Onam travel rush hits Bengaluru malayalis as tickets sold out, fares surge

Bengaluru, August 10

Malayalis in Bengaluru planning to travel home for Onam are facing a major transportation crunch, with train tickets largely unavailable and private bus fares soaring as demand rises ahead of the festival.

Thousands of families are expected to travel from Bengaluru to different parts of Kerala during the Onam holidays. However, securing affordable tickets has become increasingly difficult, raising concerns that some may have to remain in Bengaluru for the celebrations.

Train services are under the greatest pressure. Tickets on regular trains connecting Bengaluru with Kerala were booked months in advance, while available berths reportedly disappeared within minutes of reservations opening. Many passengers are now on waiting lists with little certainty of confirmation.

The Railways has announced special trains, including a Hubballi-Kottayam service, to handle the additional passenger rush. Travellers, however, say the extra services are inadequate compared with the demand. Complaints have also emerged over Third AC fares on special trains being higher than those on regular services.

Passengers without confirmed reservations are now pinning their hopes on Tatkal and Premium Tatkal quotas, which open shortly before departure. Heavy competition for the limited seats, however, means securing tickets could remain difficult.

Private bus fares have also increased substantially. Air-conditioned multi-axle sleeper buses between Bengaluru and Kochi normally charge around ₹1,200 to ₹2,500. For peak Onam travel days, premium private operators are now demanding between ₹3,000 and ₹5,900 for a single seat.

Even fares on ordinary non-air-conditioned buses have climbed, with tickets starting above ₹1,400 on some services.

The Kerala and Karnataka state transport corporations are expected to deploy additional buses during the festival rush. But with demand far exceeding available seats, travellers fear the extra services may not be enough, forcing many families to pay substantially higher fares or alter their Onam travel plans.