Kartik Hebbar, a frequent traveller, expressed his frustration, stating, “I usually pay Rs 850 for a trip to Hubballi from Bengaluru, but now I’m forced to pay Rs 1,800 for a private bus, and even train tickets are unavailable.”
redBus, the world s largest online bus ticketing platform, has launched India BusTrack, a report on the Indian intercity bus industry. The inaugural report covers key parameters reflecting the industry s health and trends in November and December 2023, focusing on private bus operators. It reveals a gross ticketing value of Rs 3600 crore and 36.06 million passengers during the period. The report also highlights Maharashtra and Goa as top performers in bus occupancy, while metros contributed 33% to bus bookings, indicating a growing importance of tier-II and tier-III cities.
Meanwhile, even those opting for air travel have not been spared from the effects of the price surge. Flight ticket prices have also seen a notable increase. For instance, Bengaluru to Mumbai flight tickets were observed at Rs 13,234 for the weekend.
According to BEST officials, their bus services have been affected due to the ongoing strike. The waiting time for buses at stops has increased and as a result, many buses have been witnessing overcrowding of passengers, they said.