Archive · 27 Aug 2026
Raksha Bandhan 2026 Bus Fares Surge on Bhopal-Indore Routes
Many people are taking buses to visit their families for Raksha Bandhan.
Because so many people want tickets, bus fares from Bhopal and Indore have increased.
Some passengers are paying two or three times the normal price.
For example, an Indore-Sagar ticket can now cost up to Rs 2,200.
Indore-Bhopal tickets can cost as much as Rs 2,000.
Fares have also increased on several other routes.
Some buses have few or no seats left.
This means families travelling for the festival may have to spend much more money.
Bus fares from Bhopal and Indore have risen sharply ahead of Raksha Bandhan.
Passengers on some routes are paying up to two or three times the usual fare.
Indore-Sagar fares increased from roughly Rs 800–1,000 to Rs 1,200–2,200.
Indore-Bhopal fares rose from about Rs 400–800 to nearly Rs 1,000–2,000.
Seats are becoming difficult to obtain, while routes to cities including Mumbai, Pune and Varanasi face high demand.
- Who
- Passengers travelling from Bhopal and Indore, along with bus operators serving those routes.
- What
- Bus fares have risen sharply, in some cases by two to four times, while available seats have become limited.
- When
- Ahead of Raksha Bandhan in 2026.
- Where
- Routes from Bhopal and Indore within Madhya Pradesh and to cities in other states.
- Why
- Demand for travel has increased as people return to their hometowns for the festival.
Passenger concerns
Demand-driven pricing
Higher fares
Passenger concerns
Passengers say the sudden price increases are adding substantially to the cost of travelling home for Raksha Bandhan.
Demand-driven pricing
The reported increases are occurring as demand rises sharply for festival travel.
Ticket availability
Passenger concerns
Travellers say tickets are difficult to obtain even after agreeing to pay more, leaving them with limited choices.
Demand-driven pricing
High demand on routes connecting Bhopal and Indore with major cities has contributed to limited seat availability.
- Indore-Sagar fare
- Usual fare: about Rs 800–1,000; reported festival fare: about Rs 1,200–2,200.
- Indore-Bhopal fare
- Usual fare: about Rs 400–800; reported festival fare: nearly Rs 1,000–2,000.
- Bhopal-Sagar fare
- Usual fare: about Rs 400–600; reported festival fare: about Rs 700–1,000.
- Other Madhya Pradesh routes
- Fares to Rewa, Seoni, Jabalpur, Chhindwara, Guna and Gwalior have reportedly risen by two to four times.
- Interstate routes
- Some Indore-Pune bus fares are approaching airfares, according to online ticket portals.
- Seat availability
- Many passengers report difficulty finding tickets, with some seats sold out.
- Festival
- The fare increase is occurring ahead of Raksha Bandhan 2026.