Festive travel turns costly as bus fares soar

Private operators have been accused of exploiting the surge in demand during the holiday season, with fares for routes like Bengaluru to Hyderabad skyrocketing. 
| Photo Credit: file photo

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The festive cheer of the Christmas-New Year season, coupled with the allure of a long weekend, has made bus travel costly for many commuters, particularly those who rely on private operators. Passengers travelling from Bengaluru have been facing exorbitant ticket prices, prompting widespread calls for stricter regulations on private bus operators.

Private operators have been accused of exploiting the surge in demand, with fares for routes like Bengaluru to Hyderabad skyrocketing to ₹3,799 and Bengaluru to Mangaluru reaching ₹2,148 on some private buses over the past week.

“This has become a recurring problem during every festival and long weekend,” lamented Meena Rao, a tech professional who travelled from Bengaluru to Udupi on December 27. “Despite repeated complaints, the government has failed to take effective action to prevent private operators from hiking fares.”

The issue extends beyond private operators, with some commuters also reporting increased fares on Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses. “I usually pay ₹654 for the journey between Gonikoppal and Bengaluru,” said Dechamma. M.V., who works in Bengaluru. “However, this time, I was charged ₹711 for the same route.”

Government’s response under scrutiny

The Transport Department has responded by stating that cases will be filed against violators and penalties imposed for surge pricing. Officials have also emphasised that KSRTC deploys additional buses during festivals and long weekends to discourage reliance on private operators.

However, these measures have not alleviated passenger concerns. “Announcements of surprise checks and regulations on private operators sound promising, but there is little evidence of actual implementation,” said Rajesh Imdapur, a frequent traveller to Kalaburagi. “We are left to bear the brunt of these inflated fares.”

Private bus operators have defended the practice of surge pricing. A representative from the Federation of Karnataka State Private Transport Associations, who requested anonymity, explained, “Surge pricing is crucial for us to offset the financial challenges we face. While our buses are fully booked during peak travel days, which typically occur only three days a week, the remaining days often see significantly lower occupancy, resulting in operational losses. Without the flexibility to adjust prices during high-demand periods, it becomes nearly impossible to sustain our services throughout the year.”

Flights too costly 

The holiday rush has not spared air travel either, with both flight and private bus fares experiencing a 20-30% increase. Destinations such as Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, and Mumbai have been particularly affected. This surge in pricing is expected to persist until the first week of January.

Pratham K.N., a bank employee from Jayanagar, shared his experience, “I had to book tickets to Mumbai for my family for December 31. Trains were fully booked, and bus fares were almost equivalent to flight prices. I ended up paying ₹6,000 for flight tickets, which would have cost ₹3,500-₹4,000 during a regular season.”