Weekend escapes: Private bus operators squeeze wallets in Bengaluru

The long weekend has triggered a surge in ticket prices for private bus operators. With a statewide bandh scheduled for Friday, followed by Gandhi Jayanti, an extended weekend has emerged. As a result, many people have planned trips outside the city.

A reality check conducted by DH at Kalasipalya, Madiwala, and Majestic bus stations on Thursday revealed a sudden spike in demand for private buses, causing ticket prices to nearly double or more for certain destinations.

For example, a typical AC sleeper bus trip to Kambam in Tamil Nadu usually costs around Rs 1,000 per seat. However, due to the high demand, prices have soared to Rs 1,550 for a single seat.

Similarly, the cost of a seat on an AC sleeper bus to Chennai, Tamil Nadu, has more than doubled, going from the usual range of Rs 700 to Rs 800 to a staggering Rs 2,000. Travelling to Ernakulam has also seen an increase, rising from Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,500, while the cost of travelling to Kottayam has jumped from Rs 1,750 to Rs 3,000. Ear;ier, passengers bound for Hyderabad, who paid between Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,200 for an AC sleeper ticket, now pay Rs 2,000 or Rs 2,300.

Tour operators have noted that weekends typically witness higher ticket prices, but the Karnataka bandh and the extended vacations have led to an unprecedented surge in ticket demand.

"These elevated prices are expected to persist until October 2,” said a tour operator.