Karnataka raises KSRTC bus fares by up to ₹9; Bengaluru AC Vajra maximum fare now ₹90
Karnataka has raised KSRTC bus fares by up to ₹9, with Bengaluru's AC Vajra maximum fare going from ₹75 to ₹90, effective from Wednesday midnight.
Karnataka has increased bus fares across its four state-run transport corporations, with the maximum increase on KSRTC services capped at ₹9 and Bengaluru's AC Vajra maximum fare rising from ₹75 to ₹90. The revised fares came into effect from Wednesday midnight.
What has changed
Bus fares across Karnataka's four state-run transport corporations have been hiked, with the maximum increase in KSRTC capped at ₹9, Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh announced on Wednesday. BMTC city bus fares have been raised by up to ₹10, and the revised fares came into effect from Wednesday midnight.
The four corporations covered are the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), the North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) and the Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC).
Bengaluru fares in detail
In Bengaluru, the minimum fare on BMTC buses will increase from ₹6 to ₹10, while the maximum fare will go up from ₹35 to ₹45. The maximum fare on AC Vajra buses will rise from ₹75 to ₹90, and Vayu Vajra services to Kempegowda International Airport will cost up to ₹425, compared with the existing ₹405.
Fares for premium services, including Rajahamsa and air-conditioned buses, were set keeping prevailing market prices for comparable services in mind, according to the minister.
Why fares were raised
Suresh cited a rise in diesel prices as the reason for the revision, and said the fare revision was necessary to address rising prices, employee salaries and dearness allowance, higher spare parts costs and the financial burden on the transport corporations. He said that around 80 per cent of the total expenditure went towards diesel and staff costs.
The minister also noted that the Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra governments had recently increased bus fares as well. He clarified that the hike is not linked to the Shakti scheme, under which women travel free on non-luxury government buses, and said the government reimburses the transport corporations for every ticket issued to women under the scheme. Reports of the announcement noted that the government had paid ₹16,589 crore towards reimbursements under the scheme, with around ₹5,000 crore remaining pending, and that the fare revision comes amid a hike in the price of milk and milk products.
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Frequently asked questions
How much have bus fares gone up in Karnataka?
The maximum increase on KSRTC services is ₹9, while BMTC city bus fares in Bengaluru have been raised by up to ₹10.
When did the new fares come into effect?
The revised fares came into effect from Wednesday midnight, following the announcement on 4 November 2026.
Does the hike affect free travel for women under the Shakti scheme?
No. Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh clarified that the fare hike is not linked to the Shakti scheme, under which women travel free on non-luxury government buses, and said the government reimburses the corporations for every ticket issued to women.