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I have travelled on many different types of buses during my time in India. I’ve ridden in all kinds of buses during my years in India. Bus travel is much cheaper and more convenient than flying, especially in places like Bangalore. It is also great for last-minute travel when trains have already been booked. But does this mean that it’s the best option for you?
I have had both great and not-so-good bus experiences. I will continue to travel on buses because of the variety of options they provide. But today, I wanted to share with you some of the highs and lows of overnight bus travelling in India.
Different types of buses: (listed in order from the cheapest to most expensive)
The surroundings at the per basic local bus. non-air-conditioned. In the Karnataka bus system, we call these buses the Karnataka Sarige. I don’t have a clue what the “official term” is for them. They have bench seats, which are meant to accommodate three people. However, they often accommodate more. These operate as local buses between towns and make frequent stops. It’s the cheapest, so people will crowd on and sit or stand in the aisles. bus booking for these buses is usually straightforward but might not guarantee a seat.
The semi-deluxe bus. non-airconditioned. These have individual seats, but they do not recline. I’ve used it to travel from Bangalore to Coimbatore once. It was okay, not comfortable but good for a six-hour journey on decent roads.
the ultra deluxe bus. non-airconditioned. I used to use this one the most when I was student. These seats recline individually, are comfortable and offer good value.
The sleeper bus. Can be air-conditioned or not. These are the ones with horizontal berths so you can sleep and stretch out. This is the one I recommend for trips along the ghats from Bangalore to Gokarna or Goa. The key to avoiding sliding is to sleep either on your back or your front.
The Volvo and Volvo multi-axle. These are semi-sleeper air-conditioned buses, which have been very popular over the past five years. The seats are comfortable and recline, and they are air-conditioned. This is especially useful during summer when the temperatures can be quite high. They also make the fewest stops, usually only one, depending on the distance of the trip. This is often the fastest option. Bonus: Some of them play local language movies at the beginning of the trip!
Pros:
I have spent Rs 150 and Rs 1,100 on overnight buses. There are many different comfort and price levels, so it’s easy to find a bus that suits your budget.
You can find buses at any time, even if you don’t book until the last minute. I booked my ticket for a Friday evening departure from Hyderabad on a Thursday. It was still a good seat. The journey took only 6.5-7 hours. If I’d taken a flight, would it have been faster? I would have spent more money, endured more hassle, and saved two hours if I had taken a flight. The bus will drop me at Anandrao Circle, right next to Majestic, where I can hop in a car or a bus to reach my destination.
It’s easy to book. All bus companies now have websites so that you can book your bus. They are easy to use and allow you to view all of the options, pricing, and schedules at once. If you’d rather someone else handle it, or you don’t have access to the internet, you can find booking offices in many cities. If you want to search for a particular bus company, they can do that exclusively or give suggestions on which companies have the best prices and timings.
Long-term travellers can save money on accommodation by taking the overnight bus or train. It allows you to spend a whole day in your departure city, you save money on one night’s accommodation, and you can enjoy another day at the other end. To get the best out of it, you will need to be able to sleep on buses—just a note.
Things to remember:
Choose a seat in the front. Except for the Volvo multi-axle bus, all the other buses have horrible suspension. If you are in a seat at the back of the bus, you will have to jostle around every speed bump and pothole. If you are looking to book a bus in UP you can log in to upsrtc bus booking for easy booking. The earlier you book, the better chance you have of getting a seat/berth in the middle or front of the bus.
cheaper buses make more frequent stops. If you are someone who gets disturbed with frequent stopping-and-starting, don’t take the cheaper buses. They often behave as local buses and make many stops. This means that they will allow more passengers on board than seats are available. People may end up standing or sitting in the aisles, and even shouting to family and friends across rows.
If you are going to travel through mountains (especially the ghats), pay a bit more for a better bus. I like a sleeper through the ghats because I can lie down while the bus twists through the mountains. Sleepers cost a bit more than semi-sleepers [with the exception of the multi-axle buses]. It’s worth it, especially since the trips are longer.
Hydrate carefully. As I’ve mentioned several times, the buses do not have toilets, and they may only make a couple of stops at night, depending on the bus. Don’t dehydrate, but ration water to avoid having to go to the toilet in the middle of the night when there are no stops. It can be very uncomfortable.
Keep small change on hand for toilets that charge a fee. Some rest stops, where buses stop for chai or dinner, will charge between 3 and 5 Rupees for toilets. You will not be given a change in your bills, no matter how much change they have. This is when I use my tendency to hoard coins.
Even if the bus says it has plug points, they don’t work most of the time. Some Volvo buses and sleeper coaches have plugs, but they only worked about 30% of the time when I tried them. Try them out once you’re on the bus, but don’t rely on them. If you are worried about running out of power, keep a portable charger with you. [My solution is just to put my phone on airplane mode so it doesn’t constantly search for a network.