Airport transfers
Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport sits at Babatpur, about 26 km northwest of the city, and the drive takes 45 minutes to an hour and a quarter. These are fixed point-to-point fares, not per-kilometre rates, and they do not change because your flight was late or your accent is foreign.
What we recommend
| Vehicle | Seats | Per km | Per seat/km | 8hr / 80km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swift Dzire | 4 + driver | ₹11 | ₹2.75 | ₹1,399 |
| Maruti Ertiga | 6 + driver | ₹16 | ₹2.67 | ₹1,699 |
| Innova Crysta | 6 + driver | ₹16 | ₹2.67 | ₹1,899 |
| Tempo Traveller (12 Seater) | 12 | ₹24 | ₹2 | ₹3,999 |
| Tempo Traveller (17 Seater) | 17 | ₹23 | ₹1.35 | ₹4,199 |
What is included
- Driver waits inside the terminal for international arrivals, at the kerb for domestic
- Flight tracked, so a delay does not cost you the booking
- Luggage loaded and unloaded
- One hour of free waiting after landing
The constraint
Pickups between 11pm and 6am carry the driver allowance a second time — ₹250 for a Dzire up to ₹700 for a 49-seater. That is the whole of the night surcharge; anyone quoting you a doubled fare for a night landing is inventing it.
Worth knowing
Book the size for your luggage, not your headcount
A Swift Dzire seats four but its boot honestly takes two bags. Four adults with four large cases want an Ertiga. This is the single most common mis-booking on the airport run.
Land before 15:00 for a same-evening aarti
Varanasi traffic between 17:00 and 20:00 roughly doubles any cross-city journey. A 50-minute airport run at noon takes 80 minutes at six.
Price the transfer with the trip
A vehicle that collects you and then stays with you costs less than a transfer plus a fresh booking the next morning. Say so when you call.
Questions
- How much is a taxi from Varanasi airport to the city?
- ₹649 for a Swift Dzire, ₹899 for an Ertiga, ₹999 for an Innova Crysta, ₹1,999 for a 12-seater tempo traveller and ₹2,099 for a 17-seater. One way, point to point, GST and toll extra at actuals.
- How far is Varanasi airport from the ghats?
- About 26 km to the Godowlia and Dashashwamedh area, and roughly 22 km to the Cantt hotels. Allow 45 to 75 minutes depending on the hour.
- Is there a night charge for early morning pickups?
- Yes — the driver allowance is charged a second time for pickups between 11pm and 6am, from ₹250 to ₹700 by vehicle. The base fare itself does not change.
Tell us the job, not the vehicle
Dates, how many people and where you need to be. We will say which vehicle fits and what it costs off the published card.
Other things we do
Wedding transport
Buses are the cheapest seat you can buy. The hard part is where they park.
Corporate and conference travel
The vehicle is part of the impression. Priced so it does not have to be a surprise.
Local sightseeing packages
Priced by the hour, because a day inside Varanasi is mostly not driving.
Outstation trips
Per-kilometre rates with the 250 km/day minimum explained, not buried.