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South India Boosts Sankranti/Pongal Travel With Thousands of Buses and 150 Trains

Fare rules differ across states, with APSRTC keeping regular fares as TGSRTC applies peak‑day surcharges.

Overview

  • APSRTC will operate 8,432 special buses for Sankranti, including 6,000 within Andhra Pradesh and 2,432 to Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai, all at normal fares.
  • TGSRTC announced 6,431 special services with up to 1.5 times peak‑day pricing on January 9, 10, 12, 13, 18 and 19, while regular services retain standard fares and women continue to travel free on eligible buses under the Mahalakshmi scheme.
  • Greater TGSRTC plans nearly 1,200 additional buses from Hyderabad between January 9 and 15 to Telangana districts and major towns in Andhra Pradesh, with flexibility to add more if demand increases.
  • South Central Railway will run 150 special trains to clear the Makar Sankranti rush across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, with bookings opened on January 7 for select services.
  • Tamil Nadu will run 10,245 special buses from Chennai between January 9 and 14 as part of a statewide Pongal plan totaling 59,095 buses, supported by 24x7 control rooms, helplines and enforcement against excess fares.