From the port city to the state's biggest city
Families move from Bhavnagar to Ahmedabad for jobs, colleges, hospitals and business, and many diamond and trading families keep homes in both. At about 161 km, most households can be packed in Bhavnagar in the morning and placed in an Ahmedabad flat by evening. The road is flat and mostly open, but it carries a lot of goods traffic, so ask for a dedicated vehicle and agree the expected arrival time in writing before the day.
North across the salt flats
The road leaves Bhavnagar heading north through farmland and small towns, past the low, flat country near the gulf where salt pans and wetlands stretch towards the horizon. It joins the main Saurashtra highway at the Bagodara junction and runs north-east into Ahmedabad from the Sarkhej side. The last stretch into the city is usually the slowest.
Leaving Bhavnagar
Homes in the old bazaar area near Gangajalia and Vora Bazaar may need a smaller vehicle and an early start, while Waghawadi Road, Kaliyabid and Vidyanagar are easier to load. If you work in a diamond unit that closes for Diwali, the break can be a good time to move, but crews are in demand just before it, so book early.
Western Ahmedabad comes first
Arriving from Sarkhej puts the truck close to SG Highway, Bopal, South Bopal, Shela, Prahlad Nagar and Satellite, which makes moves to the western side quick. Crossing the Sabarmati to Maninagar, Naroda or the old city takes longer, and the pols inside the old walled city are a maze of lanes where a truck can't enter; goods are carried from the nearest road.
Tell the mover the exact address, the tower and the floor.
Ahmedabad society rules
Most Ahmedabad apartment societies ask for notice before a move-in, some want a NOC or a deposit, and many allow moving only in set hours with the service lift booked. Ask your new society office for its rules a week before; our guide to society NOCs and lift bookings explains what to ask.
Festival and weather dates
Navratri brings nine nights of garba to both cities, Uttarayan in January fills rooftops in Ahmedabad with kite-flyers, and Diwali and the Gujarati New Year close many businesses for days. Ahmedabad is extremely hot from about April to June, so load early and keep candles, medicines and electronics out of a closed truck in the afternoon. In the monsoon, ask for waterproof wrapping.
November to February, avoiding the festival weeks, is usually the easiest window.
Business goods and diamond tools
If you're moving diamond-unit tools, trade stock or office equipment as well as household goods, keep them on a separate list with their own paperwork, and check whether the risk coverage includes business goods. Carry diamonds, jewellery and cash yourself. If an employer is paying, ask what documents they need; every mover we work with provides a GST invoice.
Settling in
Ahmedabad homes often depend on a society water tank and power backup, so check both, plan cooling for at least one room in summer, and book internet as soon as you have the address. Gujarati is spoken at both ends, and Hindi and English are common in Ahmedabad offices.