SELF DRIVE HIRE
CAR RENTAL CHANDIGARH TO CHAIL
Around 110 km to the quiet alternative to Shimla, with the highest cricket ground in the world and deodar forest instead of a mall road crowd.
110 km
One way
3 hrs
Drive time
1 to 2 days
Typical hire
₹1,299/day
From
Free
Tricity delivery
Chail is what people book when they have already done Shimla and did not enjoy the crowd. It is 110 km from Chandigarh, sits slightly higher than Shimla at around 2,250 metres, and has a fraction of the traffic because it is not on the way to anywhere else.
You take NH5 to Kandaghat, which is the same road as Shimla, and then turn off toward Sadhupul and Chail. That last 30 km is the character of the trip: narrow, heavily wooded, with a lot of corners and very little traffic. It is tarred and any car does it, but it is slow and it is not a road to drive tired.
The cricket ground is the reason most people have heard of Chail. It sits at about 2,440 metres, which makes it the highest in the world, and it belongs to the army, so access depends on what is happening that day. The Chail wildlife sanctuary and the Kali ka Tibba viewpoint are the other two things worth the drive.
WHICH CAR FOR CHAIL
Best valueMaruti Swift
SUZUKI₹1,299/day · 300 km included
The 230 km round trip sits well inside the allowance, and a small car is genuinely easier on the narrow Sadhupul to Chail section.
Easiest driveMaruti Baleno
SUZUKI₹1,999/day · 300 km included
Automatic, which is worth the ₹700 on a road with this many corners. Our usual recommendation for a first hill drive.
For four or fiveHyundai Creta
HYUNDAI₹3,999/day · 350 km included
For five people with bags, or if you plan to combine Chail with Kufri and Narkanda over three days.
THE KILOMETRE MATHS
Round trip, Chandigarh to Chail and back
230 km
A Chail round trip is about 230 km, and the smallest allowance in the fleet is 300 km a day. A one night booking therefore gives you 600 km against a 230 km trip, which is more headroom than you can reasonably use.
That spare distance makes the loop worth doing. Chail to Kufri is roughly 45 km on a scenic road, and coming back through Shimla and Kandaghat rather than retracing the Sadhupul route adds very little distance and a lot of variety.
WHAT THE RATE COVERS
Included
- Comprehensive insurance on the vehicle
- Himachal Pradesh inter-state permit
- GPS tracking on every car
- 24/7 WhatsApp support for the whole trip
- Free doorstep delivery across the Chandigarh Tricity
- Full tank at handover, photographed condition report
Paid separately
- Fuel, which you top up and return full
- Tolls and any state entry fees on the way
- Kilometres past the daily allowance, at ₹8 each
- Parking and challans during your rental
- Refundable deposit of ₹5,000, returned within 24 hours
Permits and paperwork
Chail is in Solan district, Himachal Pradesh, so the inter state permit applies from the Parwanoo barrier onward. It is inside your rate and the paperwork is in the car. The Chail wildlife sanctuary charges a small entry fee at the gate, and access to the cricket ground is at the discretion of the army unit that maintains it.
When to book
Chail is a year round destination and quieter than Shimla in every month. March to June is the peak and still comfortable. Monsoon is green and empty, though the Sadhupul stretch can hold water and small slips are common. December and January bring snow, and the last 30 km can become genuinely slippery, which is the one time of year we would put you in something with more grip than a Swift.
One way, or drop back in Chandigarh
At 110 km almost nobody wants a one way, and a round trip is cheaper anyway. If you are heading onward to Shimla or Narkanda, keep the car. The local roads around Chail are exactly where having your own vehicle pays off, because public transport up here is sparse.
Planning the drive itself?
This page covers the rental. Road surface, fuel stops, where to break the journey and what to see when you arrive all live in the guide.
Shimla and Solan driving conditions →FAQ
RENTING FOR CHAIL
How much does a self drive car from Chandigarh to Chail cost?
A Swift is ₹1,299 a day with 300 km included and a Baleno automatic ₹1,999. A one night Chail trip in a Swift is ₹2,598 in rental plus roughly 230 km of fuel. Insurance, the Himachal permit, GPS and free delivery across Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula are all in the rate.
Is Chail better than Shimla for a weekend?
Quieter, colder and greener, with almost no commercial strip. If you want a mall road, cafes and things to do in the evening, Shimla is the better choice. If you want deodar forest, a view and nobody around, Chail is. They are 45 km apart, so a two night trip can reasonably do both.
How long does the drive take?
About three hours for 110 km, which tells you most of what you need to know. The Chandigarh to Kandaghat section on NH5 moves reasonably. The 30 km from Sadhupul to Chail is narrow and full of corners, and it takes an hour on its own.
Can I visit the Chail cricket ground?
Usually yes, but it is army property and access depends on the day. It sits at about 2,440 metres, which makes it the highest cricket ground in the world, and it is a short walk or drive up from Chail village. Ask locally when you arrive rather than planning the trip around it.
Do I need a special car for Chail in winter?
In December and January, when there is snow on the last stretch, we would suggest a Creta or something with more weight and grip than a hatchback, and we will tell you honestly if the road is not worth attempting that week. Outside those two months a Swift is entirely adequate.
What documents do I need to rent the car?
An original Indian driving licence held for at least a year, plus Aadhaar or a passport. Minimum age is 21. Send them on WhatsApp and approval is usually inside two hours on a weekday.
CHANDIGARH TO CHAIL
230 km round trip. Car at your door in the Tricity. Insurance and the HP permit already in the rate.