Indians are already buzzing with excitement as Makar Sankranti and Pongal are just a few days away. To help people enjoy the festive season, public transport systems across the country are stepping in to make travel more affordable. Road and rail authorities in southern states have announced discounts, additional bus services, and special trains to manage the expected surge in holiday travel. Scroll down to know more!
KSRTC Announces Discounts On Fare
The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has announced fare discounts to attract passengers during the off-season. The offer came into effect on Monday, January 5, and is expected to continue until March 31, 2026. Deccan Herald reported that passengers can now enjoy a 5% to 20% cut on fares across premium bus services.
The new discount applies to several premium and regular services, including Rajahamsa, non-AC sleeper buses (including Pallakki), Airavat, Airavat Club Class and 2.0, AC sleeper, Ambaari, Ambaari Dream Class, Ambaari Utsav and FlyBus services. These discounted fares are available on multiple routes from Bengaluru to major destinations such as Mangaluru, Udupi, Manipal, Dharamsthala, Kukke Subrahmanya, Puttur, Murudeshwara, Madikeri, Davanagere, Shivamogga, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, Shirdi, Tirupati, Coimbatore and Thrissur.
The Bengaluru–Mumbai Ambaari Dream Class fare has dropped from ₹2,500 to ₹2,000. Similarly, the Bengaluru–Udupi/Manipal Ambaari Utsav fare now costs ₹1,450 instead of ₹1,620. With prices like these, it’s clear that passengers can save a good amount on their journeys.
Additional Buses And Special Trains For Sankranti
On the occasion of Sankranti and Pongal, lakhs of families travel home during the festival, making it one of the busiest periods of the year. This year, Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) will operate 6,431 buses during the Sankranti season, up from 5,408 last year. Officials expect heavy passenger movement from January 9, 2026.
As per The New Indian Express, special buses will run from Hyderabad to towns in Andhra Pradesh such as Amalapuram, Kakinada, Narasapuram, Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry, Polavaram, Guntur, Chirala and Vijayawada. Around 800 buses are already available for online booking, and nearly 85% of those seats have been booked.
According to The Times of India, the APSRTC has announced special bus services from Visakhapatnam for the Sankranti festival. There will be no extra charges, and passengers booking in advance will get a 10% discount. Over 1,000 special buses were already running to manage the festive rush smoothly.
Officials said around 1,500 more buses will operate to cities like Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Tirupati and nearby towns. Services will run from January 12 and continue even after Kanuma. Regular fares will be maintained to stop private operators from overcharging passengers.
To ease pressure, South Central Railway has announced over 325 special trains between January 7 and 18 from Hyderabad, Cherlapally and Vikarabad to Andhra Pradesh destinations. At the same time, private bus operators face criticism for steep fare hikes. Hyderabad–Vijayawada tickets now cost up to ₹4,000, while fares to Visakhapatnam touch ₹5,000.
Where are you travelling to during Makar Sankranti? Tell us in the comments below!
Also Read: KSRTC Launches Bengaluru Airport–Davangere Flybus; Check Route, Fare &; More
Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons/ Jvc Clickz & Canva Pro/ Abhishek Vyas