Bengaluru airport's budget travel just got pricier
Traveling between Bengaluru airport and the city is now more expensive for many, thanks to recent changes in bus and taxi setups at Terminal 1.
BMTC's Vayu Vajra buses—once a go-to affordable ride—are seeing fewer passengers, while more people are turning to pricier cabs.
What's changed at the airport?
Vayu Vajra busses used to have plenty of bays right near arrivals, making them easy to catch.
Now, half those spots have been handed over to private taxis, so busses have less space and need to leave faster.
Pre-booked taxis? Their pick-up point is now almost a kilometer away from arrivals—either you walk or wait for a shuttle.
Impact: Higher costs, fewer bus riders
With busses harder to access, more travelers are choosing cabs—which means higher average travel costs on the 35km route into town.
BMTC says daily bus ridership has dropped from about 14,000 down to 11,000 people—a revenue loss of ₹3-4 lakh every day.
Pushback from the government
Karnataka's transport minister isn't happy with these changes and has formally opposed shifting taxi pick-up points so far away.
As things stand, both costs and complaints are up while everyone waits for a better solution.