Five-day Bengaluru Metro pass costs Rs 41,600 a year; BMTC AC pass Rs 24,000

Bengaluru: Daily commuters in the tech capital are in disbelief: While Metro rail systems worldwide offer affordable and convenient travel options, Namma Metro users find themselves paying nearly double what the city's AC bus commuters do annually!
This realisation has dawned among regular Metro users who have switched over to bus travel after BMRCL recently effected a steep hike in fares. "This is precisely why I took a Volvo AC bus from Kempegowda bus stand to Old Madras Road today, the bus was cheaper though it took a couple more minutes," said Rohith K, a marketing professional.
In fact, on Saturday, social media was filled with comparisons between Namma Metro and BMTC with regard to the annual costs incurred by commuters. An office-goer relying on Metro for long-distance commute and purchasing a five-day pass every week would end up spending a staggering Rs 41,600 per year. This makes Metro travel significantly more expensive than BMTC, which has an affordable monthly pass at Rs 2,000, which adds up to Rs 24,000 a year. Moreover, BMTC's monthly AC pass allows commuters to travel on all buses (except Vayu Vajra buses bound for Kempegowda International Airport) multiple times on all days of the month.
Many Metro commuters feel it is high time BMRCL too introduced monthly passes to neutralise the impact of fare hike on regular users. BMRCL only offers passes for one, three, and five days currently. "These short-duration passes force regular and long-distance commuters on Metro trains to shell out exorbitant amounts," said Varun, a Kadugodi resident.
Netizen Karthik Reddy, who triggered a discussion on micro-blogging platform X with his cost comparison, asked: "Since when have buses become cheaper than rail? Why doesn't BMRCL offer a monthly pass?"
However, Namma Metro officials maintained that such comparisons aren't prudent. "Metro fares in other cities across the country are higher compared to bus travel, usually it is 1.5 times higher than buses," an official said.
To this, an angry commuter countered: "That does not mean Metro fares are made unaffordable."
COSTLY REALITY AFTER FARE HIKE
What it costs to travel five days a week from one end of the city to another by Namma Metro:
A long-distance round-trip (from Whitefield to Challaghatta or Madavara to Silk Institute) costs Rs 180 a day
A five-day pass costs Rs 800 (Rs 750 fare + Rs 50 deposit); the cost is marginally lower at Rs 160 a day
Over a year (52 weeks), this adds up to Rs 41,600
Meanwhile, aboard BMTC vehicles:
An AC bus monthly pass (with unlimited travel on all days of the month) costs Rs 2,000
Over a year, the total cost incurred is Rs 24,000
A non-AC bus pass is even cheaper, at Rs 1,200 a month/ Rs 14,400 a year