Karnataka has approved a steep increase in fares across its four state-run transport corporations, with BMTC fares rising by 32% to 35% and KSRTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC fares increasing by 23% from midnight on November 5. The revision will affect daily commuters in Bengaluru as well as passengers travelling between the state’s towns and cities.
The minimum BMTC fare for journeys of up to 2 km will rise from Rs 6 to Rs 10. Fares for trips between 2 km and 4 km will increase by Rs 6, while longer city journeys will become costlier by up to Rs 12. A BMTC journey from Majestic to Shivajinagar, which currently costs Rs 12, will cost Rs 18 under the revised fare structure.
Other commonly used routes will also see substantial increases. The Majestic-Yeshwanthpur and Majestic-Vijayanagar fares will rise from Rs 18 to Rs 25, while the fare from Bengaluru to Attibele will increase from Rs 30 to Rs 42. The changes will apply to ordinary city services as well as premium BMTC Vajra air-conditioned buses.
For Vajra services, fares for the first 6 km will increase by Rs 5. Journeys between 6 km and 18 km will attract a Rs 10 increase, while longer trips will become costlier by up to Rs 15. The Central Silk Board-Hebbal fare, for example, will rise from Rs 55 to Rs 65, while the Majestic-Attibele fare will increase from Rs 60 to Rs 70.
Passengers travelling outside Bengaluru will also pay more. On KSRTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC services, fares will rise by Rs 9 for the first five stages and by Rs 18 for journeys covering up to 10 stages. An ordinary bus journey from Bengaluru to Nelamangala or Hoskote will cost Rs 44 instead of Rs 35. On express services, the Bengaluru-Nelamangala fare will rise from Rs 81 to Rs 100, while the Bengaluru-Mandya fare will increase from Rs 110 to Rs 136.
The revision is the largest fare increase reported for the four corporations in the period covered by the state government’s comparison. Between 2009 and 2025, fare revisions ranged from 3.56% to 15%, according to the report. The latest increases are therefore more than twice the highest revision recorded during the previous 16 years.
Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh attributed the increase to higher operating costs, including diesel, employee salaries and bus maintenance. He said KSRTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC had revised fares twice in the past decade, while BMTC had revised fares once during the same period. Diesel prices had increased by Rs 10.47 per litre this year, he said.
The four transport corporations have accumulated liabilities of Rs 9,912 crore, including loans of Rs 2,192 crore, according to the minister. Suresh also said the Shakti scheme, which provides free bus travel to women, had not weakened the corporations’ finances because the state government reimburses the cost. However, the government is yet to clear Rs 6,200 crore in reimbursements due to the corporations under the scheme.
The revised fares will come into effect from Thursday midnight, November 5, bringing the higher charges into force for city, intercity and premium bus passengers across Karnataka.
