Sankranti Travel
by Self Drive Car

For families in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Sankranti is the festival of going home. Lakhs of people leave Hyderabad, Vijayawada and other cities to reach villages and small towns in the same few days, and the roads, buses and trains fill up accordingly. A self drive car for Sankranti gives you something none of those can: your own timing, space for gifts and bags, and a car you can use once you reach your village. This guide covers how Sankranti travel works, the main routes, a worked cost example, a day-by-day plan and what to book and when.

Why Sankranti Is the Biggest Travel Peak

Sankranti is not just a holiday, it is the one festival where almost everyone travels to a particular place: the family home. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana the celebration runs over several days, and families often arrive before the first day and leave after the last. This creates two sharp waves of traffic, one outbound and one return, instead of a spread over the week.

• Everyone travels at once — bus seats, trains and cabs are in short supply on the same days
• Highways carry festival traffic — the main corridors out of the big cities are the busiest
• Stays are longer than a normal weekend — so you need a car for local visits as well as the journey
• Groups are bigger — joint families travel together with gifts, sweets and extra bags

Because the pattern is predictable, it can be planned for. Book the car early, choose your travel day carefully and start at the right hour. That is what the rest of this guide helps you do.

The Sankranti Days and How They Affect Travel

Sankranti is celebrated over three days: Bhogi on the day before, Sankranti itself, and Kanuma on the day after. Dates move slightly from year to year, so check the calendar for 2027 before you finalise your plan. In practical terms:

Phase	What happens on the road	Planning tip
Days before Bhogi	The outbound rush from the cities begins	Travel a day or two earlier than most people, if you can
Bhogi and Sankranti	Roads near towns are busy with festival activity	Keep local drives short and avoid late-night driving
Kanuma	Family visits and the start of return travel	Do not leave late in the day if you are returning
Day after Kanuma	The heaviest return traffic is common	Leave early in the morning or travel on a quieter day

Self Drive vs Bus vs Train vs Cab for Sankranti

Factor	Self drive	Bus	Train	Cab
Availability	Book early, limited cars	Sells out early	Sells out early	Limited and costly
Luggage	Good, choose the car size	Limited, shared	Limited	Depends on the cab
Timing control	Full, you decide	Fixed timetable	Fixed timetable	Driver's schedule
Car at your village	Yes	No	No	Extra bookings
Best for	Families, stays of several days	Solo travel	Solo and budget	One-way, no driving

A bus or train is usually the cheapest for one person. For a group, or for a stay of several days with local visits, self drive often makes more sense, because you split one rental between everyone and use the same car at both ends. For a cost comparison framework, read our Diwali self drive vs cab vs bus guide, which applies equally to Sankranti.

Main Sankranti Routes From Hyderabad and Vijayawada

Route	Approx. distance	Planning note
Hyderabad to Vijayawada (NH65)	about 275 km, 4 to 4.5 hrs	The busiest corridor. Keep FASTag ready and start early.
Vijayawada to Hyderabad	about 275 km, 4 to 4.5 hrs	The return leg is usually the heavier one.
Hyderabad or Vijayawada to Guntur	varies	Short hop from Vijayawada, a longer drive from Hyderabad.
Vijayawada to the Godavari districts	varies	Plan for slower roads near towns and villages.
Vizag side	varies	One-way service between our three cities is available on request.

Distances are approximate, and the road conditions on village stretches vary, so check live maps. For the main corridor, read our guides for Hyderabad to Vijayawada and Vijayawada to Hyderabad, and the interstate travel rules if your route crosses a state border.

Best Time of Day to Drive in Sankranti Week

• Early morning, before the late-morning rush — the roads are usually clearer and the drive is more relaxed
• Avoid late afternoon departures — you will hit evening traffic and may end up driving after dark
• Plan to arrive in daylight — village roads are easier to handle when you can see them
• Allow extra time for toll plazas — queues build up in festival week
• Watch for early-morning mist in January — slow down and keep your headlights on if visibility drops

A Worked Cost Example: A 4-Day Sankranti Trip

Take a family going from Hyderabad to a town near Vijayawada and staying for 4 days. The round trip is around 550 km, and a 4-day booking includes about 1,600 km (400 km per 24 hours), so there is room for local visits. Here is the rental cost at our current 24-hour rates, before fuel and tolls. Confirm the multi-day price for your dates when you book.

Car	24-hr rate	4 days (rental only)	Per person
WagonR CNG / Tigor	₹1,500	₹6,000	₹1,500 (4 people)
Maruti Dzire (2026)	₹1,799	₹7,196	₹1,799 (4 people)
Hyundai Creta	₹3,000	₹12,000	₹2,400 (5 people)
Innova Crysta	₹4,500	₹18,000	₹2,571 (7 people)

To compare, add the return bus fare for everyone in your group, or the cab quotes for both legs, for your actual Sankranti dates, and then add the cost of getting around once you are in the village. A rental car covers both the journey and the local trips. Festival-week prices change daily, so check them on the day you book.

Which Self Drive Car for Sankranti?

Group	Best car	24-hr rate
2 to 3 people, light bags	WagonR CNG, Tigor or Dzire	₹1,500–1,799
4 people with bags	Swift, Baleno or Creta	₹2,500–3,000
5 to 7 people	Innova Crysta, Carens, Ertiga or Marazzo	See price list
Easy driving in traffic	Punch Automatic or Venue Automatic	₹2,500–3,500
Rough village roads	Creta, Seltos or Thar	See price list

Full rates are on the self drive cars in Vijayawada and self drive cars in Hyderabad pages, and you can compare options in the top 10 self drive cars. For larger groups, see 7 seater rental and tempo traveller rental.

A Sample 5-Day Sankranti Plan by Self Drive

1. Two days before Bhogi: pick up the car early in the morning, load the gifts and start before the late-morning traffic builds
2. One day before Bhogi: arrive in daylight, settle in and complete shopping with the car
3. Bhogi and Sankranti: short local drives for family visits and temple stops, with no late-night driving
4. Kanuma: visit relatives in nearby towns, or rest and prepare for the return
5. Return day: leave early in the morning, take breaks every 2 to 3 hours and return the car on time

If your plan is longer, tell us the full dates when you book so we can confirm the car for the whole period.

Driving to Your Village: Practical Tips

• Choose a car that fits the roads — a hatchback or compact SUV is easier on narrow village lanes
• Expect festival activity on the road — rangoli, cattle, kite flying and crowds near markets
• Keep speeds low near towns — children and animals can step out suddenly
• Park carefully — narrow streets and crowded markets make tight spots
• Fill the tank before the last stretch — fuel stations can be fewer near villages
• Avoid night driving where you can — rural roads are often poorly lit

Travelling With Elders and Children

Many Sankranti trips include grandparents and young children, and that affects the car you choose and how you drive. A self drive car lets you set the pace, so you can stop for rest, food or a washroom break without waiting for a bus halt. Choose a comfortable car such as the Creta or Innova Crysta for long drives, plan stops every 2 to 3 hours, keep water, snacks and medicines within reach, and split long routes across two days if only one person is driving.

CNG or Petrol for a Long Festival Drive?

Fuel is the largest cost after the rental. CNG cars such as the WagonR CNG, Exter CNG, Brezza CNG and Ertiga CNG can keep fuel cost lower on a highway drive, but CNG stations are fewer than petrol pumps and may have queues in festival week. If you are not sure of the stations on your route, a petrol car gives you more flexibility. Ask us which cars are available for your dates and route.

What to Pack and Keep in the Car

• Driving licence, government ID and the booking confirmation in the car, not in the luggage
• A charged phone and a car charger for maps and calls
• FASTag balance topped up before you leave
• Water, snacks and a small first-aid kit
• Gifts and sweets packed low in the boot so you can see through the rear window
• Offline maps for stretches with weak signal

Booking Timeline for Sankranti

1. As soon as your dates are fixed: message us the pickup city, dates and number of people
2. Confirm the car and kilometre allowance: a multi-day booking includes 400 km per 24 hours
3. Share your documents early: licence, government ID and a live selfie
4. One day before: confirm pickup time and place, and top up FASTag
5. At handover: inspect the car with our team and note any existing marks

Questions to Ask Before You Book Any Rental Car

• What does the price include? Ours covers the vehicle and standard insurance, with fuel and tolls billed separately
• How many kilometres are included? 400 km per 24 hours, and 200 km per 12 hours on cars that offer a 12-hour slot
• What is the extra-hour charge? ₹400 on most vehicles
• Is there a security deposit? Yes, refundable, and the amount depends on the car
• Is delivery possible? In Vijayawada, to your home, hotel, the railway station or Gannavaram Airport, or collect from MG Road
• Is one-way possible? Between Vijayawada, Hyderabad and Vizag, on request

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Booking at the last minute — festival cars, especially SUVs and 7-seaters, go first
• Travelling on the busiest day — a day earlier or later can save hours on the road
• Comparing only the rental price — add fuel and tolls, and compare the total for the whole group and the whole stay
• Choosing a car that is too small — gifts and bags need space
• Returning late — extra hours are charged at ₹400 on most cars
• Driving after dark on village roads — visibility and road condition are the main risks

Frequently Asked Questions