Chennai to Somnath Distance: Routes, Train, Flight and the Best Way

I am Harsh Rawat, born in Dwarka and a guide on this coast for more than 8 years and devotees travel to Somnath from every part of the country, including many from Tamil Nadu. Chennai to Somnath is a very long journey, well over two thousand kilometres, so the real question is not the distance but the smartest way to cross it. I plan the Gujarat end of these trips for the Somnath Dwarka Tour Package team, the pilgrimage unit of Experience My India. This guide gives the road distance and routes in both directions, then compares the flight and the train, which is what almost everyone actually uses. Since travellers ask about the return leg too, I have covered Somnath to Chennai as well.

Planning a Somnath trip from Chennai? Message me on WhatsApp for the Gujarat plan or call +91 73006 20809.

Chennai to Somnath Distance and Time

By road, Chennai to Somnath is roughly 2,181 km and the driving time starts around 36 hours. Here are the three main routes, though driving is rarely the sensible choice over such a distance.

The NH48 route is the fastest at about 36 hours over 2,181 km and NH52 is nearly the same. The NH716 route is the shortest on paper at 1,993 km, but its roads are much slower, pushing it to 46 hours, so those saved kilometres cost you ten extra hours. For a drive of this scale, the fastest route wins, but as the next section explains, driving itself is the wrong call for most travellers.

Somnath to Chennai Distance and Time

The return leg is almost identical. Here it is for completeness.

Should You Drive? The Honest Take

Let me be completely honest, as I always am with my travellers: you should not drive from Chennai to Somnath. At over 2,100 km and 36 hours or more, it is a two to three day drive across half of India, with no reward that a flight or train does not give you faster and far more safely. Only committed road-trippers with a week to spare and a co-driver should even think about it, planning several overnight halts. For pilgrims and families, the air and rail options below are the sensible way and you can always hire a car once you arrive in Gujarat.

By Air: The Fastest Way

Flying is how most Chennai travellers reach Somnath, turning a multi-day journey into a single day. Somnath has no airport, so you fly to a nearby one and drive in:

• Diu Airport, about 90 km from Somnath, is among the closest, usually reached from Chennai via Mumbai or Ahmedabad, then a taxi to the temple.

• Rajkot Airport, about 190 km away, has the best flight frequency and is often the easiest to reach from Chennai with a single stop, then onward by road or train.

• Keshod is nearer but has very limited flights and Ahmedabad, about 400 km away, has the widest connections if you plan to tour more of Gujarat.

There is no non-stop flight from Chennai to these small airports, so expect one stop at Mumbai or Ahmedabad, for a total of roughly 8 to 10 hours door to door. From the airport, a private cab is the simplest way to reach Somnath and to tour the region afterwards.

By Train: Chennai to Veraval

The train is the budget route. Veraval is the nearest major railhead to Somnath, only about 6 to 7 km from the temple and there is also a small Somnath station nearby. There is no convenient direct train from Chennai, so you travel with a change, most commonly via Ahmedabad or Mumbai and the total journey runs roughly 36 to 40 hours. It is long, but two nights in a sleeper or AC coach are far more restful than driving and the fare is a fraction of flying. From Veraval, a short auto or taxi ride brings you to the Somnath temple. For most Chennai pilgrims, the train is a fallback to flying, chosen mainly for cost.

The Smart Combination: Fly Plus Train

Here is the approach seasoned pilgrims use. Fly from Chennai to Ahmedabad or Rajkot, which have frequent, affordable connections, then take an onward train or a cab to Veraval and Somnath. On the return, do the reverse, timing an overnight leg so no daytime is wasted in transit. This blend of a flight for the long haul and a train or cab for the last stretch usually gives the best balance of time, comfort and cost for a journey of this length.

Travel Options at a Glance

What Awaits You at Somnath

Once you arrive, the long journey is worth every hour. Somnath is the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, standing right on the Arabian Sea and the evening aarti with the Jay Somnath light and sound show is unforgettable. Within a few kilometres you can visit Bhalka Tirth, where Lord Krishna left his earthly form and the Triveni Sangam, where three rivers meet the sea. Check the Somnath temple timings and aarti timings so your first evening lines up with the aarti.

Make the Long Trip Worthwhile: Extend It

Since you are travelling so far, see more than the temple alone. From Somnath, Dwarka and its Krishna temples are a natural pairing, Gir National Park offers the only wild Asiatic lions and Diu adds Portuguese forts and beaches close by. Most Chennai travellers turn the trip into a five to seven day Saurashtra circuit, which our Somnath Dwarka tour packages are built around, so the long haul truly pays off.

Best Time to Visit and Tips

October to March is the ideal season, with pleasant weather for temples and travel. Book flights and trains well ahead in this peak period, especially around Maha Shivratri, when Somnath is at its most vibrant. Compare the Diu and Rajkot flight routes, since fares and timings vary and consider the fly-plus-train combination to save a day. Whichever way you arrive, plan your first night near the temple; our where to stay options keep you within walking distance of the aarti after a long day of travel.

How I Advise Travellers from Chennai

When a family from Chennai asks me the best way, I never suggest driving the whole distance. If they want speed, I tell them to fly via Mumbai or Ahmedabad to Rajkot or Diu and let us collect them so they reach Somnath the same day, ready for the evening aarti. If budget matters most, the train via Ahmedabad to Veraval is a comfortable two-night journey for very little money. And if they want the smartest balance, I point them to flying the long haul and taking a train or cab for the final stretch, timed overnight so no daytime is lost. The point of coming so far is to arrive with energy for the temple, not to be worn out by the road and helping with exactly that is what Experience My India does at the Gujarat end.

Coming from Chennai? Let us plan the Gujarat end

Chat on WhatsApp    Call +91 73006 20809