Gujarat is India's westernmost state, a broad sweep of Arabian Sea coastline, salt desert, and temple towns on the border with Pakistan and Rajasthan. It holds four UNESCO World Heritage Sites plus the walled city of Ahmedabad, the only Asiatic lion population on earth at Gir, the white salt flats of the Rann of Kutch, and the 182-metre Statue of Unity. It is also an alcohol-prohibition state with a famously vegetarian kitchen, from the multi-course Gujarati thali to Surat's locho and Kutch's dabeli.
- Public
- Indian Railways is the backbone of travel across Gujarat, with Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, and Rajkot on the busy Mumbai-Delhi trunk routes and branch lines reaching Bhuj, Dwarka, Okha, Veraval, and Ekta Nagar; Ahmedabad adds a metro and the pioneering Janmarg BRTS, and GSRTC buses reach almost every town
- Taxi
- Uber, Ola, and Rapido operate in Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, and Rajkot, and app cabs are cheap by international standards; outside the big cities, travel is usually by pre-booked full-day car with driver arranged through a hotel or local operator
- Rental
- Self-drive rentals from Zoomcar, Revv, and MyChoize exist in Ahmedabad, Surat, and Vadodara, but most visitors hire a car with a driver instead - highways such as the Ahmedabad-Vadodara Expressway are excellent while rural roads mix trucks, tractors, camel carts, and livestock
- Walking
- The old walled city of Ahmedabad, Vadodara's Sursagar district, and small towns such as Mandvi and Dwarka reward walking, but Gujarat's cities are spread out, footpaths are patchy, and heat from March to June makes long walks punishing
Transport at a glance
- Public
- 4/5
- Taxi
- 4/5
- Rental
- 3/5
- Walking
- 2/5
Airport transfers
Getting from the airport to your accommodation.
- Ahmedabad
- App cabs from the designated pickup zone cost about INR 250-500 (about USD 2.60-5.20) into the city and take 25-40 minutes. Prepaid airport taxis charge roughly INR 400-700 (about USD 4.20-7.30) with the fare fixed at the counter. Auto-rickshaws are cheapest at INR 150-300 (about USD 1.55-3.15) but have almost no luggage space.
- Surat
- App cabs into Surat run about INR 250-450 (about USD 2.60-4.70) over 25-35 minutes; autos cost INR 200-350 (about USD 2.10-3.65).
- Vadodara
- Harni airport is only about 6 km from the centre - app cabs cost INR 200-400 (about USD 2.10-4.20) and autos INR 150-250 (about USD 1.55-2.60).
- Rajkot
- Hirasar is about 30 km out, so allow 40-55 minutes and INR 700-1,100 (about USD 7.30-11.45) by taxi; an airport shuttle bus runs to Rajkot city for around INR 100-150 (about USD 1.04-1.55).
- Bhuj
- Taxis and autos into Bhuj cost INR 200-400 (about USD 2.10-4.20). Resorts in Mandvi and the White Rann arrange pickups for about INR 1,500-3,000 (about USD 15.60-31.25) one way.
- Tips
- Pre-book an airport pickup for arrivals after midnight, when app-cab supply at Ahmedabad thins out · Ahmedabad's Terminal 1 (domestic) and Terminal 2 (international) are separate buildings - tell the driver which one · Carry INR 500 in small notes for the first transfer in case a driver cannot accept UPI
Local transport
Getting around the city.
Metro
Ahmedabad Metro runs a Blue Line (Vastral Gam to Thaltej Gam) and a Red Line (APMC to Motera Stadium), with the Phase 2 Yellow Line extending to Gandhinagar and GIFT City. Tokens INR 5-25 (about USD 0.05-0.26); tourist day pass INR 100 (about USD 1.04).
Brts
Janmarg in Ahmedabad and the Surat BRTS use dedicated median lanes with closed, level-boarding stations. Distance-based fares from about INR 5 to INR 45 (about USD 0.05-0.47).
City Buses
AMTS in Ahmedabad, Sitilink in Surat and VTCOS in Vadodara run conventional buses with fares from about INR 5 (about USD 0.05).
Auto Rickshaws
The default short-hop transport statewide. Metered in Ahmedabad; elsewhere fares are negotiated or booked through Uber, Ola or Rapido.
Bike Taxis
Rapido bike taxis are widespread in Ahmedabad and Surat and are the fastest way through congested old-city lanes; expect INR 30-90 (about USD 0.31-0.94) for a short ride.
Shared Jeeps
Shared jeeps and chhakdas serve village routes in Kutch and Saurashtra where GSRTC buses are infrequent; fares are a few tens of rupees and vehicles leave when full.
Cycling
The Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad has a long continuous promenade and cycle path, and Mandvi and Diu are flat enough for easy pedalling; city traffic elsewhere makes cycling difficult.
Taxis & rideshare
What to expect from taxis and apps.
- Availability
- Uber, Ola and Rapido operate in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot. Coverage is thin to non-existent in Kutch, the Saurashtra coast and rural North Gujarat, where full-day cars are booked through hotels or local agencies.
- Typical Fares
- App cabs run roughly INR 15-22 per km (about USD 0.16-0.23); a 5 km city hop is typically INR 120-250 (about USD 1.25-2.60). Auto-rickshaws start at around INR 25 (about USD 0.26) for the first 1.25 km and add roughly INR 20 (about USD 0.21) per km.
- Night Surcharge
- A 25 percent surcharge applies to metered auto-rickshaw fares between 23:00 and 06:00; app cabs apply surge pricing instead
- Payment
- Cash, UPI QR code and in-app card payment are all common. Small denomination notes are useful as drivers often lack change.
- Full Day Hire
- A car with driver costs about INR 2,500-4,500 per day (about USD 26.05-46.90) including roughly 250-300 km, with extra kilometres charged at around INR 12-18 (about USD 0.13-0.19). Driver allowance for overnight trips is typically INR 300-500 (about USD 3.15-5.20) per night.
- Tips
- Insist on the meter in auto-rickshaws in Ahmedabad, or book the same ride through an app to lock the fare, Agree a full-day rate and a kilometre limit in writing before setting off for Kutch or Saurashtra, Share the trip link from the app with someone when travelling alone at night, Keep the driver's phone number when hiring a car for a full day of sightseeing stops
Intercity travel
Getting between cities and regions.
Ahmedabad to Vadodara
Ahmedabad to Surat
Ahmedabad to Rajkot
Ahmedabad to Bhuj
Ahmedabad to Dwarka
Vadodara to Ekta Nagar (Statue of Unity)
Ahmedabad to Mumbai
Rajkot to Somnath (Veraval)
Transportation details
Full breakdown of how to get around.
Gujarat is large - roughly 1,600 km of coastline and a spread of regions from the Kutch desert to the south Gujarat coast - so most itineraries combine trains for the long legs with a hired car for the last stretch. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad (AMD) is the main gateway, with Surat (STV), Vadodara (BDQ), Rajkot's new Hirasar airport (HSR), and Bhuj (BHJ) handling domestic traffic. Indian Railways runs frequent fast services along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad-Delhi spine, including Vande Bharat trains to Mumbai Central and Gandhinagar Capital, while branch lines serve Bhuj, Dwarka, Okha, Veraval, and Ekta Nagar for the Statue of Unity. Ahmedabad has a two-line metro plus the Janmarg BRTS; GSRTC state buses fill in everywhere else. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train is under construction and not yet carrying passengers.
Airports
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad
Surat International Airport
Vadodara Airport (Harni)
Rajkot International Airport (Hirasar)
Bhuj Airport (Rudra Mata)
Diu Airport
Useful apps
Download before you arrive.
IRCTC Rail Connect
UTS on Mobile
GSRTC
RedBus
Uber
Ola
Rapido
Where is my Train
Google Maps
Ahmedabad Metro (Gujarat Metro Rail)
Transport tips
Travel smarter, not harder.
Book long-distance trains on the IRCTC Rail Connect app well ahead - Ahmedabad-Mumbai and Ahmedabad-Delhi sleeper classes sell out weeks before festivals
Auto-rickshaws in Ahmedabad are metered at roughly INR 25 (about USD 0.26) for the first 1.25 km and around INR 20 (about USD 0.21) per km after, with a 25 percent surcharge between 23:00 and 06:00 - insist on the meter
Gujarat is a dry state: alcohol is prohibited, so do not carry liquor in a hired car or across the state border without a permit
Ahmedabad Metro tokens cost INR 5-25 (about USD 0.05-0.26) and a tourist day pass is INR 100 (about USD 1.04) - the Blue Line links the old city with the western suburbs
Uber and Ola auto options are usually cheaper and faster than a negotiated street rickshaw fare, and the fare is fixed in the app
For Kutch, Saurashtra, and the Statue of Unity, a full-day car with driver (roughly INR 2,500-4,500, about USD 26-47) is far more practical than piecing together buses
Carry small notes and use UPI - most taxis, rickshaw drivers, and bus counters in Gujarat accept UPI payment by QR code
GSRTC Volvo and sleeper coaches booked via the GSRTC app or RedBus are comfortable for overnight hops such as Ahmedabad-Bhuj