By Air

Port Blair, the gateway to A & N Islands is connected with Chennai and Kolkata by air. A number of Indian Airlines operate in this sector. Some operator fly additional flights for season like from October to March. During season a few operator also operate Delhi-Bhubaneswar-Port Blair, Delhi-Kolkata-Port Blair, Bangalore-Chennai-Port Blair. Flights land and take off Port Blair Airport before 3pm only.

Foreign charter flights are also permitted to land at Port Blair subject to the fulfilment of guidelines of the Director General of Civil Aviation.

By Sea

Regular passenger ship services are available to Port Blair from Chennai, Kolkata and Visakhapatnam and back. There are three to four sailings every month from Kolkata and Chennai to Port Blair and vice-versa. There is one sailing for Visakhapatnam in a month. The voyage takes about 50 to 60 hours and the ship normally berths at Port Blair for about two to four days. Tickets can be booked for any of the vessels in any scheduled sailing at the STARS (Ship Ticketing Advance Reservation System) Counters of the Directorate of Shipping Services, A&N Administration at Chennai, Port Blair, Diglipur, Mayabunder, Rangat, Havelock, Hutbay, Car Nicobar, Nancowry and Campbell Bay. At Kolkatta, the STARS network is located in the Shipping Corporation of India office from where tickets could be purchased. As of now, Vizag-Port Blair sector is not under STARS network. As for voyage tickets from Vizag, SCI has a ticketing agent: M/s AV Bhanojirow garuda, Pattabhiramayya & Co, Near Port Main Gate, PB.No:17, Vizag .Tel: 0891-256 5597, Fax: 0891 -256 6507.

The ships run by Shipping Corporation of India are having only the basic facilities. It shall be remember it is not a luxury cruise but a passenger ship.

Please click on this link to see ship fare: MyAndaman Ship fare for Andaman and Nicobar islands

Please click on this link to see ship schedule: MyAndaman Ship Schedule to Andaman and Nicobar Island from Chennai, Kolkata and Visakhapatnam

Inter-Island Transport

The Directorate of Shipping Services, A&N Administration operates regular ferry services from Phoenix Bay Jetty, Port Blair in the inter island, foreshore sectors connecting all populated islands/ tourist places. The Directorate also operates vehicle ferries at important locations and several harbour ferries. The sailing schedules are published in local newspapers- Daily Telegrams and also broadcast through the All India Radio/ Doordarshan, Port Blair. Tickets are issued through the STARS counters managed by the Directorate of Shipping Services.

Apart from this, private tourist boats are operated from Aberdeen Jetty (Water Sports Complex), Port Blair connecting nearby tourist places like Ross Island, Viper Island, North Bay and Harbour cruise etc. Tourist boat services from Wandoor to Jolly Bouy/ Redskin islands are also privatized.

A major private initiative in passenger shipping service- Coastal Cruise, Port Blair has come up with a luxury passenger day cruise vessel-M.V. Coastal Cruise connecting the most sought after tourist circuit in Andamans: Port Blair-Neil Island-Havelock. The 218-passenger capacity, fully Air-conditioned Catamaran, which can attain a cruise speed of 27 nautical miles per hour, will reach tourists in about 90 minutes to Havelock from Port Blairand 45 minute between Neil Island and Por Blair.

A major private initiative in passenger shipping service-M/s MAK Logistics, Port Blair has come up with a luxury passenger day cruise vessel-M.V. Makruzz connecting the most sought after tourist circuit in Andamans: Port Blair-Havelock. The 280-passenger capacity, fully Air-conditioned Catamaran, which can attain a cruise speed of 27 nautical miles per hour, will reach tourists in about 90 minutes to Havelock from Port Blair.

Shipping Contacts

1. Shipping Corporation of India Ltd.,
   Shipping House, No. 13, Strand Road,
   Kolkata - 700 001,Tel(033) 2482354, 2488013
   Fax: (033) 2482035, 2480377
   
2. The Asst. Director of Shipping Services,
   A&N Administration, 6, Rajaji Salai,
   Chennai - 600 001
   Tel: (044) 25220841, Fax-(044)25226873
   
3. M/s A.V. Bhanojirao and Garuda Pattabhiramayya & Co.,
   Post Box No. 17, Vishakapatnam
   (Agent - Shipping Corporation of India Ltd.)
   Tel: (0891) 2565597
   Fax: (0891)2566507/2549224
   
4. The Directorate of Shipping Services,
   A&N Administration,
   Phoniex Bay Jetty,
   Port Blair
   Tel: (03192) 232528/232742
   Fax: (03192) 230480