TGSRTC runs 2,474 Dasara special buses, adds more for October 16 and 17 rush
Representative image: Nyatto / Pixabay
TGSRTC ran 2,474 Dasara special buses from October 9 to 14, 2026, and is adding services for October 16-17; special fares are up to 1.5 times on peak days.
What Happened
TGSRTC, the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation, ran 2,474 special buses for the Dasara rush between October 9 and October 14, 2026, against a plan of 2,630 services for that six-day period, and has told depots to add more services on Friday, October 16 and Saturday, October 17, when the next wave of travellers leaves Hyderabad. The corporation has said it will run about 7,000 special buses across the festival season. Special buses carry fares of up to 1.5 times the regular fare on peak dates, while regular services keep normal fares. Arrangements have also been made for the return rush expected on October 25 and 26.
Key Facts
- Special buses run from October 9 to 14: 2,474, against 2,630 planned, close to 94 per cent of the target.
- On October 10, the new moon day, demand jumped unexpectedly: TGSRTC ran 689 buses against 529 planned.
- Extra services ordered for October 16 and 17; return services planned for October 25 and 26.
- Total plan for the season: about 7,000 special buses.
- Special-bus fares can be up to 1.5 times the regular fare on October 9, 10, 16, 17, 25 and 26. Regular buses keep normal fares.
- The Mahalakshmi free travel scheme for women continues on eligible Palle Velugu, Express, City Ordinary and Metro Express services, regular and special.
- Main Hyderabad boarding points include MGBS, JBS, Uppal, Aramghar, LB Nagar crossroads, KPHB, Bowenpally and Gachibowli.
Why It Matters
Dasara is the biggest travel festival of the year in Telangana. Families who have moved to Hyderabad for work go back to their home towns and villages across the state and beyond, and the roads, bus stations and trains fill up in the days before and after the festival. TGSRTC's special services are the main way most of these travellers get home, so its planning decides how comfortable, safe and affordable the trip is for lakhs of people.
The numbers from the first phase show both the scale of the job and where it was stretched. The corporation met most of its target, but the surge on the new moon day, when it had to put out 160 more buses than planned, shows how hard festive demand is to predict. That is why depots have been told to keep extra buses ready for October 16 and 17, the next peak days.
Fares are the sore point for many travellers. TGSRTC has said the higher fare applies only to special buses and only on peak dates, and that it covers the cost of buses that return empty after dropping passengers in their home towns. The corporation has pointed to a 2003 government order that allows the increase up to 1.5 times. Regular buses on the same routes keep their normal fares, so passengers who can travel on those services, or on non-peak days, pay less.
| Travel date | Fare on special buses |
|---|---|
| October 9 and 10 | Up to 1.5 times regular fare |
| October 16 and 17 | Up to 1.5 times regular fare |
| October 25 and 26 (return) | Up to 1.5 times regular fare |
| Other days | Normal fare |
Impact
Short-term: Travellers leaving Hyderabad on October 16 and 17 should expect crowded bus stations and should book special buses in advance on the corporation's website, tgsrtcbus.in. Boarding from suburban points such as Uppal, LB Nagar, KPHB or Gachibowli can save a trip to the main stations at MGBS and JBS. TGSRTC also offers group pick-ups from residential colonies, gated communities, hostels and colleges.
Long-term: The festival is a yearly test of the state bus network. Each season's figures on demand, peak days and empty return trips feed into the next plan, and the fare debate is likely to return at Sankranti, the other big travel festival in the Telugu states.
Who is affected: Hyderabad residents travelling home for Dasara, women using the free travel scheme, students in hostels, families in district towns waiting for relatives, and TGSRTC staff working extra shifts at depots and bus stations.
Key Takeaway
TGSRTC ran 2,474 Dasara special buses in the first six days and is adding more for October 16 and 17, with special fares of up to 1.5 times on peak dates and normal fares on regular buses.
Questions and Answers
How many TGSRTC Dasara special buses are running in 2026?
TGSRTC plans about 7,000 special buses for the season. It ran 2,474 of them between October 9 and 14, against 2,630 planned, and is adding more for October 16 and 17 and for the return rush on October 25 and 26.
Are TGSRTC fares higher during Dasara?
Only on special buses, and only on peak dates: October 9, 10, 16, 17, 25 and 26, when they can be up to 1.5 times the regular fare. Regular buses keep normal fares.
Is free bus travel for women still available during Dasara?
Yes. The Mahalakshmi scheme continues on eligible Palle Velugu, Express, City Ordinary and Metro Express services, including special services in those categories.
Where can I board TGSRTC Dasara special buses in Hyderabad?
Special buses leave from MGBS, JBS, Uppal, Aramghar, LB Nagar crossroads, KPHB, Bowenpally and Gachibowli. Seats can be booked in advance at tgsrtcbus.in, and groups can ask for pick-up from their colony, hostel or college.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
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