Free Bus Ride for Women During Rakhi: RTCs Celebrate Sisters with Zero-Fare Travel

Several RTCs are offering free bus ride for women during Rakhi, and it is a major step towards increased inclusivity in the public transport sector.

India is changing and its roadways are celebrating that change. Multiple State Road Transport Corporations (RTCs) are offering free bus rides for women during Rakhi, a move that not only reduces the cost of travel but reaffirms the importance of inclusivity in public transport.

With gestures both symbolic and practical, state-run transport services are rolling out zero-fare travel to help sisters reach their brothers without worry—redefining accessibility with compassion.

DTC U Bus Returns to Serve Delhi University Students

Free Bus Ride for Women During Rakhi: A Festive Wave of Inclusivity

From North to South, multiple states have come forward to mark Raksha Bandhan by honouring women with free rides and making transport safer and more equitable for them. Here is the list of RTCs offering free rides during this Raksha Bandhan:

Chandigarh (CTU)

• Free travel in both AC and non-AC city buses
• Applies across Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula
• Valid on August 9

Uttar Pradesh (UPSRTC)

• Free rides for women in ordinary, express, and AC buses
• Travel window: 6 AM on August 8 to midnight on August 10
• Applicable across urban and rural areas

Rajasthan (RSRTC)

• Free travel for women on August 9 and 10
• Offer covers all Rajasthan Roadways buses within state borders
• Announced by CM Bhajan Lal Sharma

Haryana (Haryana Roadways)

• Women ride free from 12 PM August 8 to midnight August 9
• Valid on all Haryana Roadways buses within the state

Madhya Pradesh (City Buses – Bhopal & Indore)

• Free travel on city buses on August 9
• Under Ladli Behna Yojana:
  • ₹1,500 Raksha Bandhan bonus
  • ₹250 festive gift
  • ₹43.9 crore disbursed to 28+ lakh women including LPG subsidies

Long-Term Commitment Beyond Rakhi

While many states are making headlines with Raksha Bandhan offers, some have taken it a step further by offering permanent free bus travel for women. As of 2025, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir are the only seven states in India that offer free bus rides for women.

Delhi

• Free DTC bus rides for local women

Punjab

• Universal free travel on all RTC buses

Karnataka

• Shakti Yojane offers year-round free bus rides for women on state-run services

Tamil Nadu

• Free travel for women on government-operated regular-fare buses for distances up to 30 kilometers

Kerala

• Samudra Bus Service ferries women fish vendors from coastal areas to the cities

Telangana

• Free bus rides for women, girls, and transgender individuals in state-owned RTC buses

Jammu & Kashmir

• Women can travel free of charge on all government-operated buses, including eBuses

Andhra Pradesh Joins the Movement with a Long-Term Vision

Starting August 15, APSRTC will launch ‘Stree Shakti’, a scheme granting statewide free bus travel for women—marking a permanent shift toward inclusive mobility beyond festive goodwill.