Diwali hometown travel from Bangalore, for families

What this trip actually involves

• Booking lead timeFour to six weeks. Diwali week is the second-busiest period of the year after Dasara for group vehicles out of Bangalore
• One-way versus round tripA one-way drop is charged at a higher per-km rate because the driver returns empty, with a 130 km per day minimum. A round trip is cheaper per km but you pay for the days the vehicle waits
• Vehicle waiting at your hometownIf the vehicle stays with you for the festival week, it is charged per calendar day plus bata for every day including the idle ones. For stays over two or three days, two one-way drops usually cost less
• Luggage and giftsDiwali travel means far more luggage than the headcount suggests. Choose on boot space, not seat count
• Interstate permitsRequired for hometowns in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh or Telangana. Charged at actuals
• Different return headcountTell us if the return leg has different numbers. It sometimes changes which vehicle makes sense in each direction

Cost per person

Round-trip fare divided by the vehicle's seat count. Fill fewer seats and each person pays proportionally more.

Bangalore to Mysore — 145 km, 3.5 – 4 hours

No interstate permit — the route stays within Karnataka. Driver allowance included; tolls and parking at actuals. Minimum running 300 km per day for round trips out of Bengaluru. Point-to-point fare for this route: sara.cab.

Bangalore to Coimbatore — 365 km, 6.5 – 7.5 hours

Tamil Nadu interstate permit required, charged at actuals. Driver allowance included; tolls and parking at actuals. Minimum running 300 km per day for round trips out of Bengaluru. Point-to-point fare for this route: sara.cab.

Bangalore to Kollur Mookambika — 400 km, 8 – 9 hours

No interstate permit — the route stays within Karnataka. Driver allowance included; tolls and parking at actuals. Minimum running 300 km per day for round trips out of Bengaluru. Point-to-point fare for this route: sara.cab.

Bangalore to Mantralayam — 355 km, 6.5 – 7.5 hours

Andhra Pradesh interstate permit required, charged at actuals. Driver allowance included; tolls and parking at actuals. Minimum running 300 km per day for round trips out of Bengaluru. Point-to-point fare for this route: sara.cab.

Bangalore to Chikmagalur — 245 km, 5 – 6 hours

No interstate permit — the route stays within Karnataka. Driver allowance included; tolls and parking at actuals. Minimum running 300 km per day for round trips out of Bengaluru. Point-to-point fare for this route: sara.cab.

Itinerary options

• Round trip

  Vehicle stays with the family

  Works well for a two- or three-day visit. The vehicle is available for local temple visits and relative-visiting through the stay, charged per calendar day plus bata. Convenient, and the right choice for short stays.

• Two one-way drops

  For a longer festival stay

  Outbound drop before the festival, a separate pickup after. For a week-long stay this is almost always cheaper than paying for a vehicle to sit idle, and we will tell you which way round works out better for your dates.

• One-way only

  Return by train or flight

  Common where the outbound is the hard leg because of the luggage and the return is easy. One-way drop rates are higher per km but there is no waiting or return day to pay for.

Recommended vehicles

Questions we get asked

Is a one-way drop or a round trip cheaper for Diwali?

It depends entirely on how long you are staying. For two or three days, keep the vehicle — a round trip has a lower per-km rate and the vehicle is available for local visits. For a week, two separate one-way drops almost always cost less than paying calendar-day charges for a vehicle sitting idle. Tell us your dates and we will work out which.

Why is a one-way drop more expensive per km?

Because the driver drives back empty and that distance still costs fuel, tolls and a day of his time. It is standard across the industry, and it is why a 130 km per day minimum applies to drop trips — a 60 km drop still bills at 130.

How far in advance should we book for Diwali week?

Four to six weeks. It is the second-busiest window of the year after Dasara, and larger vehicles go first. Booking a 13 seater for Diwali in the same week as travel is usually not possible.

Which vehicle for 10 people travelling with a lot of luggage and gifts?

The 13 seater Urbania rather than a 12 seater Tempo Traveller, even though the Tempo Traveller has enough seats and costs less per head. Diwali luggage is bulky and often fragile, and the Urbania's boot takes it properly rather than in overhead racks where it shifts.

One last thing

If your hometown is across a state border, factor the permit in when you compare a one-way drop with a round trip — a round trip pays the permit once in each direction, while two separate one-way bookings pay it on all four legs. On a Kerala or Tamil Nadu route that difference is large enough to change the answer.

Group size