Ever since the Statue of Unity of Sri Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was inaugurated on the banks of river Narmada, near the Sardar Sarovar Dam, Kevadia, people from all over the country and even overseas thronged to this place. But the fact that this architectural marvel was located a bit far from the main city of Ahmedabad, people had to travel by road to reach Kevadia, which took almost 3 to 4 hours. But not anymore, as the Prime Minister of our country, Shri. Narendra Modi inaugurated the Statue of Unity Seaplane, from Ahmedabad to Kevadia, on October 31, 2020.
I have given a detailed description and guide on visiting the Statue of Unity in my previous blog. So, I'd highly recommend you check that out as some things might not be covered here. The link to my previous blog is Complete Guide for Statue of Unity.
How long will it take in a Seaplane from Ahmedabad to Kevadia?
The best part about the seaplane travel to Kevadia from Ahmedabad and back is the drastic reduction in the journey time. Earlier, by road, it used to take around 3 to 4 hours from Ahmedabad but now, on the Seaplane, it only takes 40 minutes. Yes! It takes only an hour one way.
Departure and Arrival Location
The seaplane departs from the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad and arrives at the Statue of Unity Aerodrome in Kevadia. The government has set up mini lounges at the boarding points, both at Kevadia and Ahmedabad, where you'll have to get a security check done and obtain the boarding pass.
In case you didn't know, SpiceJet (Spice Shuttle) is the only carrier operating on this route, and the fleet for the seaplane is the Twin Otter 300 of Maldives.
How to book a seaplane to the Statue of Unity?
1. You need to first login to SpiceShuttle's Website and enter the departure as SFRA and arrival as SOUK if you're flying from Ahmedabad to Kevadia but in the return case, enter SOUK to SFRA.
2. Now choose your departure and arrival dates, just as you would while booking any other flight, and then complete the booking.
What is the cost of a seaplane from Ahmedabad to the Statue of Unity?
The airline has said that it will operate the flights for fares starting from as low as INR 1500 one way, under the UDAN scheme. However, it has not guaranteed any static pricing, so you may see the pricing fluctuate like all other flight bookings.
Schedule of the Seaplane
| Place | Departure Time | Arrival Time |
|---|---|---|
| Sabarmati Riverfront, Ahmedabad | 11.00 AM | 11.50 AM |
| Statue of Unity, Kevadia | 12.15 AM | 13.05 PM |
| Sabarmati Riverfront, Ahmedabad | 14.00 PM | 14.50 PM |
| Statue of Unity, Kevadia | 3.15 PM | 4.05 PM |
The seaplane had recently gone on a maintenance break to the Maldives and has now returned and is operating just as before. So we can expect these standard maintenance breaks regularly, so plan your travel accordingly.
To sum up, this is an amazing reform and program that was much required to eliminate the tedious, hectic, and tiring journey by road. Because of this, more time can be dedicated to exploring the destination. If you want, then check out my YouTube Channel as well. I post travel-related videos there.
Cheers!
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