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first time I read I tought you are saying out of state of costly, in-state is cheap. then I read carefully, it is in-state expensive, out-of-state cheap!!

very very puzzling sir. good finding.

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Rs 176 for 345 KM would be 0.51 Rs/Km NOT 0.41. Please correct.

Even then, 0.51 vs 0.62, that is about 20% higher fare for in-state travel. The fares may be in bands - per 50 KM, so much higher. So wll need more comparisons to check on the difference,

Looks like competition may be the reason. But KSRTC has compettion for in-state Bus travel. Is it weaker than TNSRTC?

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Corrected the fares as 0.51 and added more examples...

Reg the distance slabs, guess the more distance you go the less will be the rate per km..which should again the land the ball in ksrtc court to explain why the fares are higher for in-state travel?

Also I'm concerned about the fare diff for standard services used by the common man daily, I'm least bothered what they charge for Airavat or other premium services. I read always KSRTC services are world class <blah blah> but that should not be at the cost of looting the common man. Sometimes I feel the normal services are sub standardized to increase the ridership of volvo (which beleive cannot be afforded by everybody).

I have also dropped a mail to KSRTC BLR division, will ping you guys once they reply.

Cheers

Pavan

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Dear Sir,

This is not new and I have observed this type of fares since 1988.  In general, the bus fares in Tamilnadu is always lower than Karnataka fares.  I have also noticed that KSRTC increased its fares 4 or 5 times during a span of 3-5 years some where between 1988 to 1993.  Around the same period, Tamilnadu corporations increased the fares only once.  During that time, fares in BTS used to be in multiples of Rs. 0.25 and Pallavan Transport (Equivalent of BTS for Chennai city) used to have fares in multiples of Rs. 0.05 and Rs. 0.10.  The conductors of PTC used to give back changes promptly.  Around the same time, APSRTC fares were also much lower than KSRTC.

During those days KSRTC was having Super Deluxe (Present Day Rajahamsa), Semi Luxury and Ordinary services.  For Tamilnadu (excluding Vellore and Hosur), KSRTC used to operate Super Deluxe and Semi Luxury type of services and for Vellore and Hosur ordinary type of services.  The fare in Semi Luxury towards TN was lower than ordinary services within Karnataka.

My understanding for this strange pricing is like this.

KSRTC enters into agreement with neighboring states for operating buses in their territory and accordingly they also enter into agreement with KSRTC.  During these agreement, lower fare among the participating states is selected.  One can see this type of advertisements about routes and frequencies in newspapers issued by KSRTC.  Since, as stated above other state bus fares are lower than KSRTC fares, the KSRTC is supposed to stick to those fares.

One more thing, KSRTC increases fares with every increase of fuel price hike where as other states won’t do.  As off now, KSRTC fare very high when compared with other states and even railways.  For example, fare between Bangalore and Shimoga in intercity express without reservation is Rs. 62.00 and KSRTC bus fare is more than Rs. 150.00 (I don’t exact fare as I stopped traveling by bus).  Same way one can travel to Hubli by Jan Shatabdi by paying much less than a bus.  The journey time is also less.

With all these high fares, KSRTC claims that they are making huge amount of profits!!!  With this type of fares, any body can make profits even with poorly maintained fleet.

Private Stage Carriage operators (Karnataka is having large number of private bus service in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Koadagu, Mysore, Mandya, Shimoga, Chikmagalur, Davangere, Chitradurga, Bellary, Kolar, Tumkur, Chikballapur, Bangalore, Ramanagara districts) are also making huge profits as they fix their fares either at par with KSRTC or more than KSRTC fare in some segments.

One can travel from Bangalore to Mangalore by paying Rs. 101 (general compartment) by day time travel.  Of course, train takes around 10 to 10 1/2 hours time runs only on alternate days.  Bus fare during night time is nearly 4 time than this fare and increases abnormally during festive seasons.  Unfortunately, Karnataka is not having enough trains in existing lines.

Couple of years back, the fare increase used to be per stage.  In case of KSRTC it is 6.5 Km.  Now a days is directly on %age basis.

 

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karpraja, this line

Let them make money off airavat and other premium services.

Why so? Why not just let go of ordinary services, and have only airavat and premium. these "high end" services will get cheaper with larger volumes.

Does KSRTC really have poorly maintained fleet? why don't we (public do a surprise "audit" of ordinary buses at a KSRTC stand/depot? We can also do this with prior permission from KSRTC if we think that would be the better way.

I have met KSRTC MD a few times, and I can confidently say that he will welcome all reasonable pressure building efforts from citizens.

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