Car rental in Andaman is the most convenient way to explore Port Blair and the surrounding islands at your own pace, without depending on shared taxis or infrequent government buses. Whether you need a self-drive rental, a car with driver, or a cab for airport transfers and sightseeing tours, car rental in Andaman is widely available at Port Blair's Veer Savarkar International Airport and across major hotels. This guide covers the best car rental options, routes, tips, and pricing to help you travel smart across the Andaman Islands.
From the limestone caves at Baratang to the sunset viewpoint at Chidiyatapu, many of Andaman's most rewarding experiences are best reached with your own vehicle. Here's everything you need to plan, book, and navigate ground transport across the islands.
Car Rental Options in Andaman - Price Guide
Daily rates below are approximate and vary by operator, season, and whether a driver is included. Fuel costs are typically additional for self-drive rentals.
| Vehicle Type | Best For | Daily Rate (Approx) |
| Hatchback (Swift, i10) | Couple / Small Family | Rs.1,200 - Rs.1,800/day |
| Sedan (Swift Dzire, Etios) | Family / Comfort Travel | Rs.1,500 - Rs.2,200/day |
| SUV (Innova, Ertiga) | Groups of 6-7 | Rs.2,500 - Rs.4,000/day |
| Tempo Traveller (9-12 pax) | Large Groups | Rs.4,000 - Rs.6,000/day |
| Scooter / Bike Rental | Solo / Couple (Neil, Havelock) | Rs.400 - Rs.700/day |
Rates during peak season (December-February) trend toward the upper end of these ranges. Always confirm whether fuel, tolls, and permit fees are included before signing the rental agreement.
Why Rent a Car in Andaman? (Advantages Over Shared Cabs)
Andaman's public transport network is limited by mainland Indian standards. Government buses connect Port Blair to a handful of destinations on South Andaman, but schedules are infrequent, routes are restricted, and comfort is basic. Auto-rickshaws are available in Port Blair but don't venture far. Shared taxis exist on major corridors but operate on fixed departure times that rarely align with a traveller's itinerary.
A rental car or car with driver solves all of this cleanly.
Freedom of timing.
The best light at Radhanagar Beach is at sunrise or late afternoon. The limestone caves at Baratang are best visited early to beat crowds and afternoon tides. With your own vehicle, you depart when it makes sense not when the next shared cab fills up.
Access to off-the-beaten-path locations.
Several of Andaman's most scenic spots Chidiyatapu, Munda Pahar Beach, Jolly Buoy Road, and the mangrove boardwalks at Baratang are difficult or impossible to reach without private transport. A rental car opens up the full geographical range of Port Blair's hinterland.
Comfort and luggage.
Travelling with diving equipment, multiple bags, or young children on a shared cab is genuinely uncomfortable. A private vehicle gives you the space to carry what you need without compromise.
Cost efficiency for groups.
For a family of four or a group of six, splitting the cost of an Innova or Ertiga frequently works out cheaper per head than booking individual shared taxis especially for full-day sightseeing routes that cover 80-120 km.
Flexibility to extend or change plans.
Spotted a viewpoint worth stopping at? Want to linger longer at a beach? With a driver-led rental on a full-day rate, you have the flexibility to adapt your route in real time rather than commit to a fixed itinerary. When combined with an Andaman sightseeing by car day plan, this flexibility makes an enormous difference to the quality of your experience.
Self-Drive vs Car with Driver in Andaman - Which Is Better?
Both options are available, but they come with different practical implications. The right choice depends on your comfort level, travel style, and how well you handle unfamiliar roads.
Self-Drive Car Rental
Self-drive is available through a small number of established agencies in Port Blair. It offers maximum independence you go where you want, stop when you want, and don't need to coordinate with a driver. It works well for travellers who are experienced behind the wheel, comfortable with navigation, and prefer not to have a third party in the vehicle all day.
The caveats are real, though. Andaman's roads vary significantly in quality arterial routes like the Port Blair to Baratang highway (Andaman Trunk Road) are generally good, but secondary roads to beaches, viewpoints, and forest areas can be narrow, uneven, and poorly signposted. GPS coverage is patchy outside of Port Blair city limits. Some stretches require tribal reserve permissions to pass through. And if something goes wrong mechanically, you're responsible for managing it.
For self-drive on Havelock or Neil Island where the road network is much simpler and distances are short the risk profile drops considerably. Many travellers hire self-drive scooters or Activas on these islands without issue.
Car with Driver (Recommended)
For most travellers, a car with driver is the stronger choice in Andaman particularly for full-day sightseeing runs out of Port Blair. Local drivers know the roads intimately, understand which spots are worth stopping at, handle all the navigation, and act as informal guides along the way. The rate difference between self-drive and driver-included rentals is typically Rs.400 - Rs.700 per day a small premium for a substantially more relaxed experience.
Driver-led cars are especially advisable for the Baratang route, which involves a forest checkpoint, a tribal reserve crossing, and a tidal creek boat ride that requires local coordination. For the Chidiyatapu and Corbyn's Cove run, either option works well given the shorter distances and better road conditions.
| Factor | Self-Drive | Car with Driver |
| Independence | Maximum | High (within agreed itinerary) |
| Local Knowledge | None | Excellent |
| Recommended for | Havelock, Neil Island | Port Blair, Baratang, full-day routes |
| Road Navigation | GPS + self-managed | Fully handled |
| Cost | Slightly lower | Slightly higher |
| Best for | Solo / experienced drivers | Families, groups, first-time visitors |
Best Routes to Cover by Car in Andaman
Port Blair sits at the southern end of South Andaman Island and serves as the hub for most road-based exploration. Here are the routes that reward private car travel most.
Port Blair to Corbyn's Cove and Chidiyatapu
This is the most popular half-day or full-day drive from Port Blair, covering two very different destinations on the southwestern tip of South Andaman.
Corbyn's Cove Beach is just 7 km from Port Blair's city centre a 15-minute drive through pleasant coastal forest. It's the closest decent beach to the capital and is home to the main concentration of jet skiing, parasailing, and banana boat rides. For travellers who want to reach water sport locations by car without a lengthy drive, Corbyn's Cove is the most accessible option from a Port Blair base.
Beyond Corbyn's Cove, the road continues south through jungle and plantation land to Chidiyatapu roughly 28 km from Port Blair (45-50 minutes by car). Known as Bird Island for its exceptional birdwatching, Chidiyatapu is also one of the finest sunset viewpoints in the Andamans. The road narrows significantly in the final few kilometres, passing through dense mangrove forest before opening out at a long, wind-swept beach. Combining Corbyn's Cove in the morning with Chidiyatapu for sunset makes for a natural full-day loop that covers roughly 60 km round trip.
En route, consider stopping at Munda Pahar Beach (about 20 km from Port Blair), a largely undiscovered stretch of coastline accessible via a short forest trail from a roadside parking area easily missed without a local driver who knows the turning.
Port Blair to Baratang Island (Cave and Mangrove Route)
The Baratang route is the most ambitious and rewarding road journey available from Port Blair, covering approximately 95 km each way (around 2.5-3 hours) along the Andaman Trunk Road through the protected tribal reserve of the Jarawa people.
The route requires an early departure most travellers leave Port Blair by 5:30-6:00 AM to join the vehicle convoy that crosses the reserve between designated windows. Private vehicles are permitted but must travel as part of a supervised convoy at specified crossing times. Your driver will handle the convoy timing and forest checkpoints.
Once past the reserve, the experience shifts dramatically. At Baratang Jetty, you transfer onto flat-bottomed boats that navigate through dense, primordial mangrove creeks to reach the limestone caves towering natural formations with stalactites and stalagmites that have been forming for thousands of years. Nearby, the mud volcanoes of Baratang are a rare geological curiosity small, bubbling craters of grey mud that are among only a handful of active mud volcanoes in India.
The combination of the jungle highway, the mangrove boat ride, and the caves makes this an extraordinary full-day excursion that simply isn't achievable without a car and driver public transport doesn't cover this route reliably. Budget a full day (depart by 6 AM, return by 5-6 PM) and plan nothing strenuous before or after.
Other notable driving destinations accessible from Port Blair by car include Wandoor Beach and the gateway to Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park (29 km, 45 minutes), and the Ross Island ferry point at Phoenix Bay Jetty a short city drive that benefits from your own transport when carrying dive gear or beach equipment.
Car Rental Rules & Documents Required in Andaman
Whether you're taking a self-drive car or a driver-assisted rental, there are a few administrative requirements to be aware of before you travel.
Documents Required for Self-Drive Rental:
- Valid Indian driving licence (original, not photocopy) for Indian nationals
- International Driving Permit (IDP) for foreign nationals, alongside your home country licence
- Government-issued photo ID (Aadhaar, Passport, or Voter ID)
- Advance payment or security deposit (varies by operator; typically Rs.2,000 - Rs.5,000 for a hatchback)
Documents for Car with Driver:
- Photo ID for the primary traveller (Aadhaar or Passport)
- No driving licence required
Key Rules to Know:
Andaman's roads fall under standard Indian traffic laws. Speed limits in urban Port Blair are 40-50 km/h and drop to 30 km/h in school zones. On the Andaman Trunk Road, observe convoy timing rules strictly departing from the tribal reserve zone outside permitted windows is not permitted and can result in fines.
Tribal reserve areas on the Andaman Trunk Road prohibit stopping, photography, and interaction with tribal communities these are protected by the Andaman and Nicobar Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Regulation and violations carry serious legal consequences.
Fuel availability is reasonably good in Port Blair and along the Trunk Road to Baratang, but plan ahead there are very few petrol stations beyond the main highway, and none on Havelock or Neil Island (fuel is available there, but at a premium through small local suppliers). Top up before long journeys.
Most car rental agreements include unlimited kilometres within South Andaman. Cross-island travel to Havelock or Neil Island by car is not possible vehicles do not board ferries. Transportation on those islands is arranged separately.
Bike Rental in Andaman (Havelock & Neil Island)
On Havelock Island and Neil Island, two-wheelers are far more practical than cars. The island road networks are compact Havelock's main road loop is roughly 25 km and the narrow, forested roads are better suited to a scooter than a sedan. Hiring a bike also lets you stop spontaneously at viewpoints, beaches, and trailheads that you'd drive straight past in a car.
What's Available:
- Activa / Honda Dio (scooter): Most popular option. Automatic transmission, easy for most riders, adequate for two adults. Rs.400 - Rs.500 per day.
- Semi-automatic / Gear bikes (Splendor, Bajaj): Available at select rental points. Preferred by more experienced riders. Rs.450 - Rs.600 per day.
- Royal Enfield (Havelock only): Available through a handful of operators for experienced riders who want more range and comfort on longer island loops. Rs.600 - Rs.700 per day.
Rules & Requirements:
- A valid driving licence with motorcycle endorsement is required for self-hire
- Helmets are mandatory and are typically provided with the rental
- Fuel is not included refuel at the local petrol supplier near the jetty area
- Rental is typically charged per 24-hour period; return condition is inspected on arrival
Best Routes by Bike on Havelock:
- Havelock Jetty to Radhanagar Beach (No. 7 Beach): approximately 11 km, 20 minutes
- Havelock Jetty to Elephant Beach Road turnoff: 8 km
- A full island loop covering the main road circuit: roughly 2.5 hours at a relaxed pace
On Neil Island, where the road network is even more compact, a scooter gives you complete freedom to move between Bharatpur Beach, Laxmanpur Beach, and the natural rock bridge (Howrah Bridge) in under 20 minutes from anywhere on the island.
Airport Pickup and Transfer Services in Andaman
Veer Savarkar International Airport sits roughly 3-4 km from Port Blair's city centre a short drive, but one that benefits from pre-arranged transport given that arriving passengers often carry significant luggage, may be landing after long connecting journeys, and need to reach hotels or ferry terminals efficiently.
Pre-Booked Airport Transfers
Most mid-range and premium hotels in Port Blair offer complimentary or fee-based airport pickup. If your accommodation doesn't offer this, car rental operators frequently provide fixed-rate airport transfer packages:
- Airport to Port Blair city hotel: Rs.400 - Rs.700 (sedan)
- Airport to Phoenix Bay Jetty (for onward ferry to Havelock): Rs.500 - Rs.800
- Airport to Aberdeen Bazaar / Aberdeen Jetty: Rs.350 - Rs.600
Pre-booking is strongly advised during peak season (December-February), when taxis at the airport rank can be scarce or demand surge pricing from app-based operators.
App-Based Cabs
Ola and similar app-based services have limited but growing availability in Port Blair. Coverage is primarily within the city and doesn't extend reliably to the airport at all hours. Don't depend on an app-based cab for an early morning or late-night airport arrival a pre-booked transfer is the safer option.
Ferry Terminal Transfers
The two main departure points for ferries to Havelock and Neil Island Phoenix Bay Jetty and Haddo Jetty are both in Port Blair. If you're catching an early morning Makruzz or Nautika catamaran (most depart between 6:00 and 8:30 AM), a pre-arranged pickup from your hotel at 5:00-5:30 AM is essential. Standard taxis and autos are scarce in Port Blair at that hour.
For travellers building a full multi-island itinerary, bundling airport transfers, inter-island day trips, and activity transport into a complete Andaman holiday with transport package eliminates the logistical friction of arranging each leg separately.