The per kilometre rate, by car
Outstation taxi pricing in the tricity is per kilometre, not per trip. You pick a car, you agree a rate per km, and the distance decides the fare. There is no surge, no peak pricing and no fare that changes because you opened the page twice.
Round trip rates are lower per kilometre than one way rates. That looks strange until you understand why: on a one way drop the driver still has to bring an empty car home, and that return leg is priced into the higher rate.
| Car | Seats | One way, per km | Round trip, per km |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hatchback | 4 | Rs 10 | Rs 9 |
| Sedan | 4 | Rs 11 | Rs 10 |
| SUV / MUV | 6 | Rs 14 | Rs 13 |
| Innova Crysta | 7 | Rs 18 | Rs 17 |
| Tempo Traveller | 12 to 26 | Rs 24 | Rs 22 |
| Force Urbania | 10 to 17 | Rs 30 | Rs 28 |
These are starting rates. The exact figure is confirmed with you in writing before you book, and can move with season and car availability.
The minimum kilometre rule nobody explains
This is the single biggest reason a quote surprises people, and almost no operator brings it up on the phone.
Every outstation booking carries a minimum billed distance per day. A one way trip bills at least 130 km. A round trip bills at least 250 km per day. If your actual distance is under that, you still pay the minimum.
It exists because a driver and a car are committed to you for the day whether you travel 40 km or 400. Knowing the rule up front is the difference between a fair quote and a fight at the end of the trip.
- Chandigarh to Shimla is 113 km, which is under the 130 km one way minimum, so a one way drop bills 130 km.
- Chandigarh to Delhi is 245 km, comfortably over the minimum, so you pay for the actual 245 km.
- A same day Shimla return covers 226 km, under the 250 km round trip minimum, so it bills 250 km.
What the rate includes, and what it does not
The per km rate is not the whole bill, and any operator who implies it is will be adding things later. Here is the honest split.
- Included in the per km rate: fuel, the driver and air conditioning.
- Extra, at actual cost: toll, parking and state entry tax, with receipts.
- Extra: a night charge applies between 10 PM and 6 AM.
- Available on request: a GST invoice, if you give us the GSTIN when booking.
Toll and state tax are charged at exactly what the receipt says. They are not a margin, and you should ask to see the receipts on any trip, with us or anyone else.
One way or round trip, which is actually cheaper
If you are coming back the same day, a round trip is almost always cheaper than booking two separate one way drops, because the lower round trip rate applies to the whole journey.
A worked example on Chandigarh to Shimla in a sedan, using the rates above:
| How you book it | Billed distance | Rate | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two separate one way drops | 130 km + 130 km | Rs 11 per km | Rs 2,860 |
| One round trip | 250 km minimum | Rs 10 per km | Rs 2,500 |
Book it as a round trip and you save Rs 360 on the same travel. The gap widens on longer routes. On Chandigarh to Delhi and back, a round trip bills 490 km at Rs 10 rather than two one ways at Rs 11, a difference of Rs 490.
Local packages, when you need the car all day in one city
Running around inside one city is not an outstation trip, and pricing it per kilometre would be the wrong shape. For that there is an hourly package: 8 hours and 80 kilometres, with extra hours and extra kilometres charged on top at a fixed rate.
This is what you want for a wedding day, a day of meetings, sightseeing, or anything where the car waits for you between stops.
| Car | 8 hours / 80 km |
|---|---|
| Hatchback | Rs 1,500 |
| Sedan | Rs 1,800 |
| SUV / MUV | Rs 2,400 |
| Innova Crysta | Rs 3,000 |
| Tempo Traveller | Rs 5,500 |
| Force Urbania | Rs 7,000 |
How to read a quote, and what should worry you
Whether you book with us or with anyone else, a quote you can actually trust answers all five of these before you pay anything. If an operator will not put these in writing, that is your answer.
- What is the per km rate, and is it the one way or the round trip rate? Ask which one they quoted. Mixing the two up is the most common way a fare grows.
- What is the minimum billed distance? If they say there is none, they either have not told you yet or they will add it later.
- Is toll and state tax inside or outside the quote? Both are legitimate. Being vague about which is not.
- Is there a night charge, and from what time?
- What is the advance, and what is paid to the driver? A token advance to hold the car is normal. A demand for the full fare up front is not.
We put all of this in writing on WhatsApp before you commit, which also means you have a record of it.