What the 250 km per day minimum actually means
· 4 min read
Every outstation quote you receive in Varanasi carries a line like "₹23/km, 250 km per day minimum." Most people read the first half and ignore the second, then are surprised by the invoice. It is not a trick, but it does need explaining.
The rule
On an outstation booking you are billed for at least 250 km for every day the vehicle is committed to you, whether or not you cover that distance. If you drive further, you pay for what you drive.
The reason is straightforward: the vehicle and its driver are yours for that day and cannot be sold to anyone else. A day where you drive 60 km still costs us a full day of both.
Worked through on a real route
Varanasi to Prayagraj is 125 km each way. A same-day return covers 250 km of actual road, so the minimum makes no difference — you are billed for what you drive.
| Route | One way | Round trip | Days | Billed km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Varanasi → Prayagraj | 125 km | 250 km | 1 | 250 km |
| Varanasi → Vindhyachal | 70 km | 140 km | 1 | 250 km |
| Varanasi → Ayodhya | 220 km | 440 km | 2 | 500 km |
| Varanasi → Bodhgaya | 260 km | 520 km | 2 | 520 km |
| Varanasi → Lumbini | 320 km | 640 km | 3 | 750 km |
Vindhyachal is where the rule bites: 140 km of road, billed as 250. Ayodhya over two days covers 440 km but bills at 500. Bodhgaya covers 520 km, which is above the 500 km floor, so you pay for the distance rather than the minimum.
The practical lesson: short outstation trips are poor value on a per-kilometre basis. For Vindhyachal at 70 km each way, ask for a 12-hour local package instead — a 17-seater at ₹5,299 for 12 hours and 200 km beats ₹5,750 plus driver allowance on the outstation rate.
What else is on the invoice
- Driver allowance per day — ₹250 to ₹700 depending on vehicle — covering the driver's food and accommodation.
- Toll and parking at actuals.
- State permit where the route crosses into Bihar, Madhya Pradesh or Nepal.
- A second driver allowance for any day involving driving between 11pm and 6am.
- GST on the total.
How to check a quote
Take the round-trip distance, compare it to 250 km multiplied by the number of days, and bill the larger of the two at the per-kilometre rate. Add driver allowance times days. That is the vehicle cost, and any honest operator's quote should land on the same number. Ours will, because the rate card is published and you can do this arithmetic before you call.
Common questions
- Why do I pay for 250 km if I only drive 100?
- Because the vehicle and driver are committed to you for that day and cannot be hired to anyone else. The minimum prices the day, not the distance.
- Does the 250 km minimum apply to local sightseeing?
- No. Local bookings use 8-hour/80 km or 12-hour/200 km packages instead, which are cheaper for city work. The minimum applies only to outstation trips.
- Is the minimum negotiable?
- The 250 km floor is standard across Varanasi operators and is not something we discount. What can change is the structure — for short trips a 12-hour local package is often cheaper than an outstation day, and we will say so rather than let you book the dearer option.
Know what you need?
Every rate is on the page — call or send the dates and we quote off the same card.