UNDER ₹2,000 A DAY
CHEAP CAR RENTAL IN CHANDIGARH
Two cars under ₹2,000 a day. The Maruti Swift at ₹1,299 and the Baleno automatic at ₹1,999, both with 300 km, insurance and the Himachal permit inside the rate.
2
Cars in this group
₹1,299/day
Starting from
Free
Tricity delivery
Included
HP permit
Cheap car rental in Chandigarh usually means one of two things. Either the rate is low and the extras are not, or the car is old enough that the rate is the least of your problems. We would rather be plain about where our two budget cars sit.
The Maruti Swift is ₹1,299 a day and the Baleno automatic ₹1,999. Both include 300 kilometres, comprehensive insurance, GPS, the Himachal Pradesh inter-state permit, WhatsApp support for the trip and delivery to your door. There is no fuel levy, no outstation surcharge and no separate permit fee at Parwanoo.
What that buys you is most of Himachal. Kasauli, Shimla, Chail, Dharamshala, Amritsar and the whole Kangra valley are tarmac from end to end, and a hatchback does all of them without complaint. What it does not buy you is Spiti or Ladakh, and no discount changes that.
THE CARS
WHICH ONE
PICKING BETWEEN THEM
Maruti Swift
The cheapest car we rent, at ₹1,299 a day
Manual, five seats, 300 km included, and easily the best value in the fleet for Kasauli, Shimla or Dharamshala. Small enough to park in McLeod Ganj and on the Kasauli cantonment lanes, which is worth more on those trips than any amount of power.
Maruti Baleno
The ₹700 upgrade worth considering
Same 300 km, same insurance, but automatic. On the three hour climb to Shimla that turns a busy drive into an easy one. If your budget can stretch to ₹1,999 and you are heading uphill, this is where we would spend the difference.
The real total cost of a budget rental
A two day Kasauli trip in the Swift is ₹2,598 of rental. Fuel for the 120 km round trip is small, tolls on the Parwanoo road are minor, and the ₹5,000 deposit comes back within twenty four hours of return. Nothing else appears.
A three day Dharamshala trip is ₹3,897 of rental. The round trip is 480 km against a 900 km allowance, so there is no overage, and fuel for a Swift over that distance is the main variable cost. Even with fuel this lands well under what a chauffeured one way taxi to Dharamshala is quoted at in Chandigarh.
The two things that can add to a budget booking: kilometres past the allowance at ₹8 each, and delivery to Zirakpur or Derabassi at a flat ₹200. Both are on the booking screen before you confirm, and both are avoidable if you plan the distance honestly.
Which trips a hatchback genuinely handles
Kasauli at 60 km, Shimla at 115, Chail, Amritsar at 230 on flat four-lane highway, Dharamshala at 240, and the whole Kangra valley including Bir and Palampur. All paved, all within a 300 km daily allowance on a two or three day hire, and none of them asking for ground clearance.
Manali at 310 km each way is possible in a Swift and people do it, but the 620 km round trip eats a two day allowance whole, so budget for three days or expect overage. Once you are in the valley, Solang in poor weather and anything toward Rohtang or Chandratal is where a hatchback stops.
How we keep the rate down without cutting corners
Small fleet, no depot rent, no call centre. We deliver to you rather than paying for a forecourt, and the person who answers your WhatsApp message at eleven at night is the same person who handed you the keys.
What we do not do is defer maintenance to protect the rate. Every car goes out with a service check, the spare and tools verified, and a photographed condition report you sign off standing next to it. That five minutes at handover is why we almost never argue about damage at return, and it is the part of a cheap rental that most operators skip.
What you give up at this price
Ground clearance and drivetrain. A hatchback is fine on tarmac and it is the wrong tool anywhere the surface breaks up, which rules out Spiti, Ladakh, the Rohtang approach and Solang after snow. We will not release these cars for those routes, so if that is your trip the real starting price is ₹3,999 for a Jimny.
Space, if there are five adults with luggage. Four people and four bags is comfortable in either car. Five adults with a week of kit means a roof carrier or a Creta, and pretending otherwise makes for a miserable five hours.
And the Swift is a manual. On the Solan climb that is real work. If that matters to you more than ₹700 a day, take the Baleno.
FAQ
BUDGET CARS QUESTIONS
What is the cheapest car rental in Chandigarh?
The Maruti Swift at ₹1,299 a day is the cheapest self drive car SelfDriveGo rents. It includes 300 km a day, comprehensive insurance, GPS, the Himachal Pradesh inter-state permit and free delivery across Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula. A two day Kasauli trip in it comes to ₹2,598 of rental plus fuel.
Can I rent a car in Chandigarh under ₹1,500 a day?
Yes. The Maruti Swift at ₹1,299 a day is under that figure with nothing else to add for a Tricity delivery, and the rate already carries insurance and the Himachal permit. The next car up is the Baleno automatic at ₹1,999, which is above ₹1,500 but is the one to consider if your route involves a long climb.
Are there hidden charges on a budget rental?
No fuel levy, no outstation surcharge and no permit fee at the Parwanoo barrier. The only additions are kilometres past the 300 km daily allowance at ₹8 each, delivery to Zirakpur or Derabassi at a flat ₹200, and your own fuel, tolls and parking. The ₹5,000 deposit is refundable and returns within 24 hours of a clean handback.
Is a Swift enough for a Shimla trip?
Yes. The road from Chandigarh to Shimla is tarmac the whole way and a Swift climbs it without difficulty. The honest caveat is that it is a manual, so the sixty kilometre ascent from Parwanoo keeps you busy. If that sounds tiring, the Baleno automatic at ₹1,999 solves it for ₹700 more a day.
Can I take a budget hatchback to Spiti or Ladakh?
No, and we will not release one for those routes. Past Sumdo in Spiti the surface is loose shale with water crossings, and the Manali-Leh Highway crosses five passes above 4,000 metres. For those trips the entry point is the Maruti Jimny 4x4 at ₹3,999 a day, which is the same rate as our Creta.
How far in advance should I book the cheap cars?
Two or three days for a weekday, and about a week for any long weekend between March and June. The Swift and Baleno are the two most requested cars we have, so they are also the first to go on a Friday. Winter weekdays you can often book same day.