Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Travelling home for Diwali is set to burn a bigger hole in passengers’ pockets this year, with private bus fares from Indore surging ahead of the festive rush. The fare to Gwalior has climbed to Rs 3,500 for the 566-km journey, nearly 250% above the usual maximum fare of Rs 1,000.
Tickets to Jaipur are priced at up to Rs 3,350, while Jabalpur fares have touched Rs 2,800.
Online bus-booking platforms are already showing steep fares for travel in the first week of November. With bookings gaining momentum in the third week of October, bus industry sources expect seats on popular services to become difficult to secure by the month-end.
On the Indore–Gwalior route, fares that normally range from Rs 700 to Rs 1,000 are now listed at Rs 2,200–Rs 3,500. Jaipur fares have risen from the usual Rs 600–Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,750–Rs 3,350, an increase of up to 235% over the regular maximum.
The Indore–Jabalpur fare has climbed from Rs 800–Rs 1,100 to Rs 2,000–Rs 2,800, while Ahmedabad tickets are priced at Rs 1,500–Rs 2,300 against the usual Rs 800–Rs 1,000.
Mumbai fares have also risen, from the regular Rs 1,050–Rs 1,300 to Rs 1,400–Rs 2,249 for travel around November 6.
Families face a steep travel bill
The surge is particularly burdensome for families travelling together. Four passengers heading to Gwalior at Rs 3,500 per ticket would pay Rs 14,000 one way. A family of four travelling to Jabalpur would spend Rs 11,200 one way, while a Jaipur trip would cost Rs 13,400.
These amounts exclude local transport and other travel expenses.
Gwalior-bound passenger Ashish Savita said, “A ticket that normally costs around Rs 800-Rs 1,000 is now showing Rs 3,000-Rs 3,500. For a family, the travel cost becomes very high.”
Jabalpur-bound Raja Gehlod said, “Train tickets are in waiting and bus fares have more than doubled. During festivals, we have little choice but to pay more.”
Festive rush pushes up fares
The rush to hometowns during Diwali, coupled with limited confirmed train-ticket availability, drives more passengers towards private buses.
Demand for overnight services and sleeper berths rises sharply, while lower-priced seats sell out quickly, leaving passengers with costlier options.
