IndiGo crisis, festive rush send private bus fares skyrocketing

With the festive season approaching and IndiGo cancelling flights in large numbers, private bus operators have sharply increased fares on major long-distance routes.

While fares for travel next week have risen by Rs 200–Rs 300, passengers planning to travel after December 20 may have to shell out up to Rs 3,000 more.

The most impacted routes include Bengaluru–Kerala, Bengaluru–Goa, Bengaluru–Hyderabad, and Bengaluru–Mumbai.

An AC sleeper bus ticket to Thiruvananthapuram, which typically costs around Rs 1,200, is currently priced between Rs 1,550 and Rs 1,850 for travel next week. After December 20, the fare jumps to Rs 4,000.

“Most Malayalees go home during Christmas. Trains are fully booked and airlines are cancelling flights, so people don’t want to take a risk. That’s why we have increased the fares,” a private bus operator told DH, requesting anonymity.

Fares to Mumbai have seen similar spikes. A Seabird Tourist bus ticket for December 20 is priced at Rs 4,425, with the operator citing the festive season as the reason for the surge.

Another operator justified the hike, saying that uncertainty around air travel has led more passengers to rely on buses this year.

Tickets to Goa have also shot up steeply — a Varad Lines AC bus ticket for December 20 costs Rs 4,000, while IntrCity SmartBus is charging Rs 3,100 for the same day.

Sreejaya K, who is travelling to Kerala around December 20, said, “I booked my ticket for Rs 4,000. I don’t want to fly because of the recent incidents. The government should put a cap on prices.”

Another Kerala-bound traveller added: “At times like this, when the government knows we depend on buses, it should control private operators. I’ve cancelled my trip home this year — I would have had to spend Rs 8,000 to Rs 9,000 just on travel.”