Click it and Unblock the Notifications
As the Easter and Good Friday holidays approach, many people planning to travel are facing a big challenge-high bus ticket prices. With summer vacations also beginning, the demand for interstate travel has gone up, and so have the fares. Bus ticket prices to places like Kerala and Andhra Pradesh have nearly doubled compared to normal days. This increase is causing problems for many travelers, especially those booking tickets at the last minute.
Higher Fares to Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Goa
Popular routes toward Kerala, especially to Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, have seen a sharp increase in fares. The price for a bus ticket has more than doubled in some cases. Compared to Kerala, the fare increase to Tamil Nadu is not as high. But people going to Andhra Pradesh and Goa are also seeing big jumps in prices.
One of the biggest differences is between AC and non-AC buses. For example, on the Bengaluru-Kochi route, AC buses are charging Rs 600 to Rs 800 more than non-AC buses. The gap is even wider for routes like Bengaluru to Goa, where prices can be up to Rs 1,300 higher for AC buses.
Seasonal Demand Adds Pressure
The jump in prices is not a new issue. It also happened during Christmas last year, when some tickets were priced as high as Rs 5,000 per person. This Easter, while prices are slightly lower, they are still quite high. Most fares are now under Rs 4,000, but that is still a lot for many travelers.
April and May are always busy months for travel. A bus driver from Kalasipalya said that ticket prices might go down a little after Easter, but they are not expected to fall below Rs 1,000. This means travel costs will stay high for some time.
Travelers like Mariam John were lucky to get a last-minute ticket to Kerala. She said she felt relieved to get one, even though the fare was higher than usual. Many others are not so lucky and are struggling to manage the extra expenses.
Hidden Charges and Online Booking Worries
Many people prefer to book tickets online, thinking they might get discounts. However, online bookings often end up being more expensive. This is because of extra charges like platform fees and an 18% GST, which add around Rs 250 to the total cost.
Travel agents have pointed out that this makes travel even harder for people. A travel agency operator from Kalasipalya said that even if someone gets a seat, they may still struggle to afford the full fare after all the extra charges are added.
