Hotel room tariffs in Ahmedabad have surged sharply ahead of the India–New Zealand T20 World Cup final at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, with rates rising by as much as 300–400 per cent due to high demand.
Narendra Somani, hotelier and president of the Hotels and Restaurants Association of Gujarat, said room tariffs that earlier ranged between ₹5,000 and ₹20,000 have now climbed to ₹15,000–₹50,000 as cricket fans from across India and abroad arrive in the city.
“There is a 300–400 per cent increase in room tariffs due to high demand for the T20 World Cup final,” Somani said.
Online travel portals also show a sharp spike in prices at several prominent hotels. A deluxe room for two at Taj Skyline on Sindhu Bhavan Road is listed at around ₹2.01 lakh for Sunday night, excluding ₹36,000 GST. On normal days, the same room typically costs between ₹9,000 and ₹15,000.
Similarly, rooms at Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels on Ashram Road are currently priced at around ₹20,950, significantly higher than the usual ₹6,000–₹8,000 range. At Hyatt Regency Ahmedabad, tariffs have risen to about ₹30,000 for the match night, nearly four times the standard rate.
Somani said Ahmedabad has around 10,000 hotel rooms across categories and occupancy is expected to reach nearly 80 per cent on Sunday.
“With the final taking place here, most hotels in and around the city are likely to see high occupancy,” he said.
Amid soaring hotel prices, many visitors are opting for alternative arrangements. Some fans are choosing to stay in Gandhinagar, about 25 km from Ahmedabad, while others are travelling to the city only for the match and returning the same day.
“Many people from Mumbai drive down in the morning, reach Ahmedabad by late afternoon, attend the match and leave the same night,” Somani said, adding that visitors from cities such as Rajkot and Porbandar are following a similar pattern.
Apart from domestic travellers, foreign visitors have also begun arriving in the city for the final.
Airfares also spike
Airfares to Ahmedabad have also surged significantly as cricket fans rush to the city for the final.
Manish Sharma, chairman of the Gujarat Tourism Development Society (GTDS), said ticket prices on several major routes have jumped sharply. Flights from Mumbai to Ahmedabad, which usually cost around ₹3,000, are now priced between ₹15,000 and ₹17,000.
Fares from New Delhi to Ahmedabad have risen to around ₹14,000, while Bengaluru–Ahmedabad tickets are currently priced at nearly ₹13,000.
To manage the travel rush, Indian Railways has introduced special trains to Ahmedabad.
Western Railway announced an AC Superfast Special train (No. 09029) from Bandra Terminus to Ahmedabad on March 8. The train will depart at 12:05 am and reach Ahmedabad at 8:40 am, halting at Surat and Vadodara.
Northern Railway has also announced a special train (No. 04062) from New Delhi to Sabarmati to accommodate cricket fans travelling from the national capital. The 19-coach train will depart from New Delhi at 11:45 pm and arrive at Sabarmati at 2:30 pm the next day via Delhi Cantt, Gurugram and Jaipur.
Officials said the additional services are expected to help thousands of fans planning last-minute travel to Ahmedabad for the much-anticipated final.