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With the arrival of Onam, private bus fares from Bengaluru and Chennai to Kerala have surged steeply. A sleeper bus ticket from Bengaluru to Ernakulam, which normally ranges between ₹1,300 and ₹1,400, is now priced at nearly ₹4,000. Similarly, fares from Chennai have jumped from the usual ₹1,800 to over ₹4,100, with further increases likely as the festival nears.
Train tickets for the festive season are already sold out, pushing many passengers to rely on additional services offered by the Railways and the state government's public transport system. To handle the rush, authorities have announced 92 special trains for Onam travel.
Special Train Services for Onam
The special Onam train services include six from Chennai, 22 from Mangaluru, 18 from Bengaluru, 10 from Velankanni, and 36 from Patna. In addition, 10 regular trains will be equipped with extra coaches to manage the festive rush.
Among these, the Thiruvananthapuram-Kozhikode Janshatabdi Express will get an additional chair car, while the Thiruvananthapuram-Ernakulam Vanchinad Express will have one more general second-class coach. The Thiruvananthapuram-Guruvayur Intercity and the Thiruvananthapuram-Madurai Amrita Express will each add a general second-class coach. Meanwhile, the Mangaluru-Thiruvananthapuram Maveli Express will be reinforced with an extra sleeper coach to accommodate more passengers.
KSRTC's Special Bus Services
The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has announced 51 special bus services between August 29 and September 16, covering major routes such as Bengaluru, Chennai, and Mysuru. The services will include Superfast, Swift, and multi-axle buses to accommodate the heavy festive rush.
However, tickets for Thiruvonam day and the following Sunday have already been sold out, as a large number of passengers plan their return journeys immediately after the festival.
Karnataka RTC's Contribution
Karnataka RTC has announced 47 special bus services for Onam, operating from Bengaluru to Kerala, with a focus on Ernakulam and Thrissur routes. Officials mentioned that services will be scaled up based on passenger demand, and if heavy crowds are reported on the morning of Thiruvonam, additional buses will be deployed accordingly.
These travel measures highlight the combined efforts of both the railways and state transport corporations to manage the festive rush. At a time when private bus fares have surged sharply due to high demand, these special services provide much-needed relief and affordable alternatives for Onam travelers.
