“I booked train tickets from Madurai to Chennai for Rs 315 in sleeper class, whereas the fare for government Ultra deluxe (non AC) showed Rs 515,” said Gulam Mohammed, a techie. He added that while the fare for A/C bus was Rs 653, it cost Rs 815 for 3-tier A/C. When compared to train ticket prices, bus fares to other main cities like Coimbatore and Kanyakumari also remain high.

S Mohanram, Former Member of Zonal Railway Users Consultative Committee, said, “Now, more passengers have started preferring train services, owing to lesser fare compared to government buses. It is conspicuous that both local and long-distance trains, after the government hikes bus fare, are jam-packed.” If one were to compare prices of MTC buses and local EMU trains, there is a huge difference. 

“When I travelled to Broadway from Tambaram in a Deluxe bus, I had to pay Rs 39. So, I travelled in suburban train on Sunday for Rs 10,” said K Prabhakaran, a private firm employee.

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