Bengaluru: To ensure hassle-free travel for festive commuters, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has announced special transport arrangements with 2,500 additional buses ahead of the Diwali celebrations.
The move aims to help thousands of people residing in Bengaluru and other urban centres travel to their hometowns and join their families for the festival of lights. KSRTC officials said that, like every year, special services have been planned so that no one misses out on celebrating Diwali with their loved ones.
This year, Naraka Chaturdashi falls on October 20, 2025, and Balipadyami on October 22, 2025. To handle the festive rush, KSRTC will operate extra buses from October 17 to 20 from Bengaluru to various destinations within the state. Return services from different parts of Karnataka and neighbouring states to Bengaluru will run on October 22 and 26, according to a KSRTC release.
Key routes and operations
Special buses will depart from Kempegowda Bus Station to destinations including Dharmasthala, Kukke Subramanya, Shivamogga, Hassan, Mangaluru, Kundapura, Sringeri, Horanadu, Davanagere, Hubballi, Dharwad, Belagavi, Vijayapura, Gokarna, Sirsi, Karwar, Raichur, Kalaburagi, Ballari, Koppal, Yadgir, Bidar, Tirupati, Vijayawada, and Hyderabad.
From Mysuru Road Satellite Bus Station, additional services will run towards Mysuru, Hunsur, Periyapatna, Virajpet, Kushalnagar, and Madikeri.
For inter-state travel, KSRTC will operate services from Shantinagar Bus Station to major destinations in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, including Madurai, Kumbakonam, Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli, Palakkad, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Kozhikode, and Calicut.
Booking and discounts
Passengers can reserve seats in advance through the KSRTC website – www.ksrtc.karnataka.gov.in – or through booking counters across Karnataka and neighbouring states including Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Goa, Maharashtra, and Puducherry.
KSRTC has also announced a 5% discount for group bookings (four or more passengers) and a 10% discount on return tickets if booked together with onward tickets.
Commuters are advised to carefully check the boarding point and bus station mentioned on their tickets before departure. All details regarding special services, timings, and boarding points are available online for public reference.
KSRTC further stated that depending on passenger demand, additional buses will be deployed from all district and taluk-level bus stations across the state during the festive period.