Delhi to Chandigarh is a straight run up NH-44, four to five hours on a good day. The road is six-lane throughout and among the best-maintained corridors in the country.
Figures below are typical published values.
Work out the cost for your own car →Free, no sign-up. Compares every route with live toll from Google.
Fuel is the part that changes most between vehicles. This table assumes real-world mileage rather than the company figure, at ₹95/litre petrol, ₹88/litre diesel and ₹76/kg CNG. Toll of ₹250 is added to every row.
| Vehicle | Mileage | Fuel needed | Fuel cost | With toll |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small hatchback (Alto, S-Presso) | 20.5 km/l | 12.0 litres | ₹1,135 | ₹1,385 |
| Hatchback (Swift, i20, Baleno) | 19 km/l | 12.9 litres | ₹1,225 | ₹1,475 |
| Sedan (Dzire, Amaze, City) | 17.5 km/l | 14.0 litres | ₹1,330 | ₹1,580 |
| Compact SUV (Nexon, Venue, Brezza) | 15.5 km/l | 15.8 litres | ₹1,502 | ₹1,752 |
| SUV diesel (Creta, Seltos, XUV700) | 17 km/l | 14.4 litres | ₹1,268 | ₹1,518 |
| MUV diesel (Innova, Ertiga, Carens) | 14.5 km/l | 16.9 litres | ₹1,487 | ₹1,737 |
| CNG hatchback (Wagon R, Celerio) | 29 km/kg | 8.4 kg | ₹642 | ₹892 |
The cheapest way to make this trip is cng hatchback at about ₹892 one way. A return journey is not quite double — FASTag charges a return within 24 hours at 1.5 times the single toll rather than twice.
Approximate car rates on NH-44. Commercial vehicles pay considerably more — a two-axle truck or bus is charged about 3.15 times the car rate.
| Plaza | Car, one way |
|---|---|
| Panipat | ₹85 |
| Karnal (Basthara) | ₹75 |
| Shambhu | ₹90 |
| Total | ₹250 |
NH-44 is the main road for this trip. There is no meaningful alternative — NH-44 is the road. The Eastern Peripheral Expressway helps if you are starting from east or south Delhi and want to skip the city.
Friday evenings out of Delhi and Sunday evenings back into it are the worst windows. Leaving by 6 am gets you to Chandigarh for a late breakfast.
Murthal at the 50 km mark is the institution — the paratha dhabas there are the reason half of Delhi takes this road. Karnal has cleaner facilities if you want a proper break.
Around ₹250 for a car one way across three main plazas on NH-44. Rates are revised each year, so the calculator on this page pulls the current figure.
About ₹1,225 of petrol for a hatchback at 19 km/l, plus ₹250 toll — roughly ₹1,475 one way. A diesel SUV comes in near ₹1,520.
Four and a half hours typically. Add an hour if you leave during Delhi's evening peak or stop at Murthal.
Yes. NH-44 is six-lane and well surfaced for the full stretch. The slow parts are getting out of Delhi and the approach through Zirakpur.