Festive Season Travel Woes: Buses from Delhi to Patna Launched as Train Tickets Sell Out

Patna: With confirmed train tickets becoming increasingly scarce for travel from Delhi to Patna during the festive season of Dussehra, Diwali, and Chhath, the Transport Corporation has stepped in to offer an alternative for passengers. Two new bus services will be launched, operating from Delhi to Patna via Agra and Lucknow, beginning in October. The service includes both a seater and a sleeper bus, providing a much-needed option for those unable to secure a spot on the overcrowded trains.

The sleeper bus fare from Patna to Delhi has been set at ₹1995, with a 15% discount available for early bookings. However, no such discount will apply to buses traveling from Delhi to Patna. The journey is expected to take around 19 hours, with the bus route passing through Kaushambi Bus Depot in Ghaziabad, via Gopalganj, Gorakhpur, Lucknow, and Agra.

In addition to these new bus services, the frequency of buses running from Patna to various districts within a 200 km radius will be increased to meet the heightened demand. Passengers can start booking their seats from October 1.

The demand for train travel to Patna is at an all-time high, with seats on popular trains like Vikramshila Express, North East Express, and Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express fully booked from October 25 to 31 and November 1 to 6. As a result, many passengers are left with only waiting list tickets. Even the recently launched Vande Bharat Express, running from Lucknow to Patna, is quickly filling up, with seats expected to be unavailable between September 25 and November 6. However, those traveling from New Jalpaiguri, Ranchi, and Howrah on the Vande Bharat Express still have ticket availability.

To accommodate the surge in travelers, several special trains will be operating between Ahmedabad and Patna, as well as between Amritsar and Patna Sahib, the latter in honor of the 363rd birth anniversary of Shaheed Baba Jeevan Singh Ji. Additionally, the timing of some train stops at stations in Patna has been revised, effective from August 30.

As the festive season approaches, not only have buses and trains become overcrowded, but air travel has also become increasingly expensive. Flight fares have surged by 25% to 60%, with further increases anticipated as the holiday season draws nearer. Many travelers, seeking to save time, are now facing significantly higher costs as they opt for air travel amid the rush.