Holiday rush in Kerala: Train tickets sold out, private buses fares expected to surge
Keralites are encountering challenges in securing train tickets for the Christmas and New Year holidays, particularly for travel from northern districts to Thiruvananthapuram. Train tickets are unavailable after mid-December, with return tickets also in short supply.
FollowThiruvananthapuram: Keralites are struggling to find tickets for the Christmas and New Year holidays, with train tickets for travel within the state almost unavailable. For trips from northern districts to Thiruvananthapuram during the holiday period, no train tickets are available after the middle of this month. Likewise, return tickets are also hard to come by. Those working in places like Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi are uncertain about finding tickets to return to Malabar. Meanwhile, private buses are taking advantage of the situation to make a profit.
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Thousands of people working in both the public and private sectors in the Malabar region of Kerala, particularly in areas like Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi, are struggling to get tickets to return home for the festive season. As with previous festival seasons, these workers are facing difficulty in securing travel.
There are currently no tickets available for trains such as Janashatabdi, Vande Bharat, Maveli, and Ernad Express from Kozhikode to Thiruvananthapuram, scheduled for the 20th of this month. A similar situation is observed with the Netravati Express as well. The waiting list on many trains has exceeded 200.
For those unable to get train tickets, private buses are the only alternative. However, the private bus fare is expected to increase in the coming days, with travelers facing higher charges. On December 20, the fare for a sleeper bus from Kozhikode to Thiruvananthapuram is expected to range from Rs 1,600 to Rs 2,600. Semi-sleeper buses will have similar rates, and there is a strong possibility of further hikes. There is growing demand for the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) to provide additional services, and for the railway to offer more special trains during the holiday season at reasonable rates.
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