Patna: The Bihar government has announced the operation of around 200 special interstate buses during the Holi festival season to make travel easier, safer and more affordable for migrant workers and students returning home.
The Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC) will operate these festival buses from February 15 to March 15. Ticket bookings will begin on February 1 through the official website, bsrtc.bihar.gov.in, officials said.
The services will include AC deluxe and non-AC deluxe buses, each with a seating capacity of 50 to 60 passengers. The state government will also offer special fare concessions on these buses to make travel more economical during the festive period.
The buses will be operated under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, connecting Bihar with major routes in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Jharkhand. Officials said work on finalising routes and fares is currently underway.
Passengers will be able to book tickets online using UPI, debit cards, credit cards and net banking. The transport corporation has also announced that clean and separate toilet facilities for men and women will be ensured at identified bus stops.
Transport minister Shravan Kumar said the initiative was aimed at reducing the pressure on overcrowded trains during festivals. “Every year, migrant workers and students face enormous difficulty in travelling home due to the heavy rush on trains. These special buses will allow people to travel comfortably, safely and on time,” he said.
The scheme builds on last year’s successful experiment, when BSRTC operated 220 special interstate buses between September 20 and November 19, 2025. Around 2.5 lakh passengers benefited from the service, with an average seat occupancy of 81%. More than 8,000 tickets were booked online during that period, and about 107 buses ran daily in one direction.
Officials said the Holi special buses were expected to provide major relief to migrant Biharis working and studying in other states, ensuring smoother travel during one of the busiest festive seasons of the year.
