What the 250 km per day minimum actually means
· 4 min read
Every outstation quote you'll get in Varanasi has a line on it like "₹23/km, 250 km per day minimum." Almost everybody reads the first bit, skips the second, and then gets a shock at the end of the trip. It isn't a trick, honestly, but it does need a bit of explaining.
The rule
Here's how it works. On an outstation trip you pay for at least 250 km for every day the vehicle's yours, whether you actually drive that far or not. Drive more than that and you just pay for what you drove.
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 it really stings. You drive 140 km and you're billed for 250. Ayodhya over two days is 440 km on the road but bills at 500. Bodhgaya's 520 km, which is over the 500 km floor, so there you simply pay for the kilometres.
So our tip: short outstation hops are bad value on a per-km rate. For Vindhyachal, 70 km each way, ask us for a 12-hour local package instead. A 17-seater at ₹5,299 for 12 hours and 200 km works out cheaper than ₹5,750 plus the driver's 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
Want to check a quote yourself? Take the round-trip distance and compare it with 250 km times the number of days. Whichever's bigger, multiply by the per-km rate. Then add the driver allowance for each day. That's your vehicle cost, and any honest operator should come to the same number. Ours will, because our rate card's public and you can do the sums before you even ring us.
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.
From our group
- Kashi Rides
Tour packages at a fixed per-person price, with an hour-by-hour plan.
- World View Travel Services
Our parent company, in Varanasi since 1992.
- Varanasi On Wheels
Cabs at fixed airport fares and on set outstation routes.
- Urbania Varanasi Cabs
Only Force Urbania and Maharaja Urbania vans, timed to darshan.