The Vidhana Soudha is one of the 10 stops on the Bengaluru Darshini tour. PIC FOR REPRESENTATION
DH PHOTO/M S MANJUNATH.
The flagship city tour service by Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has become popular among tourists and residents alike. Called Bengaluru Darshini, the day-long tour covers landmarks like the Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum.
About 500 people have taken the tour every month since August. And compared to 2022, the monthly bookings have increased by 100-150, share BMTC employees.
Metrolife hopped on the Bengaluru Darshini bus on a Saturday to see what the tour entails. A quintessential blue BMTC bus picks you up from the BMTC bus terminal in Majestic and the tour begins at 9 am on the dot. The service is available throughout the week.
How to book tickets
While the BMTC website lists the itinerary, it does not provide a link to book tickets. The tickets are available on the Karnataka State Board Transport Corporation’s (KSRTC) website. However, the process is not straightforward. The website has two tabs — ‘Bus Ticket Booking’ and ‘Package Tour Booking’. The details about Bengaluru Darshini are not to be found under the tour tab as one would expect. Instead, to book tickets, one must go to the former tab and select ‘Bengaluru’ in the ‘Leaving From’ slot and ‘Bengaluru Darshini’ in the ‘Going To’ slot. Tickets can also be bought on the spot at the Majestic bus terminal but these are subject to availability.
The tour costs Rs 420 per adult and Rs 315 per child. It doesn’t cover
entry fees for sightseeing points or passengers’ refreshment.
Sightseeing points
An AC bus takes you to 10 landmarks between 9 am and 6 pm. The ISKCON temple, National Gallery of Modern Art, Vidhana Soudha, Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace, Gavi Gangadhareshwara temple, Bull temple, Dodda Ganapathi temple, Karnataka Silk Emporium, Lalbagh Botanical Gardens, Visvesvaraya Museum, and Cubbon Park are part of the itinerary. Passengers are given 15 to 30 minutes at each location.
A tour guide is available on board. “We make it a point to talk about everything we see on the way — from homes of prominent Kannadigas to prestigious institutions,” shares Anand Babu C, a BMTC driver and head guide.
The drivers are friendly. “Before starting the tour, we ask our passengers which languages they are comfortable with. All of us have received training from our seniors Upendra Tripathy and S R Gowda. We also educate ourselves about the city’s history,” he adds.
The bus is decorated with photos and historical facts related to the city.
Year-end demand
A Bengaluru Darshini bus can accommodate 40 passengers. BMTC runs one bus daily. When bookings shoot up, such as between November and January, they sometimes operate 2-3 buses in a day. The service took a
hit this Dasara season because of incessant rains. When Metrolife
took the tour on October 26, we were accompanied by an elderly couple and a family of five. People who have travelled in the past have found the service economical and convenient.
To book, visit ksrtc.in or contact 94810 36231.