With Diwali just days away, travel costs have soared across the board, with airfares and inter-state bus prices shooting up as thousands prepare to head home for the festival.

Last-minute flight tickets are selling at two to three times their usual rates on several key routes, while train waitlists have stretched into the hundreds and private bus operators have hiked fares steeply, citing heavy demand and limited availability.

Festive rush fuels fares

As per media reports, between October 17 and 18, just days ahead of Diwali (October 21 and 22), airfares on several routes from Hyderabad to major cities such as Delhi, Kolkata, Nagpur, Patna, Guwahati, Jaipur, and Chandigarh nearly doubled from their usual rates.

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