Sasan Gir to Rajkot Car Rental: Fares, Route

Rajkot sits about 160-170 km north-northeast of the Sasan Gir safari gate — 3.5 to 4.5 hours, either straight up the Dhoraji line or through Junagadh and Jetpur on the heritage variant. A sedan costs Rs.3,900-4,600 one way, an Ertiga Rs.4,900-5,700, and an Innova Crysta Rs.5,900-6,800. The road trades teak forest for the groundnut belt, passes Mendarda and Dhoraji, then runs into Saurashtra’s biggest city — railway hub, and gateway to Rajkot International Airport (Hirasar). And if you are closing a Sasan Gir National Park safari guide morning slot and aiming to make the evening train or a next-day flight, the 9:30-10:00 AM exit matters more than the fare.

This is the lions-to-Rajkot run — Asiatic lions at dawn, groundnut plains by mid-morning, and Saurashtra’s commercial capital by lunch if you clear Dhoraji on time. Both points sit inside Gujarat, so no border tax. But operators on this sector bill a 155-175 km minimum against the 160-170 km actual, CNG boots hold just 2 bags, and Rajkot has three different drop zones — station side, old city, and Hirasar airport 30 km out — that price differently. Book with the return, waiting and the exact drop written on the slip — a same-day round-trip often beats two one-ways once the empty return is priced in.

Route Overview – Sasan Gir to Rajkot by Car

Detail	Information
Distance	~160-170 km gate-to-gate (Sasan Gir → Mendarda 25-28 km → Dhoraji ~75-85 km → Rajkot 160-170 km on the direct line)
Travel Time	3.5 to 4.5 hours; 5+ with a Junagadh stop or Rajkot city-entry traffic
Route A (Direct)	Sasan Gir → Mendarda → Dhoraji → Gondal Road → Rajkot — shorter, fewer stops, the dispatcher’s default
Route B (Heritage)	Sasan Gir → Mendarda → Junagadh → Jetpur → Gondal → Rajkot on NH27/NH151 — 170-180 km, 4-lane divided NH27 the whole way (safer for late-afternoon or post-dusk travel); stop only if Uparkot / Girnar / Gondal is pre-agreed
Highway Notes	SH 2-lane through the Gir fringe and farm belt; Route B’s Junagadh–Jetpur–Gondal leg is 4-lane divided NH27 (median, no head-on traffic) — the safer line after dusk; Rajkot Ring Road decides your final drop
Toll Estimate	Rs.0-150 — direct line mostly free; heritage line can hit the Pithadiya FASTag plaza near Jetpur. Rajkot city parking Rs.50-100 if driver waits

The drive starts at Sasan’s safari gate and pushes north-northeast. First 25 km run through Gir fringe — thinned teak, village crossings, morning milk tankers. Then the road opens past Mendarda into the groundnut and cotton belt. Straight farm runs where drivers hold 70-80 kmph. Good surface, but unmarked crossings near every village — keep low beam through the hamlets and watch for tractor trailers loaded with groundnut sacks on market days.

At Mendarda you make the only real decision on this run. Direct line: turn northeast toward Dhoraji — 160-165 km, town halt at Dhoraji, then the Gondal Road approach into Rajkot before the evening peak. Heritage line: hold north to Junagadh, then east through Jetpur and Gondal on NH27 — 170-180 km, but only worth it if Uparkot, the Girnar ropeway or Gondal’s palaces were already on the slip. Past Dhoraji the traffic thickens — Rajkot-bound trucks and Jetpur buses — and the last 30 km deliver you to the Ring Road, where your driver picks the exit: station side, old city, or the Hirasar airport road.

Rajkot’s drop discipline matters more than any turn on the highway. Station side means the Kalawad Road or the station circle; old city means Jubilee Garden traffic and a lane you cannot turn around in; Hirasar means staying on NH27 for another 30 km past the city — a separate quote, not a courtesy add-on. Say the exact drop before you leave Sasan, get it on the slip, and the last 10 km stop being an argument at 5 PM with the meter running.

Taxi Fare Breakdown – What You Actually Pay

Below are standard one-way fares for the Sasan Gir to Rajkot drop in 2026 — the Sasan to Rajkot taxi fare, since Rajkot is a city market with three drop zones. The actual run is 160-170 km, but operators on this sector bill a 155-175 km minimum — you are paying for the driver’s empty return to Sasan, which is why the sedan sits above a raw 165 km × rate calculation. Station and old-city drops are standard; Hirasar airport runs 30 km further out and is quoted separately:

Vehicle Type	Models	Capacity	Luggage	One-Way Fare
Sedan	Swift Dzire, Etios	4 seater AC	2 bags	Rs.3,900-4,600
SUV	Ertiga	6 seater AC	2 bags	Rs.4,900-5,700
SUV (Premium)	Innova Crysta	6 seater AC	4 bags	Rs.5,900-6,800
Tempo Traveller	12 Seater	12 seater AC	8 bags	Rs.7,500-8,800
Tempo Traveller	17 Seater	17 seater AC	10 bags	Rs.9,800-11,200
Tempo Traveller	26 Seater	26 seater AC	10 bags	Rs.12,500-14,000
Hirasar Airport Add-on	All types	—	—	+ Rs.600-900 over city drop

Sedan land price after driver bata and GST is usually Rs.4,300-5,200 on aggregator apps; street stands at the safari gate often clear near Rs.3,900 if you pay cash and skip the portal. Prices swing Rs.300-500 by weekend and Dec-Mar plus Diwali safari rush. Ask for the breakup slip: 165 km × rate + driver bata Rs.250-300 + GST. And confirm out loud — “Is the Rajkot station drop included, or is Hirasar extra?” App listings on this corridor run cheaper on paper (Rs.2,700-3,800 sedan), but they exclude driver bata and GST until checkout, and airport drops get bolted on at the last minute.

The CNG Luggage Warning

Dzires and Ertigas on this belt run CNG. Cylinder in the boot. Two medium bags fit — the third rides on the back seat with someone’s knees. Rajkot runs mean station transfers, suitcases and a thermos — that is already three bags. An overhead carrier for Ertiga/Innova costs ₹300–₹400 extra — essential for 3+ bags in CNG cars and must be requested upfront at booking, not at the lodge steps. Innova Crysta carries 4 large bags without the frame. Count bags before the driver leaves Sasan. Carriers do not appear out of thin air on the 165 km run, and the Mendarda halt does not fix a missing frame.

What’s Included vs. What’s Extra

What’s included: Fuel, driver allowance, GST on aggregator bills, 60 minutes of free waiting at the Rajkot drop. What’s extra: Highway toll — the direct Dhoraji line is mostly free, but the Jetpur–Gondal heritage line crosses the Pithadiya FASTag plaza on NH27 (Rs.60-120 for a car) — FASTag is standard for cabs, the plaza reads the tag electronically with no cash stop, and operators add it to the slip, Hirasar airport add-on Rs.600-900, night charge Rs.200-300 (10 PM-6 AM), waiting Rs.100 per hour after the first free hour, and Rajkot city parking Rs.50-100 if the driver waits inside the Ring Road.

The surprise on this route is the drop-zone gap: a station quote and an airport quote differ by Rs.600-900, and some operators stop at the Ring Road and charge the last 30 km as a waiting-time extra. Confirm: “Is the exact drop included — station, old city, or Hirasar?” Write it on the slip.

Why Are Round Trips Sometimes Cheaper?

One-way Rs.4,200 bakes in empty return — 165 km down, 165 km back empty. Same-day return (320-340 km total) runs Rs.5,800-6,800 sedan, Rs.7,200-8,300 Ertiga. Per-km drops from about Rs.25 to Rs.18. For Rajkot the car waits anyway if you are tying in a city errand, a station pickup or an airport run — round-trip holds the car through that idle stretch and kills the 6 PM scramble when the station exits empty. Groups of 6+ do better in one Innova than two sedans — parking for one, waiting for one. One thing to settle before you leave Sasan: on an 8-10 hour round-trip day, driver bata usually covers one meal — most local operators expect you to either buy the driver’s lunch at the halt or add Rs.100-150 meal money to the slip. It is a small amount; agreeing it upfront avoids the awkward ask at the dhaba counter. If Junagadh or Somnath is also on the list, lock the whole Sasan–Junagadh–Rajkot day as round-trip-or-continuous before you leave Sasan.

Car Rental Options – How to Book

Online aggregators: MakeMyTrip, EaseMyTrip and CabBazar list Gir-to-Rajkot sedans around Rs.3,600-4,300 for 165-175 km included. Base fares exclude driver bata and GST at checkout — final sedan lands Rs.4,300-5,200. Useful for cancellation cover (free till 12-24 hours before) and verified drivers. Prices swing Rs.300-500 by weekend. If you are stitching a longer circuit, many operators price Somnath to Rajkot car rental legs into a combined Gir–Somnath–Rajkot package cheaper than three separate one-ways — ask for the combined per-km rate before you commit.

Local stands at Sasan Gir: Safari-gate stand, Sasan bus stop and the Mendarda chowk cars cover Rajkot daily — this is the sector’s biggest city run, so almost every driver knows both the Dhoraji line and the Jetpur approach. Inspect AC cooling — the midday run across the farm belt exposes weak compressors. Note plate, take driver number, get a slip with 165 km billing, waiting and the exact drop. Lodge desks add Rs.200-300 but arrange roof carriers faster than apps.

Timing the pickup: Share the exact drop — Rajkot station side, old city hotel, or Hirasar airport terminal — before you leave Sasan. For a 9:30-10:00 AM safari exit you clear the buffer by 10:15, Mendarda chowk by 10:45, Dhoraji halt by 11:30-12:00, and inside the Rajkot Ring Road by 2:00-2:30. Evening station trains build after 5:30 PM; Hirasar flights need 2.5 hours before departure from the Sasan side — a 190-200 km airport run is 4.5-5 hours, not the 3.5-hour city run. Tell the operator if a heritage hop is planned first: the Sasan Gir to Junagadh car rental sector sits on the heritage variant, but a fort stop means a waiting clause and a re-quoted slip, not a quick detour.

Direct Dhoraji Line vs Heritage Jetpur–Gondal Line

Two roads, one decision at Mendarda. The direct Dhoraji line — Sasan Gir → Mendarda → Dhoraji → Gondal Road → Rajkot — runs 160-165 km in 3.5-4 hours. It is the dispatcher’s default: SH north through the farm belt to Dhoraji, town halt, then the Gondal Road approach into Rajkot. The heritage Jetpur–Gondal line — Sasan Gir → Mendarda → Junagadh → Jetpur → Gondal → Rajkot on NH27/NH151 — runs 170-180 km in 4-4.5 hours, and only earns its extra kilometres if Uparkot, the Girnar ropeway or Gondal’s palaces are already on the slip. No shortcut through the core forest saves time; the Talala detour runs the wrong way entirely, and drivers who pitch it are stretching km. Hold whichever line you booked from the Mendarda chowk — switching mid-run means a re-quote.

Traffic is farm-plus-city. SH sections carry tractors, milk tankers and school vans till Dhoraji; the Dhoraji town cut carries local buses that do not signal; and the final 30 km into Rajkot is Ring Road discipline — trucks merging at the Jetpur approach, the Gondal bypass holding speed, then exit choice. On the heritage line the Jetpur interchange is the busy one — long-haul trucks, buses, and the Pithadiya toll before Gondal. Either way, your driver’s last 10 km are decided by your drop zone, not the highway: station side via Kalawad Road, old city through the Jubilee Garden lanes, or straight on NH27 for Hirasar.

Divided-highway logic: the heritage Junagadh–Jetpur–Gondal leg runs on 4-lane divided NH27 — central median, no oncoming trucks, predictable interchanges — while the direct line stays 2-lane SH with tractors and milk tankers sharing your lane. If your drop lands in late afternoon or after dusk, ask the dispatcher to price the NH27 variant even if it adds 10-15 km: a divided carriageway is simply safer at that hour, and the Pithadiya plaza clears by FASTag without a cash stop.

Note for the Jamnagar corridor: our Sasan Gir to Jamnagar car rental guide prices the longer Rajkot-highway variant separately — if your trip chains Gir → Rajkot → Jamnagar, book it as one continuous run. Two separate one-ways pay for two empty returns.

En Route Stops & Waypoints

Stop	Distance from Sasan	What to See / Do
Sasan Gir Gate	0 km	Start — safari reception, ATM, fuel, water
Mendarda	25-28 km	Route split — fuel, dhabas, restrooms, tea; choose Dhoraji or Junagadh line
Junagadh Bypass (heritage only)	50-55 km	Hold the bypass unless Uparkot / Girnar / station is agreed
Dhoraji (direct only)	~75-85 km	Fort town halt — tea, washrooms, lunch, fuel; the midpoint before Rajkot
Jetpur interchange (heritage only)	~90-95 km	Busy truck belt; Pithadiya FASTag plaza nearby
Gondal (heritage only)	~145 km	Narsingh Vilas Palace, Swaminarayan Temple — pre-agreed stops only
Rajkot Ring Road	~155-165 km	Drop-zone decision — station, old city, or Hirasar road
Rajkot drop	160-170 km	End — station / old city; Hirasar airport +30 km (190-200 km total)

Dhoraji is the direct line’s break worth taking — clean washrooms near the bus stand, better dhabas than the farm stretch, and the last easy halt before the Rajkot approach. On the heritage line, Junagadh bypass is the equivalent: highway-side facilities and the final clean stop before Jetpur’s truck belt. Beyond Dhoraji or Gondal, stop only if you must; the Rajkot approach has no dhabas, only city-edge chai stalls. Arriving at the Ring Road, tell the driver the drop once more — “station side” and “old city” are 4 km and 20 minutes apart at evening peak.

Rajkot Drop Points – Station, Old City, Hirasar

Station side (Rajkot Junction): The default for train connections — Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Delhi lines run through. Drop at the Kalawad Road approach or the station circle; do not let the driver enter the prepaid taxi lane unless you want rank attendants quoting separately. Waiting beyond 60 minutes accrues at Rs.100/hour.

Old city / hotel drops: Jubilee Garden, Kaba Gandhi No Delo lane, Trikon Baug hotels — the lanes are narrow, one-way, and punished at evening peak. Agree “drop at the nearest main-road gate” if the hotel sits inside the old grid; a cab cannot wait in the lane.

Hirasar airport (RJK): Rajkot International Airport sits 30 km from the city centre on NH27, the Ahmedabad side. From Sasan Gir the airport drop runs 190-200 km — plan a 4.5 to 5 hour total transit window from the lodge gate to the terminal, not the 3.5-hour city run: about 3-3.5 hours driving, the 30 km airport approach, and terminal buffer. Quote it as its own sector (+ Rs.600-900 over a city drop) and keep 2.5 hours between gate exit and departure — a 6 PM flight means clearing Sasan by 10:30 AM. The former Rajkot Civil Airport on Aerodrome Road no longer handles regular commercial flights — say “Hirasar, not Aerodrome Road” when you book, because some older driver sheets still carry the Aerodrome Road address.

What to Do in Rajkot if Time Allows

Rajkot rewards a 2-3 hour buffer between drop and train or flight — the core sights sit within 2 km of each other, all on flat ground. Keep it tight if a departure hangs over you:

Kaba Gandhi No Delo: Where Gandhi lived as a schoolboy — now a memorial with his room, photographs and spinning wheel. Free entry, 45 minutes, morning hours best. The lane is narrow; drop at the main-road gate.
Watson Museum: Saurashtra’s ethnography collection — Rajput arms, silverwork, and the Harappan-era artifacts. Adjacent to Jubilee Garden; pair the two in one hour. Closed Fridays.
Jubilee Garden & Watson clock tower: The city’s green core — evening walk, local snack stalls, and the fastest orientation point for first-timers. Combine with the museum if the day is loose.
Railway station / airport transfers: Rajkot Junction for the Mumbai–Ahmedabad main line; Hirasar (RJK) 30 km out for flights. Flag the exact one at booking — station and airport drops differ by Rs.600-900 and 40 minutes.
Onward circuit: continuing to the coast? Our Diu to Rajkot car rental reverse runs daily — useful if the Gir loop ends in Rajkot and the coast begins there, priced as one continuous circuit instead of two one-ways.

Safari + Rajkot Same-Day Itinerary

Lions at dawn, the Ring Road by mid-afternoon — tight enough for an evening train or a next-morning flight. The Devalia / buffer fallback keeps the timeline if core permits vanish — exit gate by 9:30 either way:

6:00-9:00 AM: Core safari. Bags packed, room settled, driver at gate by 9:15.
9:30-10:00 AM: Depart Sasan via Mendarda. Take the Dhoraji line unless the heritage stop was booked.
10:30-10:45 AM: Mendarda chowk — confirm your line (Dhoraji or Junagadh), fuel and tea. Fill the bottle; the farm belt beyond has dhabas but few clean washrooms.
11:30 AM-12:00 PM: Dhoraji — tea, washrooms, cash point and a lunch halt if you want one; skip the stop and Rajkot opens up 40 minutes earlier.
2:00-2:30 PM: Rajkot Ring Road. Drop-zone call: station side, old city, or stay on NH27 for Hirasar.
2:30-5:00 PM: Buffer — Kaba Gandhi No Delo and Watson Museum pair in 90 minutes if the drop was old city. Evening station trains build after 5:30 PM.
Hirasar flights: From the Sasan side, leave 4.5-5 hours before departure — the airport is 190-200 km, not the 165 km city run. A 6 PM flight means clearing Sasan by 10:30 AM, safari or no safari.

Summer flips the math — 42°C by noon cooks the open farm belt. Keep the cab running between halts rather than walking the Dhoraji market stretch with elders. Monsoon reverses it: add 20-30 minutes for wet farm stretches near Mendarda, and treat the Dhoraji road as 50 km/h — surface water hides the speed breakers. Winter fog Dec-Jan trims the Mendarda straight; low beam through the fringe, high beam after the villages. Either way, 5:30 AM lodge wake-up is non-negotiable for the 6 AM safari gate line.

Best Time to Drive & Road Conditions

Early morning (6:00-9:00 AM): Cleanest for the Gir fringe, but you are still on safari — realistic exit is 9:30. Winter fog Dec-Jan trims visibility on the Mendarda and Dhoraji straights; low beam through the fringe, high beam after the villages.

Late morning (10:00 AM-1:00 PM): Normal safari-transfer band. Heat builds past 11 AM across the farm belt; AC load high, dhaba stops thin past Mendarda. Fill water at the Mendarda halt if you skipped the lodge — the Dhoraji cut is the only reliable top-up before town.

Avoid: Night after 9 PM on the full run — the farm stretch is unlit with tractor trailers parked blind on the shoulder, and the Rajkot Ring Road exit is easy to overshoot in headlights. Monsoon (July-Sept) softens SH shoulders near Mendarda — stay centre-lane. Diwali and Dec wedding weeks jam the Ring Road for the last 10 km; add 30-40 minutes or shift the drop to a mid-morning arrival so you are not circling the station circle with the meter still running. For a late-afternoon or post-dusk drop, price the heritage NH27 variant — a 4-lane divided carriageway beats the 2-lane farm SH after dark.

Return Options – Rajkot to Sasan Gir

Pre-booked round-trip cab: Default. Driver waits through your city errand or station pickup. Sedan return folds into Rs.5,800-6,800 round-trip math. No evening car hunt at the station circle.
Local taxi at the station: Rajkot Junction has a rank; airport has prepaid counters. Sedan to Sasan quotes Rs.4,200-4,900 — Rs.300-600 over Sasan-origin rates. Fix the price before loading bags and photograph the fare on your phone.
GSRTC bus: Frequent services run the Rajkot–Junagadh corridor; from Junagadh it is a shared jeep or local cab to Sasan (53 km). No direct Sasan drop — expect 4-5 hours with the change. Agree the Junagadh connection fare before boarding.
Train + cab: Rajkot Junction → Junagadh (2-3 hrs), then a 53 km cab hop to the safari gate; Veraval is the alternate line (42 km from Sasan). Slow with changes (4-5 hrs). Cabs stay fastest at 3.5-4.5 hrs door-to-door — and the same cab that dropped you is almost always cheaper than stitching station taxis.
Rail jump from Junagadh Junction: Travellers heading on to Ahmedabad or Mumbai can cut the drive at Junagadh Junction — 53 km from the Sasan gate — and save about 110 km of driving versus going all the way to Rajkot. Roughly five trains run daily to Ahmedabad Jn (Somnath SF Express does it in under six hours), and the daily Saurashtra Janta reaches Mumbai Bandra by early morning. Book tickets before you leave Sasan; the cab drops you at the portico.
Onward to the coast: continuing past Sasan? The Rajkot–Somnath taxi leg covers that run directly — no need to double back through Gir.

Road Safety & Practical Tips

Wildlife protocol: First 25 km fringe active 5:30-7 AM. Lion on road — stop, low beam, wait. No honk, no close pass.
Mendarda route call: Announce your line at the chowk — Dhoraji or Junagadh. A driver who “knows a cut” after Mendarda without your slip is padding km.
Dhoraji town cut: Buses do not signal; locals cross mid-block. Drop to 40 km/h through town regardless of the flow.
Luggage check: Count bags at lodge steps. Overhead carriers on CNG cars cost ₹300–₹400 and must be requested when you book — not at pickup. Carrier nuts shake loose on SH rumble strips — re-torque at the Dhoraji halt.
Fuel: Fill at Sasan or Mendarda. Dhoraji is the last easy pump on the direct line; the Dhoraji cut and the Rajkot approach have none worth queueing for. CNG drivers — top up before the highway push.
Toll payment: FASTag is standard — every registered cab carries a tag, and the Pithadiya plaza on NH27 reads it electronically, so there is no cash stop. Expect Rs.60-120 on the slip for the heritage line.
Payment slip: Write the 165 km billing, the exact drop (station / old city / Hirasar), waiting after 60 min, and the night charge window before the buffer closes. Keep a photo on your phone — Ring Road disputes go faster with a timestamped shot than with a verbal memory at 5 PM.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the distance from Sasan Gir to Rajkot?

About 160-170 km by road on the direct Dhoraji line (Sasan Gir → Mendarda → Dhoraji → Gondal Road → Rajkot); 170-180 km on the heritage Jetpur–Gondal variant. Sasan Gir to Mendarda is 25-28 km; Dhoraji sits around 75-85 km, leaving about 80-90 km of highway to Rajkot. The Sasan Gir to Rajkot distance by car comes to 190-200 km if the drop is Hirasar airport instead of the city.

How much does a taxi from Sasan Gir to Rajkot cost?

Sedan Rs.3,900-4,600 one way, Ertiga Rs.4,900-5,700, Innova Crysta Rs.5,900-6,800. Tempo 12-seater Rs.7,500-8,800. Same-day return sedan Rs.5,800-6,800. Hirasar airport drop adds Rs.600-900 over a city drop. Operators bill a 155-175 km minimum against the 160-170 km actual.

How long does it take to reach Rajkot from Sasan Gir?

3.5 to 4.5 hours nonstop on the direct line; 4 to 5 hours via Jetpur–Gondal or with a Junagadh stop. Add 40-60 minutes for Rajkot evening peak, and treat an Hirasar airport run as 4.5-5 hours from the Sasan side.

Which is the best route from Sasan Gir to Rajkot?

The direct Dhoraji line: Sasan Gir → Mendarda → Dhoraji → Gondal Road → Rajkot, 160-165 km. Take the heritage variant through Junagadh, Jetpur and Gondal (170-180 km on 4-lane divided NH27/NH151 — also the safer pick for a post-dusk drop) only if Uparkot, Girnar or Gondal palaces are pre-agreed — otherwise hold the direct line from the Mendarda chowk.

How far is Rajkot airport from Sasan Gir?

Rajkot International Airport (Hirasar) is about 190-200 km from the Sasan Gir gate — the airport sits 30 km from Rajkot city centre on NH27, so the drop is longer than the 160-170 km city run. Plan a total transit window of 4.5-5 hours from the lodge gate to the terminal, quote it as its own sector, and keep 2.5 hours between your gate exit and departure. The former Rajkot Civil Airport on Aerodrome Road no longer handles regular commercial flights — book “Hirasar, not Aerodrome Road”.

Can I do a morning safari and catch an evening train from Rajkot?

Yes — take the 6-9 AM core slot, leave by 9:30-10:00, and keep a waiting round-trip or continuous cab. Mendarda chowk by 10:45, Dhoraji halt by 11:30-12:00, Rajkot Ring Road by 2:00-2:30 — that clears evening station trains building after 5:30 PM with two hours to spare. Add an hour only if Junagadh joins the plan.

How much luggage fits in the cab?

Dzire/Ertiga on CNG take 2 medium bags. Innova takes 4 large bags. For 3+ suitcases get a roof carrier at ₹300–₹400 — ask at booking, because drivers do not fit one en route on SH. This is a 160-170 km sector — confirm the frame before you leave Sasan, not at the Mendarda halt.

Are there trains or buses from Rajkot to Sasan Gir?

No direct service to the safari gate. For onward Ahmedabad or Mumbai trains, board at Junagadh Junction — 53 km from the gate, it saves about 110 km of driving versus going via Rajkot, with roughly five daily departures to Ahmedabad and the daily Saurashtra Janta to Mumbai Bandra. Trains also run Rajkot Junction → Junagadh (2-3 hrs), then a 53 km cab hop to Sasan; Veraval is the alternate rail head (42 km). GSRTC buses cover Rajkot–Junagadh frequently, then shared jeeps. Cabs stay fastest at 3.5-4.5 hrs door-to-door — and the same cab that dropped you is almost always cheaper than stitching station taxis.

Is night driving safe on this route?

Avoid after 9 PM. The farm stretch is unlit with tractor trailers parked blind on the shoulder, and the Ring Road exit is easy to overshoot in headlights. If you must, stay on the main road through Mendarda and Dhoraji, keep high beam between villages, and do not attempt the Dhoraji town cut after dark without the driver having run it in daylight — or switch to the heritage line, whose 4-lane divided NH27 is the safer dusk drive.

Is there a toll on the Sasan Gir to Rajkot route?

The direct Dhoraji line is mostly free state highway — Rs.0-60. The heritage Jetpur–Gondal line crosses the Pithadiya FASTag plaza near Jetpur (Rs.60-120 for a car); FASTag is standard for cabs on NH27 — the cab’s tag is read electronically, there is no cash stop, and operators add the amount to the slip. No border tax — both points are inside Gujarat.

Sasan Gir to Rajkot Car Rental