Train and bus tickets hit “Regret” status ahead of Sankranti travel surge

Hyderabad: Travel bookings for Makar Sankranti have surged, with long-distance trains and buses from Hyderabad nearly sold out. Many popular trains are already showing “Regret” status, meaning no seats or even waitlist options are available.

Officials reported that trains to Vijayawada, Rajahmundry, Kakinada, Visakhapatnam, Guntur, Nellore, and Ongole between January 9 and 13 are fully booked. Key trains like Garib Rath, East Coast, Godavari, Charminar, Simhapuri, Gautami, Konark, Mahbubnagar–Visakhapatnam, Shabari, Narayanadri, and Padmavati Express have all reached capacity.

Flights, buses under pressure as demand soars

Bus bookings show a similar pattern. APSRTC confirmed that online reservations from January 10 to 13 are sold out. In response, private bus operators have sharply increased fares.

Flight tickets also show steep price hikes. Fares from Hyderabad to Rajahmundry, usually ₹4,600–₹4,900, now cost ₹10,529 on January 10 and ₹8,695 on January 11. Likewise, fares to Visakhapatnam, normally around ₹4,144, have climbed to ₹7,366 and ₹6,443 on January 10 and 11 respectively.

This demand spike is due to the festive schedule. Sankranti falls on January 14, with Bhogi and Kanuma on either side. As these dates span a weekend, many travellers booked early, especially from January 9 onward.

South Central Railway plans to run over 100 special trains towards Odisha and West Bengal and may add coaches to regular services. However, it has not officially announced any special trains for AP-bound routes yet.

Meanwhile, APSRTC has not rolled out additional services online, despite the high demand. Travel advisors urge passengers to book immediately or consider alternate dates and routes, as seat availability remains critically low.