Andaman Islands getting around by bus
We highly recommended Port Blair to Diglipur bus journey along the Andaman Trun Road. Both intercity and suburban buses ply those narrow Andaman roads. Intercity buses run from Port Blair all the way to Diglipur along Andaman Trunk Road, via Rangat and Mayabunder. Suburban buses connect administrative centres such as Rangat, Mayabunder and Diglipur, with their adjacent villages. Of course, local public transport buses criss-cross Port Blair municipality and connect the capital with its closest surroundings.
Intercity buses can be divided into long-distance "express" buses (well the expression "express" is a huge exaggeration) and long-distance local buses. The main difference is that local intercity bus services serve two cities and villages between them and will stop any passengers along the route. Such a bus can easily take you 2 km to the nearest village or market. The long-distance buses rush to or from Port Blair, thus "express" may, but more often it may not stop if you try to catch it somewhere between administrative centres.
Port Blair to Diglipur Bus Tickets
Forget online ticketing, there is nothing like that. Tickets can be bought when boarding the bus and long-distance buses offer a possibility of booking tickets in advance. We would say: it makes sense to book ahead. On the Port Blair to Diglipur bus route, there are only 4 buses running daily. So if you want to sit in front of the bus, do buy your tickets in advance. A few times we bought tickets, it was 2-4 days in advance and the front half of the bus was always already taken. The backside of the bus may be inconvenient on curvy, bumpy Andaman roads especially if you are prone to seasickness.
Private companies on Port Blair to Diglipur bus journey
Private companies do not have any branches or branches where tickets would be sold. Private bus tickets are sold in Port Blair, across the road from a state bus station, by a guy sitting on a plastic chair. Seriously. In Digipur and other towns, private bus companies sell ticket via kiosks, selling sweets and water. To find a ticket seller, just ask around. The local crowd knows and will point you to the right place. When you booked bus taking you thru Jarawa reserve, you needed to have the copy of your RAP permit and hand it over to the ticket guy. With RAP regime cancelled, the guy on that plastic chair may ask for a copy of your visa and passport.
Private companies are SS transport, Anand and Geetanjali
There are 4 Buses daily crossing the Andaman Islands from Port Blair, heading north to Mayabunder and Diglipur. These run at 4:15, 7:00, 10:00 and last at 12:45. Departure times are scheduled according to times when the convoy crossing thru the Jarawa Forest Reserve is scheduled.
When the bus is labelled "Super deluxe" do not expect luxury. None of the buses we have seen was air-conditioned and the ultimate luxury here means, that its seats are a bit more comfortable than in those on a state-run bus.
Government ticket prices along Port Blair to Diglipur bus route are (as of September 2019):
Port Blair - Rangat Rs. 160,-
Port Blair - Mayabunder Rs. 220,-
Port Blair - Diglipur Rs. 280,-
Private companies are slightly more expensive.
13 hours from Port Blair to Diglipur
It seems that 13 hours journey along Andaman Trunk Road from Port Blair to Diglipur must be tiring, however the journey thru the lush green tropical rain forest is beautiful. Track through Jarawa's natural reserve is one of the most beautiful scenic journeys on the planet Earth. Narrow asphalt road winds under the trees of untouched jungle. And yes, you can see here the original inhabitants, the Jarawa tribe. We highly recommended the road trip from Port Blair to Diglipur or at least to Rangat, if you have less time to spend.
Between South Andaman and Baratang, as well as between Baratang nad Midlle andaman the connection is provided with ferries which drop the vehicle on other shore.
There are several interesting places along Port Blair - Diglipur track. Thus you do not have to suffer those 13 hours in one shot. We recommend you to split the journey and spend few days visiting the natural beauty along the way. Inspiration can be our blog: places to visit on Andaman Islands.
Download Andaman lslands ATR bus schedule and fare table
You can download Andaman lslands ATR bus schedule here: http://transport.and.nic.in/ATR%20Bus.pdf
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How much is bus ticket to Hawksbill Nest Resort, please?
Hi Martin,
the long distance buses will charge you the price all the way to Mayabunder, even if you get off a few kilometers after Rangat. Thus expect to pay 220 INR +/-