Bengaluru-Kerala Bus Fare Hike: IT Professionals and Students Hit Hard

Traveling between Kerala and Karnataka has become costlier as the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (Kerala RTC) has announced a fare hike of up to 16.5% for inter-state bus services. The decision comes after the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) implemented a similar hike for its buses last Sunday.

Kerala RTC's fare increase will impact both ordinary and premium services operating between the two states. Luxury buses, including Rajahamsa, Airavat, Multi-axle buses, Corona Sleepers, Flybus, Ambari, and Non-AC Sleepers, which are popular among IT professionals and students commuting to Bengaluru and Mangaluru, are now significantly costlier. Ordinary buses have seen a 14% fare hike, while premium services face up to a 16.5% increase.

While this fare adjustment aligns with agreements between state road transport corporations, Kerala RTC clarified that the hike applies only to inter-state services and not to buses operating within Kerala.

For thousands of regular travelers between Bengaluru and Kerala cities such as Kochi, Kozhikode, and Thiruvananthapuram, the fare hike adds to their financial burden. With inter-state bus fares now uniformly high, passengers may need to reconsider travel options or budgets.