Rent a chauffeur-driven Ertiga: Chennai to Kanchipuram
| Distance | 75 km |
|---|---|
| Drive time | 1h 45m off-peak · up to 2h 30m at busy times |
| One way, from | ₹3,150 incl. GST |
| Round trip, from | ₹5,513 incl. GST |
| Highway | NH48 then SH57 via Sriperumbudur |
| Best departure | Leave by 6.30am - the temples open early and close midday |
How that fare is built
| Item | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|
| Chargeable distance | 130 km (min) | 250 km (min) |
| Rate per km | ₹20 | ₹19 |
| Distance cost | ₹2,600 | ₹4,750 |
| Driver bata | ₹400 | ₹500 |
| Toll and parking | At actuals, with receipts — quoted on the call | |
| Sub-total | ₹3,000 | ₹5,250 |
| GST at 5% | ₹150 | ₹263 |
| Total, from | ₹3,150 | ₹5,513 |
One way is charged for your direction plus the minimum distance. A round trip charges both legs with the daily minimum applied — which is why the one-way total is lower even at a higher per-km rate. Prefer a single agreed figure with toll and permit folded in? Ask for an all-inclusive quote.
The town of a thousand temples, and a closed gate at noon
Kanchipuram is under two hours from Chennai, which makes the distance the least interesting thing about this trip. What actually determines whether the day works is temple opening hours.
Most of the major temples here close for several hours around the middle of the day and reopen in the late afternoon. An itinerary built without that knowledge delivers you to a locked gate at one o’clock with three temples still on the list.
So the plan is: leave Chennai by half past six, do the large temples in the morning, use the closure for lunch and the silk weavers, and pick up the rest later. That ordering is the whole value of a driver who knows the town.
What to actually see
Kailasanathar temple is the oldest and, for many visitors, the best — an eighth-century Pallava sandstone structure with fragments of original painting still in the niches, and small enough to feel intimate.
Ekambareswarar is the largest, with a towering gopuram and an ancient mango tree in the courtyard said to represent four Vedas in its four branches.
Kamakshi Amman is one of the principal Shakti temples in South India, and busy accordingly.
Varadharaja Perumal at Little Kanchipuram has a hall of carved pillars that rewards a slow walk.
Four is a full, satisfying day. Eight is a list, not a visit.
The silk
A genuine share of our passengers come to Kanchipuram not for temples but for silk. The sarees are woven here, in the town, and you can watch the looms working — which is a different experience from buying in a Chennai showroom.
Ask for a weaving unit rather than a shop. Our drivers know which is which, and the distinction matters.
Why this route suits an Ertiga
Short, easy, and involving getting in and out of the car repeatedly with a group who may be buying substantial amounts of silk before the day is done. Six passengers are comfortable over an hour and three quarters, and the boot handles what people leave with.
Still coming to this page: named toll plazas and amounts, named break stops. Those come from our own drivers rather than from a map, and we would rather leave them off than print a figure we have not checked. Ask on the call and we will tell you the toll for this route.
All bookings include a professional driver. We do not offer self-drive rentals.
Booking this route
We drive Kanchipuram to Chennai as well, at the same rate — the fare depends on the distance and the direction of travel, not on which end you start from. There is one page for both directions rather than two pages saying the same thing.
Related routes
Chennai to Kanchipuram — FAQs
How many temples can we see in a day?
Three or four properly, not eight. The big ones are large and take longer than people expect, and the midday closure removes the middle of your day. A driver who knows the timings will order them so you are not standing at a locked gate.
When do the temples close?
Most close for several hours around midday and reopen in the late afternoon. That single fact shapes the whole itinerary — which is why we leave Chennai by half six rather than at nine.
Can we visit a silk weaving unit?
Yes, and a good number of our passengers come mainly for that. Kanchipuram silk is woven in the town itself and you can watch the looms. Say at booking that you want it and the driver will take you somewhere that actually weaves rather than only sells.
Is a permit needed?
No. Kanchipuram is in Tamil Nadu, under two hours from Chennai.
Round trip or drop?
Round trip, almost always — it is a day visit and you want the car between temples. Kanchipuram is also on the way to Tiruvannamalai and Vellore, so occasionally it is a stop on a longer one-way run.