Bengaluru cab fares crossed Rs 100 per kilometre for some short rides during the long weekend as rain, traffic congestion and demand linked to two major sporting events drove up prices and left commuters facing cancellations and extended waits.
A Times of India check of major cab aggregator apps on Saturday evening found that a roughly 2-km trip from Residency Road to Church Street cost Rs 221 for an AC cab and Rs 202 for a non-AC cab on Uber. The comparable autorickshaw fare was Rs 105. Rapido quoted Rs 272 for an AC cab, Rs 255 for a non-AC cab and Rs 96 for an autorickshaw, while Namma Yatri listed the lowest fares among the platforms checked: Rs 200 for an AC cab, Rs 196 for a non-AC cab and Rs 66 for an autorickshaw.
Premium and priority options for AC cabs and autorickshaws cost at least Rs 30-40 more than regular options on Friday and Saturday. The higher charges did not guarantee faster service. Waiting times were generally between six and 10 minutes, while commuters also reported frequent cancellations and difficulty securing rides even after paying additional charges.
Demand was particularly high in Bengaluru’s Central Business District on Saturday because of the India-West Indies cricket match and the Bengaluru FC-Chennaiyin FC football match. Rain that began in the evening further affected cab availability in other parts of the city. The combination of traffic disruption, concentrated event demand and weather-related travel difficulty pushed up both prices and waiting times.
Sparsha NM, who travelled from Tumakuru Road to Seshadripuram, told TOI that Uber’s AC cab fare was nearly Rs 100 higher than Rapido’s after rain began. However, neither platform provided a ride even after boosters were added. The journey, which normally cost about Rs 250, was priced at Rs 377 on Uber and Rs 288 on Rapido.
Commuters in neighbourhoods outside the CBD also reported steep increases. Sriharsha M said a ride from Jayanagar that usually cost Rs 150-160 was priced at nearly Rs 300 on Friday evening. With cab fares elevated, he said he had to take an autorickshaw in the rain.
Longer trips were also affected. Rides exceeding 15 km were costing between Rs 750 and Rs 1,000, depending on the vehicle and platform selected, according to the report. The higher prices came as residents prepared to leave Bengaluru for the long weekend, adding to demand across the city.
TOI contacted Uber, Rapido and Namma Yatri for comments on the fare increases, cancellations and availability issues, but the platforms had not responded at the time of publication.
