514 km · 8 toll plazas · about 11 h 5 min on the road. Change the vehicle, fuel or mileage below and every number updates.
The road distance from Chennai to Kodaikanal is 514 km — a long day that needs an early start.
You cross 8 toll plazas. For a car the published fees add up to ₹620 one way, about ₹1.21 per km, which is on the expensive side for Indian highways.
Kodaikanal is a hill destination: the last stretch climbs ghat roads, where mileage drops by roughly 15–25% and speeds fall sharply. Our fuel figures use flat-road mileage, so add a buffer.
Fees for a single journey with FASTag. Return fees apply when you come back through the same plaza within 24 hours; a monthly pass covers 50 single journeys in a month.
| # | Toll plaza | At km | State | Car single | Car return | Car monthly | LCV | Bus/Truck | Multi-axle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanagaram (Chennai Bypass) | 16 | Tamil Nadu | ₹55 | ₹80 | ₹1,815 | ₹90 | ₹185 | ₹290 |
| 2 | Paranur (Chengalpet) | 58 | Tamil Nadu | ₹75 | ₹110 | ₹2,500 | ₹120 | ₹255 | ₹400 |
| 3 | Athur (Tindivanam) | 108 | Tamil Nadu | ₹75 | ₹110 | ₹2,435 | ₹120 | ₹245 | ₹390 |
| 4 | Vikravandi (Villupuram) | 155 | Tamil Nadu | ₹105 | ₹155 | ₹3,100 | ₹180 | ₹360 | ₹580 |
| 5 | Sengurichi | 200 | Tamil Nadu | ₹65 | ₹100 | ₹1,995 | ₹115 | ₹235 | ₹375 |
| 6 | Thirumandurai | 252 | Tamil Nadu | ₹65 | ₹100 | ₹1,995 | ₹115 | ₹235 | ₹375 |
| 7 | Samayapuram | 312 | Tamil Nadu | ₹55 | ₹80 | ₹1,635 | ₹95 | ₹190 | ₹305 |
| 8 | Ponnambalapatti | 388 | Tamil Nadu | ₹125 | ₹185 | ₹3,710 | ₹215 | ₹435 | ₹695 |
| Total (published fees) | 514 | ₹620 | ₹920 | ₹1,050 | ₹2,140 | ₹3,410 |
Totals for all 8 plazas. “No FASTag” is the 1.25x UPI rate.
| Vehicle class | One way (FASTag) | Return in 24 h | No FASTag (UPI) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car / Jeep / Van | ₹620 | ₹920 | ₹775 |
| LCV / Mini bus | ₹1,050 | ₹1,575 | ₹1,314 |
| Bus / Truck (2 axle) | ₹2,140 | ₹3,200 | ₹2,676 |
| 3-axle commercial | ₹3,075 | ₹4,615 | ₹3,845 |
| 4–6 axle (MAV) | ₹3,410 | ₹5,105 | ₹4,264 |
| 7+ axle (oversized) | ₹3,635 | ₹5,455 | ₹4,545 |
One way, 514 km, at Tamil Nadu prices (petrol ₹108.78/L, diesel ₹100.59/L). Typical highway mileage; change it in the calculator for your car.
| Car type | Petrol | Diesel | CNG | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hatchback | ₹3,104 | ₹2,349 | ₹1,966 | ₹1,284 |
| Sedan | ₹3,725 | ₹2,720 | ₹2,323 | ₹1,468 |
| SUV / MUV | ₹5,080 | ₹3,691 | ₹3,007 | ₹1,868 |
For the same sedan, fuel for one way costs ₹3,725 on petrol, ₹2,720 on diesel and about ₹1,468 on electric (public fast charging at ₹20/kWh; home charging is far cheaper). An EV with ~350 km real range needs about 1 charging stop on the way.
The pass costs ₹3,075 for 200 crossings (₹15.38 per crossing) on NHAI plazas. This trip uses 8 crossings one way — worth about ₹123 of pass value against ₹620 in regular fees. If you drive highways often, the pass pays off on this route.
Return within 24 hours and the car toll for the round trip is ₹920 instead of ₹1,240 — a 26% discount that FASTag applies automatically.
About ₹620 one way with FASTag across 8 plazas. A return within 24 hours costs ₹920. Without FASTag you pay 1.25x by UPI: ₹775.
8 on the fastest route: Vanagaram (Chennai Bypass), Paranur (Chengalpet), Athur (Tindivanam), Vikravandi (Villupuram), Sengurichi, Thirumandurai, Samayapuram, Ponnambalapatti.
About 34 litres for a car doing 15 km/l (₹3,725 at Chennai prices). A hatchback at 18 km/l needs ~29 L; an SUV at 11 km/l needs ~47 L.
Around ₹4,345 one way for a petrol sedan (fuel ₹3,725 + toll ₹620), or ₹8,371 for a same-day return. Split between four people that is ₹1,086 each, one way.
Plan on about 11 h 5 min including short breaks. Free-flowing traffic can do it in 7 h 56 min, but towns, trucks and plaza queues usually add time.
One way with FASTag: bus/2-axle truck ₹2,140, 3-axle ₹3,075, 4–6 axle ₹3,410, 7+ axle ₹3,635.
Yes, plazas charge the same fee in both directions, so the Kodaikanal to Chennai toll is the same ~₹620 for a car. Fuel cost differs only if you fill up at Kodaikanal's state price.
Fees are revised every 1 April and some plazas change mid-year, so treat results as a close estimate. Spotted a wrong fee or a missing plaza? Tell us — we fix reported errors within 72 hours and log them on our corrections page.
Built and maintained by Nikhil Shrivastava. Full method: how the calculator works.
Last updated: 24 October 2026