'Try the bus': Twitter on CEO's grumble over price to reach Bengaluru airport

A Twitter grumble on cab prices to reach the Bengaluru airport sparked another debate on commute issues in the Karnataka capital.

Published on: Sep 14, 2022, 14:09:15 IST

By Yamini C S | Edited by Chandrashekar Srinivasan

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Rohin Dharmakumar, CEO of The Ken, joined the rant on the exorbitant prices of a cab ride to the Bengaluru airport, triggering a fresh debate on commuter problems in the city.

Twitter was shocked that the price of a cab ride to the Bengaluru airport could be just as much, if not more, than that of the air fare itself, however, there are cheaper alternatives, many netizens said.

“A ~1 hour Uber to Bengaluru airport costs 60-130% the price of a ~1.5 hour flight to Mumbai,” he wrote on Twitter and shared screenshots to support the same.

Many jumped in to agree and said that the airport being an hour and a half away from the city, on average, is an inconvenience, however many others pointed to alternatives that were easier on the pocket.

Also read: New way to reach Bengaluru airport under ₹35 from Friday: Memu express special trains

“Bengaluru is expensive city no doubt but cab aggregators are not the only option people have. 1. Cheapest, Use Indian railways airport link train & shuttle bus. 2. Use BMTC & KSRTC airport bus & fly bus. Time taken & comfort will not be compromised. These two are best options other than cabs,” a Twitter user wrote.

Srinivas Alavilli from Janaagraha, a non-profit organization, tweeted, “Try the bus. @BMTC_BENGALURU Bus to Airport < ₹290 available from all major localities at good frequency.”

Meanwhile, another Twitter post on the same issue was a complete contradiction to Dharmakumar's post. “I flew from Pune to Bangalore yesterday. Since timing was convenient, I took the suburban rail from Airport station to Byappanahalli. The fare was an unbelievable Rs.10. The journey was comfortable and the train was a just a little late. Finally an option (besides road) is available,” a Twitter user called D T Devare Subhash wrote.

Read: Airport Train Yatra : Call for air travellers to use MEMU trains in commutes

Many netizens also gave this example to Dharmakumar, saying, “You can reach city from the airport for just ₹10 (Rupees TEN only). Whatever you are paying for the taxi is the convenience charge. Second best option is BMTC Vayu Vajra Volvo buses.”

Bengaluru authorities have introduced new ways for commuters to reach the airport quicker time and again, with the South Western Railway (SWR) launching five new pairs of MEMU (Mainline Electric Multiple Unit) trains from Bengaluru in late July, which will take commuters as close as 3.5 kilometres away from the Kempegowda International Airport with fares at just ₹30 to ₹35 per head.

Moreover, Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL), the operator of the Bengaluru airport, also runs a free shuttle service between the halt station where the MEMU trains stop, and the airport terminal for last mile connectivity and to make commute easier for both airport employees and passengers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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