Karnataka has revised bus fares across KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC. Ordinary bus fares will increase by up to ₹9, while BMTC city bus fares will rise by up to ₹10 from midnight.
Commuters across Karnataka will have to pay more for bus journeys as the state government has announced a revision of fares across its four state-run transport corporations. The revised fares will apply to the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) and Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC), with the new rates coming into effect from midnight tonight.
While ordinary bus fares will increase depending on the distance travelled, KSRTC Express services and BMTC city buses will see separate revisions. The government has attributed the decision to rising diesel prices, employee salary expenses and increasing operational costs.
Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh announced the fare revision while speaking to the media in Bengaluru. He clarified that the increase would not be based on a uniform percentage across all services but would instead depend on the distance travelled and the applicable fare stages.
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Four State Transport Corporations To Revise Bus Fares
The fare revision covers all four state transport corporations in Karnataka: KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC.
According to the Transport Minister, Karnataka operates the largest state-run transport network in South India, with 26,125 buses serving passengers across the state. The four corporations employ 1,03,646 people and operate services along 24,179 routes every day.
Together, these buses transport approximately 1.24 crore passengers daily, making the public transport network an important part of everyday commuting across Karnataka.
The Minister also noted that bus fares in the state had been revised only once in the past decade.
KSRTC Bus Fare Hike: Revised Ticket Prices
For ordinary KSRTC services, fares have been revised on a stage-wise basis, depending on the distance travelled. The increase varies by route, with the revised fares for several Bengaluru suburban destinations as follows:
Revised Bus Fares For Bengaluru Suburban Routes:
- Nelamangala: The fare will increase from ₹35 to ₹44, a hike of ₹9.
- Hoskote: The fare will rise from ₹35 to ₹44, an increase of ₹9.
- Doddaballapura: The fare will increase from ₹38 to ₹47, a hike of ₹9.
- Anekal: The fare will rise from ₹38 to ₹47, an increase of ₹9.
- Magadi: The fare will increase from ₹46 to ₹57, a hike of ₹11.
- Malur: The fare will rise from ₹46 to ₹57, an increase of ₹11.
KSRTC Express And Vegadoota Bus Fare Revision
Passengers travelling on KSRTC Express services will also face revised ticket prices. The following are the revised fares for selected routes from Bengaluru:
Revised Fares For Express And Vegadoota Services:
- Kolar: The fare will increase from ₹81 to ₹100, a hike of ₹19.
- Tumakuru: The fare will rise from ₹81 to ₹100, an increase of ₹19.
- Mandya: The fare will increase from ₹110 to ₹136, a hike of ₹26.
- Mysuru: The fare will rise from ₹160 to ₹197, an increase of ₹37.
- Hassan: The fare will increase from ₹219 to ₹270, a hike of ₹51.
- Chikkamagaluru: The fare will rise from ₹295 to ₹363, an increase of ₹68.
The revised fares for ordinary services and Express services differ according to the applicable fare structure and distance travelled.
The fares for premium services, including Rajahamsa and air-conditioned buses, have been determined based on prevailing competitive market prices, according to the Minister.
BMTC Bus Fare Hike In Bengaluru
BMTC passengers in Bengaluru will also have to pay revised ticket prices under the new fare structure.
According to the Transport Minister, the minimum fare for Bengaluru city bus services will increase from ₹6 to ₹10. The maximum fare for BMTC city buses will rise from ₹35 to ₹45, marking an increase of ₹10.
The revised rates will apply to BMTC services from midnight tonight.
Fare Hike Based On Distance, Not A Flat Percentage
Explaining the revised fare structure, Byrathi Suresh said the government had not introduced a blanket percentage-based increase.
Instead, fares have been revised according to the distance travelled and the designated fare stages. As a result, the increase will vary depending on the journey, with passengers travelling shorter distances facing a smaller revision.
The Minister clarified that the maximum increase for ordinary services would depend on the applicable fare stages, while Express and BMTC services would have separate revisions.
Diesel Prices And Staff Costs Behind Fare Revision
The Transport Minister cited rising diesel prices and employee-related expenses as the primary reasons behind the fare hike.
According to him, diesel prices have increased by ₹10.47 per litre, adding to the financial burden on the transport corporations. Diesel and staff-related expenses together account for around 80% of their expenditure.
The corporations spend approximately ₹5,694 crore annually on diesel, while the increase in fuel prices has added an estimated ₹500 crore to their annual financial burden. The Minister also referred to outstanding diesel payments of ₹1,111.88 crore.
He further highlighted the financial commitments arising from the employee salary revision implemented in 2024. The corporations have a liability of ₹7,719 crore, along with outstanding debt of ₹2,192 crore.
Minister Says Shakti Scheme Has Not Caused Losses
Addressing concerns over the financial impact of the state's Shakti free bus travel scheme for women, the Transport Minister rejected allegations that it had caused losses to the transport corporations.
He maintained that the corporations were not providing free travel at their own expense, as the state government reimburses them for the journeys undertaken by eligible women beneficiaries.
Regarding the scheme, the Minister said approximately ₹5,000 crore was pending and that the government had assured the corporations that the amount would be released in phases.
He reiterated that the Shakti scheme had not resulted in losses for the transport corporations, as the government was responsible for reimbursing the cost of eligible journeys.
With the revised fares set to come into effect from midnight tonight, passengers travelling on KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC services will have to account for the increased ticket prices while planning their daily journeys.
