Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad (AMD) · Currency Exchange Guide · Last checked 21 October 2026

Ahmedabad Airport (AMD) Currency Exchange: Counters, Terminals and Rules

Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (AMD) has two terminals, and the first thing travellers need to settle is which operator runs the exchange counters and where they are. This guide is clear about what we could not confirm. We found no measured AMD rate, so we do not name a best counter or give a percentage for the airport gap. We did not measure any rates ourselves.

The short version

• The airport operator's foreign currency exchange page names Ebix Cash World Money as the provider at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. It lists Terminal 2 Departure (ground floor, near the immigration counters), Terminal 2 Arrival (ground floor, near Exit Gate 6) and Terminal 1 Arrival (opposite Belt 2). It gives no hours and no rates.
• The airport operator's main page says Terminal 1 deals with domestic flights, except Air India, and Terminal 2 deals with all international flights and Air India's domestic operations. It says Ebix Cash World provides the currency exchange service for outbound and inbound travellers, and that the airport has ATMs from several banks.
• The exchange page says the service is offered "at nominal charges" and that Indian passport holders travelling abroad can convert up to 49,999 rupees in cash. It gives no rate or fee schedule.
• RBI's FAQ (28 November 2025) says foreign exchange for travel can be bought for rupee cash only below 50,000 rupees, and Rule 114B requires a PAN for cash payments above 50,000 rupees.
• We found no source that confirms Travelex at AMD, no source for opening hours, and no source for how the two terminals connect.

Who runs the counters

The airport operator's page on foreign currency exchange names Ebix Cash World Money as the provider at the Ahmedabad airport. It lists three locations: Terminal 2 Departure, on the ground floor near the immigration counters; Terminal 2 Arrival, on the ground floor near Exit Gate 6; and Terminal 1 Arrival, opposite Belt 2. The page gives contact numbers for the counters, and does not list opening hours. It says the counter offers the facility "at nominal charges" and, for cash conversion, that Indian passport holders travelling abroad can convert up to 49,999 rupees.

The operator's main airport page says the same thing in fewer words: currency exchange counters are available, and Ebix Cash World provides the currency exchange service for outbound and inbound travellers. That is two pages from the same operator, so they are not fully independent, but they are the airport's own statements.

We could not find a source that supports a Travelex counter at AMD, and the operator's pages name a different provider and different positions. It is possible that the operator changed at some point, or that the earlier sources were out of date, but we could not tell which.

The two terminals

The airport operator's page says Terminal 1 deals with domestic flights, except Air India, and Terminal 2 deals with all international flights and Air India's domestic operations. It gives Terminal 1 about 45,000 square metres and 32 check-in counters, and Terminal 2 roughly 41,000 square metres, four aerobridges and 32 check-in counters. It does not give a date for the Air India move, and it does not describe any link between the terminals.

That matters for exchange for a simple reason. The listed counters are at Terminal 2 departures and arrivals, and at Terminal 1 arrivals only. If you depart from Terminal 1, the sources we read name no departure counter there. The operator's page now says Terminal 2 deals with Air India's domestic operations, which is consistent, though it gives no date. So, if you are flying Air India domestically, check your ticket for the terminal, because a domestic flight does not always mean Terminal 1.

Getting between the terminals

One measurement suggested an indoor air-conditioned walkway of roughly 450 to 500 metres, and another source described a shuttle bus. We could not settle that, and the operator's page does not mention a link. So we still cannot tell you how to get from one terminal to the other. The sensible approach, as before, is to ask airport staff on arrival instead of assuming either option, and to leave extra time if you have to change terminals to use a counter.

Hours

None of the sources we read gives opening hours for the AMD counters. If you land late at night or very early, do not assume a counter will be open. Look for it on arrival, and keep a working card as a fallback.

ATMs

The operator's page says the airport has "multiple ATMs of different banks to ensure you always have access to cash." It does not name the banks or the terminals. Check the signage on the machine. If a machine offers to charge you in your home currency, choose rupees. Our guide to dynamic currency conversion explains why.

What the sources say about rates

We found no source that measured an AMD rate against the mid-market rate. The operator says only that the service is offered at "nominal charges", which is a description of charges, not a rate. The exchange page says the conversion happens "while subtracting out any fees or other charges for the services if applicable", which suggests there can be fees on top of the rate. We found no schedule of those fees. The only honest answer is that the size of any airport gap at Ahmedabad is unknown from our sources, and the way to find out is to ask for the final amount for your sum and compare it with the mid-market rate on the day.

A worked example, with made-up numbers

The figures below are invented. They only show what a percentage gap costs.

Say the mid-market rate is 85.00 rupees to 1 USD, and you sell USD 300.

• At the mid-market rate you would get 25,500 rupees.
• At a rate 2% below mid-market (83.3) you would get 24,990 rupees, which is 510 less.
• At 5% below (80.75) you would get 24,225 rupees, which is 1,275 less.

If you are buying rupees with a different currency, the same percentage gap applies to the amount you get back.

How to check a rate yourself

This section is our advice, not a sourced fact.

1. Look up the mid-market rate for your currency pair on the day you travel.
2. Ask the counter for the final amount in rupees for your exact sum, including every fee.
3. Divide the counter's rate by the mid-market rate. A result of 0.98 means 2% below.
4. If a sign says "no commission", ask for the final amount anyway, because the margin may sit inside the rate.
5. Keep the exchange receipt, and keep the amount small if you can wait for a better rate in the city.

The 50,000 rupee cash rule

RBI's FAQ on miscellaneous forex facilities, updated on 28 November 2025, says foreign exchange for travel abroad can be bought from an authorised person against rupee cash only "below 50,000 rupees". From 50,000 rupees upwards the payment must go by cheque, banker's cheque, pay order, demand draft, or a debit, credit or prepaid card. The same FAQ says a traveller can buy foreign currency notes and coins up to USD 3,000 per visit for most destinations, with exceptions for a few countries.

That is a rule about how you buy from an authorised dealer and how much you can buy as notes. It is not a customs limit. Our guide to India cash declaration rules covers customs.

PAN card

Rule 114B of the Income Tax Rules, as shown on the Income Tax Department's website (page uploaded 13 December 2025), lists payment in connection with travel to any foreign country or for the purchase of any foreign currency, when it is a cash payment of more than 50,000 rupees at one time. In that case you must quote a PAN. Bring your passport, ticket and visa as well.

Exchanging rupees before you fly out

RBI's circular of 2 April 2026 (RBI/2026-27/05) says RBI has decided to allow residents, along with non-residents, to exchange Indian rupee notes at foreign exchange counters at the departure halls in the international airports established in the Duty-Free Area or Security Hold Area beyond the Immigration or Customs desk. The excerpt we read sets no limits. We do not know whether a counter at this airport exchanges rupee notes under the circular, so ask at the counter.

Our reading of the sources

This section is our reading. It is not a sourced fact. The useful change on this page is the operator. The airport's own pages name Ebix Cash World, and that is the name to look for. Everything else about Ahmedabad is thin: no hours, no rates, no terminal link. The usual logic holds. A counter at an airport is convenient, the rate is probably not the best available, and the cost scales with the amount. A small sum for a taxi and a first meal costs little. For a larger sum, a bank or a card with low fees is likely to cost less, though we did not measure either in Ahmedabad.

What we could not confirm

• Whether Travelex operates at AMD. The airport's pages name Ebix Cash World, and we found no source for Travelex.
• The opening hours of any counter.
• Whether Terminal 1 has a departure counter, since the operator's page lists only arrivals there.
• How passengers move between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.
• The date on which Air India's domestic flights moved to Terminal 2.
• Which banks operate the ATMs, including the Dena Bank and Bank of Baroda point.
• Any measured AMD rate or commission, and the fee schedule behind "nominal charges".
• Whether a counter at AMD exchanges rupee notes under the 2 April 2026 circular.

A simple plan

1. Check which terminal your flight uses, and look for Ebix Cash World.
2. Ask for the final amount in rupees for your exact sum, and compare it with the mid-market rate.
3. If you are a resident buying forex, pay by card or transfer from 50,000 rupees, and bring your PAN.
4. At an ATM or card terminal, choose the local currency and check your card's fees first.
5. Keep the receipt, and keep the exchange small if you can wait for a better rate in the city.

FAQ

Who runs currency exchange at Ahmedabad airport?
The airport operator's pages name Ebix Cash World.

Where are the counters?
The operator lists Terminal 2 Departure (ground floor, near immigration), Terminal 2 Arrival (ground floor, near Exit Gate 6) and Terminal 1 Arrival (opposite Belt 2).

Is currency exchange open 24 hours at AMD?
We could not confirm it. No source we read gives hours.

Can I pay cash for foreign currency in India?
RBI's FAQ says only below 50,000 rupees. From 50,000 rupees upwards you must pay by cheque, draft or card.

Do I need a PAN to buy foreign currency?
Rule 114B requires a PAN when you pay more than 50,000 rupees in cash at one time for foreign travel or foreign currency.

Sources and how we checked them

Checked on 21 October 2026. Where we call something confirmed, at least two of these sources agree, or an official source says so directly. The two airport pages come from the same operator.

• Adani Airports (Ahmedabad Airport), airport operator, foreign currency exchange page (undated).
• Adani Airports (Ahmedabad Airport), airport operator, main airport page on terminals, ATMs and forex (undated).
• Reserve Bank of India, official, FAQ on miscellaneous forex facilities, updated 28 November 2025, and circular RBI/2026-27/05, 2 April 2026.
• Income Tax Department of India, official, Rule 114B (page uploaded 13 December 2025).

Editorial note: The counter, rate and airport information in this guide is editorial and is not paid for. Rates and fees change, so confirm the final rate at the counter before exchanging.