 Comfort: Sleeper buses for long distances, complete with blankets Convenience: Tickets can be booked online or on the phone, and they are available till right before the bus departs Cost: Price lower than even 3AC train travel in some routes Flexibility:You have the option of several buses on busy sectors |
Every minute nearly 200 passengers climb aboard a bus headed out of town from Delhi’s inter-state bus terminals alone. You may already be pitying them, thinking about the bone-jarring, cramped, smelly ride ahead. For a majority that may be true but a growing number are actually looking forward to their journey.
In fact, far from “settling” for the bus ride because all other modes of transportation were sold out, this was their first choice. And why shouldn’t it be, with spacious reclining chairs or even a bed, sound-proof air-conditioned comfort, in-cabin entertainment, a blanket should it get chilly, an attendant on call and more?
What the entry of the Volvo bus kick-started in 2001 has now reached critical mass—bus travel has come of age in the country. Says Tej Krishna Tanjoo of Raj National Express, one of the largest luxury bus operators in the country, “Our buses are as good as a Boeing aircraft. The only difference is that we can’t fly.”
Indeed, for the first time, interstate buses are in a position to give Indian Railways stiff competition. In many cases, especially short-haul routes, a train takes longer than a bus to reach its destination.
In January 2007, the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation introduced special buses between Nellore and Chennai, which take passengers to the destination in under three hours, while a train takes 15 minutes more.
The newer bus models are built for speed so even over longer distances, the time spent on the road is not all that much. Consider that a trip of 1,000 km, which used to take over 24 hours not so long back, is now done in 17 hours in a premium bus. That’s a saving of one working day per trip.
Little wonder then that routes like Delhi-Chandigarh, Bangalore-Kochi or even Mumbai-Bangalore are more frequented by business travellers than tourists. The icing on the cake? Buses are often easier on the wallet. A major disadvantage of bus travel was that one had to queue up to buy a ticket.
Now most state transport departments and private players allow online booking. In addition, 2007 saw independent portals, such as www.redbus.in and www.abhibus.com, carving out a niche as bus travel aggregators. Says Mayank Bidawatka, marketing head, Redbus.in, “We are doing about 800 tickets a day at present.”
Then there is the fact that the bus network can be expanded easily, be it in terms of frequency or new routes, a flexibility that no other form of public transportation enjoys. And there are new routes being introduced every other day, a recent one being the air-conditioned sleeper bus service between Bangalore and Gulbarga by the North Eastern Karnataka Road Transport Corporation.
Also, bus tickets are available right till the bus departs, so it’s a good option for last-minute plans. The king of the road will have to be the Volvo, which seems to be preferred over sleeper buses. One reason is that they are faster so people don’t mind the steep fares. Sleeper buses are yet to iron out a few kinks.
For one, we don’t have many full sleeper options. What we have is the semi-sleeper variety —a bunk bed over regular seats—which are usually non air-conditioned. The full sleeper buses available have double beds on one side and single bunks on the other. So if you are travelling alone, insist on the single.
One of the last few remaining pitfalls is that few buses have an attached bathroom. So looking into the future, we may have Volvo sleepers with attached toilets. We will also see bus operators gun for a pan-India presence. Says Bidawatka, “Now top luxury-coach makers, like Mercedes, are setting up plants in India. This will further change the landscape of bus travel in India.”
Unusual destinations, the affordable way
Why go there: Where else can you stay in an authentic Kuruba hut packed with every imaginable luxury, including a private open-air jacuzzi or plunge pool? |
