Mumbai is famous for many things, and among them, local trains and buses are essential for daily commuters. If you rely on the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) buses for your journey, there’s an update for you! There has been a fare hike, meaning you will now need to pay double the minimum fare and additional charges for longer routes. The BEST announced the updated rates on Thursday, 8th May 2025. And now, the minimum fare is INR 10 for non-AC buses and INR 12 for AC buses, with an increase of INR 5 for every 5 km after the first 20 km of travel. Additionally, if the buses go beyond the Mumbai district, a local tax of INR 2 will be applied.
Starting at just Rs 5, concessions for children aged 5 to 12 are being reinstated. Senior citizens will continue to enjoy a discount of Rs 50 on trip-based passes for 60, 90, or 120 journeys.
Additionally, BEST has introduced new unlimited travel passes priced at Rs 75 for a daily pass and Rs 1,800 for a monthly pass. These passes are valid for all BEST services, excluding point-to-point, heritage, and special routes.
BEST Hikes Fares, Introduces Offers For Students, Senior Citizens
Students attending municipal schools and in uniform can travel free of charge using CHALO smart cards, while individuals with a disability of 40% or more will retain their free travel benefits. For students under 26 years old enrolled in private institutions, subsidized student pass prices remain unchanged at Rs 200 for monthly passes allowing for 60 trips.
To promote digital payments, BEST offers CHALO app users an incentive of 5% extra rides when purchasing trip-based passes. Additionally, users making payments via wallet transactions will receive a bonus of Rs 5 for every Rs 100 deposited.
This fare increase marks the first adjustment in seven years, following a period when regular bus fares were Rs 8 and AC bus fares were Rs 20.
BEST Has Collaborated With Google Maps
BEST has partnered with Google Maps to offer real-time service updates for commuters. Users of Google Maps can now view live information about bus arrival times, routes, and delays directly within the app. This feature was launched in a ceremony attended by Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Google Maps provides estimated travel durations, signals delays, and shows arrival statuses using color codes – green indicates buses on schedule, while red signifies delays. To use this feature, users can open Google Maps, enter their destination, and select the public transport option for route suggestions and live updates.
