Fare charges have surged ahead of Sankranti festival. (Image: DC)
Visakhapatnam: Fare charges have surged ahead of Sankranti festival. Travelers shuttling between key cities including Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, and Bangalore are facing a significant surge in bus fares, flight tickets, and cab charges.
The aviation sector has seen a significant spike in ticket prices. Flights from Bangalore to Visakhapatnam charges Rs 11,579 one way on Saturday, Rs 10,296 on Sunday, and Rs 6,000 on Monday.
Similarly, flight from Bangalore to Vijayawada costs Rs 16,898 on Saturday, Rs 9,000 on Sunday, and Rs 6,000 on Monday. One way flight from Vijayawada to Visakhapatnam charges Rs 11,034 on Saturday, Rs 6,547 on Sunday, and Rs 4,000 on Monday. Flights from Hyderabad to Visakhapatnam are priced at Rs 14,000 for both Saturday and Sunday and Rs 8,000 on Monday.
Bus fares have seen a rise. For Saturday, travel from Hyderabad to Visakhapatnam costs Rs 5,000 to Rs 9,000. On Sunday, prices dropped to Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000, with Monday being the most affordable day. Similarly, bus fare from Vijayawada to Visakhapatnam on Saturday is Rs 5,000, Rs 3,000 on Sunday, and Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500 on Monday. From Bangalore to Visakhapatnam, the fare is Rs 7,500 on Saturday, Rs 5,000 on Sunday, a little less on Monday.
Cab fares have not been spared of the price surge. Ushodhya Travels told Deccan Chronicle that they charge Rs 15 per km for a 10-hour journey in a 7-seater. However, private travellers tied up with hotels and restaurants charge Rs 18 per km. Shri Krishna Travel owner Nandyal mentioned that their rates were around Rs 17 per km with some travellers charging between Rs 22 and Rs 25 per km. This year pre-Sankranti fares have gone up to Rs 25 per km.
In stark contrast to private operators, government-run buses maintain reasonable fares across major routes. The state transport service charges Rs 450 between Hyderabad and Vijayawada, while Vijayawada to Visakhapatnam route costs around `300.
All government buses on these routes have maintained their fares below Rs 500, offering a significantly more economical option for festival travellers. Dheeraj Prah, a private travel agent, noted that many travellers book tickets well in advance to secure lower prices.
Airlines have launched marketing strategies that keep prices high even for bookings months in advance. He pointed out that domestic travel had become more expensive than international travel. For example, a trip to Srinagar costs Rs 28,000 per head while a round trip to Malaysia is Rs 20,000 per head, and a one-way trip to Singapore is Rs 7,000. This makes international travel cheaper than domestic options.
Bus fares have seen a rise. For Saturday, travel from Hyderabad to Visakhapatnam costs Rs 5,000 to Rs 9,000. On Sunday, prices dropped to Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000, with Monday being the most affordable day. Similarly, bus fare from Vijayawada to Visakhapatnam on Saturday is Rs 5,000, Rs 3,000 on Sunday, and Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500 on Monday. From Bangalore to Visakhapatnam, the fare is Rs 7,500 on Saturday, Rs 5,000 on Sunday, a little less on Monday.
Cab fares have not been spared of the price surge. Ushodhya Travels told Deccan Chronicle that they charge Rs 15 per km for a 10-hour journey in a 7-seater. However, private travellers tied up with hotels and restaurants charge Rs 18 per km. Shri Krishna Travel owner Nandyal mentioned that their rates were around Rs 17 per km with some travellers charging between Rs 22 and Rs 25 per km. This year pre-Sankranti fares have gone up to Rs 25 per km.
In stark contrast to private operators, government-run buses maintain reasonable fares across major routes. The state transport service charges Rs 450 between Hyderabad and Vijayawada, while Vijayawada to Visakhapatnam route costs around `300.
All government buses on these routes have maintained their fares below Rs 500, offering a significantly more economical option for festival travellers. Dheeraj Prah, a private travel agent, noted that many travellers book tickets well in advance to secure lower prices.
Airlines have launched marketing strategies that keep prices high even for bookings months in advance. He pointed out that domestic travel had become more expensive than international travel. For example, a trip to Srinagar costs Rs 28,000 per head while a round trip to Malaysia is Rs 20,000 per head, and a one-way trip to Singapore is Rs 7,000. This makes international travel cheaper than domestic options.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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