Ayudha Puja 2025: Bus, airfares surge up to 3x from Chennai ahead of holiday rush
Synopsis
A four-day festive break for Ayudha Puja and Vijayadashami has triggered a transport cost crisis from Chennai — private bus fares on some routes have jumped up to five times, airfares have nearly quadrupled for peak-day departures, and train berths are already sold out, leaving lakhs of holiday travellers with no affordable option.
Key Takeaways
Chennai–Coimbatore private bus fares have surged from ₹600–₹1,000 to ₹3,500 ahead of the Ayudha Puja break.
Chennai–Madurai airfares on 17 October are quoted as high as ₹18,626 , up from a normal range of ₹3,500–₹5,500 .
The holiday window spans 17–20 October , combining a weekend with Ayudha Puja and Vijayadashami .
Train reservations out of Chennai are already fully booked for the period.
Chennai–Salem airfares have risen from ₹1,900–₹3,800 to as much as ₹12,000 .
No additional government bus services or fare controls have been announced as of 15 October 2025 .
Passengers travelling out of Chennai for the Ayudha Puja and Vijayadashami holidays are facing sharply inflated transport costs, with private omni bus fares climbing as much as three times above normal rates and airfares spiking steeply on multiple routes. The surge, reported on 15 October, comes as train reservations are already fully booked, forcing travellers to turn to costlier alternatives.
The Holiday Window Driving the Rush
The pressure on transport has been building around a four-day holiday stretch — a weekend on 17 and 18 October, followed by Ayudha Puja on 19 October and Vijayadashami on 20 October. With consecutive public holidays, demand for outstation travel from Chennai has spiked, leaving last-minute travellers with few affordable options.
Private Bus Fares: Route-by-Route Breakdown
On the Chennai–Kanyakumari route, tickets that normally cost between ₹800 and ₹1,200 are now being quoted at ₹3,420. Fares to Tirunelveli have jumped from around ₹1,300 to ₹3,000, while Madurai-bound tickets have more than doubled from ₹800 to ₹2,500.
The Chennai–Coimbatore route has seen one of the steepest climbs, with fares that normally range between ₹600 and ₹1,000 now reaching ₹3,500 — an increase of up to five times the base fare. Passengers have complained that the surge is placing severe financial strain on families yet to secure seats.
Airfares Spike Sharply for October 16–17 Departures
Air travellers are confronting equally sharp increases, particularly for departures on 16 and 17 October. On the Chennai–Madurai route, tickets priced at approximately ₹3,500 to ₹5,500 for 16 October have surged to between ₹12,026 and ₹18,626 for 17 October.
The Chennai–Coimbatore air route, with standard fares of ₹3,500 to ₹4,500, has climbed to approximately ₹11,000 for both days. Fares to Thoothukudi, normally in the ₹4,000–₹5,500 range, are now quoted between ₹11,736 and ₹13,626. The Chennai–Kolkata route has risen from the usual ₹6,000–₹7,000 to ₹14,117.
Shorter intra-Tamil Nadu routes have not been spared. Chennai–Tiruchirappalli tickets, normally between ₹2,300 and ₹3,500, are now being quoted at ₹6,500 to ₹9,500. On the Chennai–Salem corridor, fares have risen from approximately ₹1,900–₹3,800 to between ₹5,600 and ₹12,000.
Limited Options as Train Berths Run Out
The simultaneous fare surge across buses and flights is especially burdensome because rail alternatives have already been exhausted. Train reservations out of Chennai are fully booked for the holiday period, leaving families — particularly those travelling together — with no low-cost fallback. This is a recurring pattern during major Tamil Nadu festivals, when demand for outstation travel from the state capital outpaces available capacity across all modes.
What Travellers Can Expect Next
With the holiday window now days away, fares are unlikely to ease significantly before departures. Travellers who have not yet booked may need to consider departing after the peak dates or exploring government-operated bus services as a more regulated alternative. State transport authorities have not announced any special fare controls or additional services as of 15 October.
Point of View
To a degree, structurally inevitable — every major Tamil Nadu festival exposes the same supply-demand gap out of Chennai. What is notable is the absence of any pre-emptive state response: no emergency bus services, no price-monitoring advisory, no communication to travellers. Dynamic pricing on airlines is legal and expected, but when buses, trains, and flights all peak simultaneously during a four-day window, the government's silence on passenger relief becomes a policy choice, not an oversight. Recurring surges of this scale suggest that festive travel capacity planning in Tamil Nadu remains reactive rather than forward-looking.
NationPress
15 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are bus and flight fares so high from Chennai for Ayudha Puja 2025?
Fares have surged because demand for outstation travel from Chennai has spiked ahead of a four-day holiday window covering Ayudha Puja on 19 October and Vijayadashami on 20 October, combined with a weekend on 17–18 October. Train berths are already fully booked, pushing travellers toward buses and flights and allowing operators to price at a premium.
How much have bus fares increased from Chennai for the Ayudha Puja holiday?
Private omni bus fares have risen substantially across most routes. The Chennai–Kanyakumari fare has jumped from ₹800–₹1,200 to ₹3,420; Chennai–Coimbatore has gone from ₹600–₹1,000 to ₹3,500; and Chennai–Madurai has risen from ₹800 to ₹2,500.
What are the current airfares from Chennai for October 16 and 17?
Airfares on peak departure dates have surged significantly. Chennai–Madurai tickets are quoted between ₹12,026 and ₹18,626 for 17 October, against a normal range of ₹3,500–₹5,500. Chennai–Coimbatore flights have reached around ₹11,000, and Chennai–Kolkata fares have climbed to ₹14,117.
Are there any affordable travel options from Chennai during Ayudha Puja?
Affordable options are limited. Train reservations are already fully booked, and both private buses and flights have seen steep fare hikes. Travellers may find lower costs on government-operated bus services or by choosing to depart after the peak dates of 16–17 October.
Has the Tamil Nadu government announced any relief measures for holiday travellers?
As of 15 October, state transport authorities have not announced any special bus services, additional capacity, or fare-control measures to address the surge during the Ayudha Puja and Vijayadashami holiday period.
