By air to Port Blair
For most travellers the trip starts with a flight. The islands' airport is Veer Savarkar International Airport in Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In September 2024 the Government of India officially renamed the city Sri Vijaya Puram, so you will see both names on tickets, maps and signs for a while.
The South Andaman district administration lists flights connecting Port Blair with Chennai, Kolkata, New Delhi and Bhubaneswar. Routes and airlines change from season to season, so treat any list as a starting point and search current schedules from the city nearest to you. If you are asking how to reach Andaman from Delhi, Mumbai or Bangalore, the practical answer is usually the same: find a flight to Port Blair, either direct or with a change in one of the larger mainland airports.
What the easiest way usually looks like
What is the easiest way to get to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands? For a short holiday, flying. You can leave a mainland city in the morning and be on a ferry to another island the same afternoon or the next day. Plan a buffer, though: flights can be delayed, and inter-island ferries leave at fixed times, so missing one can cost you a day.
By ship from the mainland
Passenger ships sail to Port Blair from three mainland ports: Chennai, Kolkata and Visakhapatnam. According to the South Andaman district administration, the voyage takes about 50 to 60 hours in fair weather. That answers the common question of how long the ship from Chennai to Andaman takes: plan for two to three days at sea, not hours.
Sailings are not daily, and ships run on a schedule published by the islands' administration. Cabin classes differ a lot in comfort and price. Some people choose the ship because it is slower and more of an experience; others because it can suit a tight budget. Whether it is the cheapest way to reach the Andaman and Nicobar Islands depends on the class you book and the fares at the time, so compare the ship with current flight prices before you decide.
Is the ship worth it
The ship makes sense if you have time, like long journeys and want to arrive slowly. It makes less sense on a one week holiday, where two or three days at sea each way would take a large share of the trip. Weather also matters: in rough seas sailings can be delayed.
Ferries between the islands
Port Blair is the hub for travel inside the archipelago. The two islands most visitors head for next are Swaraj Dweep, still widely known as Havelock Island, about 41 km northeast of Port Blair, and Shaheed Dweep, the former Neil Island, about 36 km northeast of it. Both were renamed in December 2018.
Port Blair to Havelock ferry
The district administration names Phoenix Bay Jetty in Port Blair as the departure point for ferries to the populated islands and tourist sites. Government ferries run on this route, and private passenger ferries also operate. Government ferries are usually the cheaper option, while private boats tend to be faster and more comfortable, but tickets for both can sell out in busy months. All sailings depend on the weather.
Neil Island to Port Blair ferry
Shaheed Dweep is reached through its single jetty, and ferries connect it with Port Blair and with Swaraj Dweep. Many travellers do a loop: Port Blair to Havelock, Havelock to Neil, Neil back to Port Blair. Booking the legs in that order, with a night or more on each island, avoids backtracking.
Which way suits your trip
- Short holiday of about a week: fly to Port Blair and use ferries between islands.
- Long trip and flexible dates: consider the ship one way and a flight the other.
- Travelling with children or anyone prone to seasickness: flying plus the shortest ferry legs is usually the gentler choice.
- Visiting in the wet months: allow spare days, because both ships and ferries can be delayed by weather.
Read about the best time to visit the Andaman Islands before you pick dates, because sea conditions affect every part of the route.
Booking and timing tips
Book the inter-island ferries as soon as your flights are fixed, especially for the Havelock legs. Keep printed or offline copies of tickets and identity documents, because mobile coverage can be patchy away from Port Blair. Do not plan a ferry for the same morning as your flight home; spend the last night in Port Blair instead.
Foreign visitors should also read about permits and entry rules, since passports are checked on arrival. When you know how you will travel, choose your islands to visit.