Travel

Andaman Ship from Chennai: MV Sailings, Fares and Booking

Government ships still link Chennai with Sri Vijaya Puram. Here are the fares, booking rules, baggage limits and what the 50 to 60 hour voyage involves.

16 October 2026

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Updated 2026-10-29, 2:05 AM

The passenger ships of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration still sail between Chennai and Sri Vijaya Puram (the renamed Port Blair), and a bunk berth costs far less than most flights. The islands’ official Basic Statistics 2024-25 lists a non-islander bunk fare of ₹3,725 on MV Swaraj Dweep and MV Campbell Bay, against ₹14,420 for a deluxe cabin on the same ships. The South Andaman district administration puts the voyage at about 50 to 60 hours in fair weather.

The trade-off is planning. Sailings are announced in monthly schedules, tickets open in batches, and every voyage depends on the sea. This guide sets out how the service works for someone starting from Chennai, using the rules published by the Directorate of Shipping Services (DSS).

Which ships sail, and how often

Four mainland vessels appear in the 2024-25 statistics: MV Swaraj Dweep, MV Campbell Bay, MV Nalanda and MV Sindhu. The same fleet serves Kolkata and Visakhapatnam, so Chennai shares ships with two other ports. The district website describes Chennai sailings as roughly three to four a month in each direction, though the real count shifts with dry-docking and weather. The DSS citizen charter says the mainland schedule is issued monthly and tickets are sold subject to availability.

A March 2026 notice reported by the island daily Andaman Sheekha said Swaraj Dweep would begin summer voyages to Visakhapatnam and Chennai from 25 April 2026, with Nalanda adding Chennai and Kolkata runs in May. In June, the paper reported a Swaraj Dweep sailing for Chennai on 7 June 2026, with unused reserved-quota tickets released to the public from 9 am the day before. The pattern is worth knowing: dates surface weeks ahead, not months, and quota seats can free up at the last minute.

Fares by class

The table shows non-islander fares from Table 19.2 of the 2024-25 statistics. Islanders pay much less; a Swaraj Dweep bunk is ₹1,385 for them.

Class	Swaraj Dweep / Campbell Bay (₹)	Nalanda / Sindhu (₹)
Deluxe	14,420	15,855
First class cabin	11,965	13,165
Second class cabin	9,515	10,460
Bunk	3,725	4,095
Seat	Not listed	2,670

Fares can be revised, so treat these as a guide and confirm the amount on the booking screen before paying.

How to book from Chennai

Tickets are sold on the DSS e-ticketing portal (STARS) at dss.andamannicobar.gov.in/eticketing and at STARS counters in the islands. Since 14 October 2025 the portal takes bookings round the clock; before that, online sales ran only during counter hours of 9 am to 4 pm, Nicobar Times reported.

Create an account on the portal and keep an eye on the monthly schedule and the announced sale date for the Chennai sailing.
Enter each passenger’s government photo ID details exactly as printed. The e-ticketing terms warn that a mismatch can attract a charge of ten times the main fare.
A registered user can book up to five berths in one transaction, two transactions a day and ten berths a day.
Pay online and carry the e-ticket along with the original ID used for booking.

Foreign nationals need a passport copy and Restricted Area Permission. Students, senior citizens above 60, freedom fighters and persons with disabilities must carry the relevant certificate if booking under those categories. The DSS information centre at Phoenix Bay Jetty takes calls on toll-free 1800-345-2714 from 8.30 am to 5 pm, all seven days.

Cancellation, baggage and reporting time

Three or more days before sailing: a flat ₹20 for deluxe or cabin, ₹15 for bunk.
Two days or one day before: 25% of the fare is deducted.
On the day of sailing: 60%. Within two hours of departure: no refund.
Cancellations are done only on the portal, not at counters. Refunds take five to seven business days.
If DSS cancels or reschedules a voyage, or it is delayed by six hours or more, the full fare is refunded.

Bunk passengers may carry up to 55 kg or 5 cubic feet of accompanied baggage; cabin passengers up to 125 kg or 10 cubic feet. Excess baggage is charged and must be loaded a day before sailing. Report two hours before departure, because boarding gates shut 30 minutes before the ship leaves. Firearms must be handed to the ship’s officer, and flammable goods are barred.

Who actually uses the Chennai ship

The official passenger counts show how specialised this route is. In 2024-25, 4,673 people boarded at Chennai and 3,214 got off there. The figures were 2,569 and 1,911 in 2023-24, and 4,542 and 3,770 in 2022-23. Chennai had more boarding passengers in 2024-25 than Visakhapatnam (2,770) or Kolkata (402). Many travellers are island residents and workers moving with heavy luggage, which explains the generous baggage limits.

For a Chennai traveller the ship makes sense when time is not short, when you need to carry a lot, or when you simply want two and a half days at sea. Pack food you like, any seasickness medicine your doctor suggests and enough to read.

Quick answers

How long is the Chennai to Port Blair ship journey?

About 50 to 60 hours in fair weather, according to the South Andaman district administration.

What is the cheapest ticket?

For non-islanders the bunk is the cheapest berth at ₹3,725 on Swaraj Dweep and Campbell Bay. Nalanda and Sindhu also list a seat class at ₹2,670 (2024-25 table).

Can I book the ship online from Chennai?

Yes. The DSS e-ticketing portal has accepted bookings 24 hours a day since October 2025.

What ID do I need?

Any photo ID issued by the Central or State Government for Indian passengers. Foreign nationals need a passport copy and Restricted Area Permission.

Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.