RTC and Private Bus Fares Skyrocket Ahead of Sankranti

With the Sankranti festival approaching, passengers eager to return to their hometowns are facing severe financial exploitation. As trains are fully booked, many are left with no choice but to rely on private buses, which are charging exorbitant fares, leaving passengers burdened. Adding to the woes, with buses also running at full capacity, operators are introducing additional services and charging hefty prices for seats. Compared to regular days, passengers are being charged up to 50% more under the pretext of special services.

As RTC buses are insufficient to meet the demand, travelers depending on private buses are being hit hard. The usual fares, which range between ₹1,200 and ₹3,500 depending on the category, have surged dramatically, now ranging between ₹2,500 and ₹7,000.

For instance, an AC sleeper bus from Hyderabad to Visakhapatnam is currently charging between ₹4,239 and ₹6,239. Normally, the highest fare for an AC seater on this route is ₹1,849, but passengers are now being charged up to ₹5,649. Fares for premium buses like Volvo have soared to ₹6,609. Similarly, fares for Hyderabad to Vijayawada routes have spiked, with maximum charges reaching ₹3,599.

Meanwhile, RTC buses are also imposing additional charges. Telangana RTC is operating 6,432 special buses to various locations in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. These services are charging up to 50% extra. On regular days, the fare for an AC sleeper bus from Hyderabad to Vijayawada is around ₹700, but it is currently priced at ₹1,050. In luxury AC buses, the fare has shot up to ₹2,310.