Puducherry town & Auroville · French quarter by the sea
Puducherry (Pondicherry) group trip guide
Puducherry (Pondicherry): French quarter by the sea in Puducherry town & Auroville, Puducherry. From Chennai it is 165 km by road, 3–4 hours with stops. Groups give it 2 days. A 17-seater tempo traveller with driver from Chennai costs ₹14,000–17,100 for a 2-day round trip, as of Oct 2026.
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Photo: Athulvis, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped), via Wikimedia Commons
- From Chennai
- 165 km by road
- Time to give it
- 2 days
- Best season
- November to February
- Fare from Chennai
- ₹14,000–17,100 round trip (Oct 2026)
- Nearest airport
- Chennai (MAA)
Puducherry, the capital of a union territory surrounded by Tamil Nadu, was French until the 1950s; the grid of streets and yellow villas of its White Town runs down to the seafront promenade.
The Sri Aurobindo Ashram is in the heart of the town, and the Manakula Vinayagar temple to Ganesha stands a few streets away.
How many are going?
Slide to your group size: the vehicle that fits, and its fare to Puducherry (Pondicherry) from each city, from the tables below.
Fits your group
Tempo Traveller 17-seater or Force Urbania (luxury van)
13–17 or 10–17 seats
₹6,800–8,400 for a full day (250 km)
Chennai → Puducherry (Pondicherry)
₹14,000–17,100
Tempo Traveller 17-seater · 165 km one way · 2 days, round trip
Indicative fares from the tables on this page (see the notes under them); operators quote the exact price.
Why groups go
A relaxed weekend for families, college groups and friends from Chennai and Bengaluru, often with Auroville and Mamallapuram.
French quarter & monumentsBeaches & the seaAshrams & spiritual lifeTemples & pilgrimage
How far is Puducherry (Pondicherry)
Road distance from our route catalog, one way.
| From | Road km | With stops | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chennai | 165 km | 3–4 h | Route: Chennai to Puducherry (Pondicherry) |
Group fares from Chennai
Round trip with driver, 2 days, by vehicle.
| Vehicle | Seats | Round trip, 2 days |
|---|---|---|
| SUV / Innova | 6–7 | ₹9,800–12,900 |
| Tempo Traveller 12-seater | 9–12 | ₹11,900–15,000 |
| Tempo Traveller 17-seater | 13–17 | ₹14,000–17,100 |
| Tempo Traveller 20–26 seater | 18–26 | ₹16,100–20,300 |
| AC Coach 40–49 seater | 36–49 | ₹30,200–40,700 |
Indicative range, updated Oct 2026; actual quotes from verified operators may differ. For a round trip with driver: vehicle hire at the class's ₹/km band (minimum 250 km a day), driver allowance ₹500 a day, night halt ₹300, 5% GST. Tolls and parking are extra, at actual cost. State entry tax for crossing the border is not included yet; operators add it on the quote. Post your trip for exact itemised quotes.
Indicative range, updated Oct 2026; actual quotes from verified operators may differ. For a round trip with driver: vehicle hire at the class's ₹/km band (minimum 250 km a day), driver allowance ₹500 a day, night halt ₹300, 5% GST. Tolls and parking are extra, at actual cost. State entry tax for crossing the border is not included yet; operators add it on the quote. Post your trip for exact itemised quotes.
When to go and how long
- Best season: November to February.
- Time to give it: 2 days.
- Who goes: Families, College groups, Friends, International visitors.
Add on nearby
Circuits that include Puducherry (Pondicherry)
Arriving from abroad or another state
- Nearest airport: Chennai (MAA).
- Nearest railway station: Puducherry.
- Operators quote the airport or station pickup with the whole trip: put your arrival in the request.
Operators for Puducherry (Pondicherry)
Approved operators who take groups to Puducherry (Pondicherry). Ask for quotes here: your request reaches them through the platform and you compare itemised offers.
R M A Travels
Vehicle Owner
Puducherry
Fleet details on request
Saravanabhava Translinks
Vehicle Owner
Karur, Tamil Nadu
260 km by road from Puducherry
Fleet details on request
Seventree holidays
Vehicle Owner
Bengaluru, Karnataka
334 km by road from Puducherry
Fleet details on request
Nalkco Trip Mentors
VerifiedVehicle Owner
Palakkad, Kerala
Serves Puducherry
2 vehicles · 16 seats
- Replies in ~10 min
Official pages and sources
Opening hours, tickets and permits change: check them on the official pages before you travel.
How booking works
- Post your trip onceDates, pickup, places and group size. It takes two minutes and costs nothing.
- Verified operators quoteWe invite up to 6 verified operators near you, aiming for 3 quotes, and invite more if fewer reply within 2 hours.
- Compare itemised quotesVehicle, driver allowance, night halts, tolls and taxes, line by line, side by side.
- Book and pay the operatorAccept a quote and pay the operator an advance (25%) directly. No Yippigo fee: free until 31 December 2026.
Questions groups ask
Chennai-la irundhu Puducherry (Pondicherry)-ku evvalavu dooram? (How far is Puducherry (Pondicherry) from Chennai?)
165 km by road: 3–4 hours in a tempo traveller or bus with tea and meal stops (group vehicles average 45–50 km an hour, about 35 on ghat roads). Road distance from our route catalog.
Puducherry (Pondicherry)-ku tempo traveller-ku evvalavu aagum? (What does a tempo traveller to Puducherry (Pondicherry) cost?)
Round trip from Chennai (165 km one way, 2 days) with driver: 17-seater ₹14,000–17,100, 40–49 seater bus ₹30,200–40,700. Indicative, as of Oct 2026; post the trip for the exact rate.
What does a group trip to Puducherry (Pondicherry) cost?
Round trip from Chennai with driver: SUV / Innova ₹9,800–12,900; Tempo Traveller 12-seater ₹11,900–15,000; Tempo Traveller 17-seater ₹14,000–17,100; Tempo Traveller 20–26 seater ₹16,100–20,300; AC Coach 40–49 seater ₹30,200–40,700. Indicative, as of October 2026, with driver allowance and 5% GST; hotels, food and entry tickets are extra.
How many days do we need for Puducherry (Pondicherry)?
2 days. With the drive from Chennai, plan 2 days in all. A relaxed weekend for families, college groups and friends from Chennai and Bengaluru, often with Auroville and Mamallapuram.
When is the best time to visit Puducherry (Pondicherry)?
November to February.
Which vehicle for our group?
4 people: Sedan; 7 people: SUV / Innova; 12 people: Tempo Traveller 12-seater + Force Urbania (luxury van); 17 people: Tempo Traveller 17-seater + Force Urbania (luxury van); 26 people: Tempo Traveller 20–26 seater; 45 people: AC Coach 40–49 seater.
How do we reach Puducherry (Pondicherry) from abroad?
Nearest airport: Chennai (MAA). Nearest railway station: Puducherry. Operators quote the airport pickup and the whole trip with a driver.
- Free to post
- Compare itemised quotes
- Pay the operator a 25% advance only after you accept a quote
- Operators quote only once their vehicle's papers are approved