on the booking page. You see a fixed fare, pay an advance by card or UPI, and receive the driver's name and vehicle number the evening before. Fuel, AC and the driver are included; tolls, permits, parking and the driver's night allowance are extra. Group leaders who need a written quote for several vehicles or a week-long yatra can WhatsApp the desk or call us, and a GST invoice is issued on request for trusts, companies and tour operators.

Cancellation is free up to 72 hours before pickup. Within 72 hours a charge of 10% applies, within 48 hours 50%, and within 24 hours or on a no-show 100%. Full terms are on the cancellation policy page. The national tempo traveller on rent page lists every seat layout we offer across India.