The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has increased luggage transportation charges with effect from Tuesday, 10 November 2026, across the state.
Under the new rates, the first five stages have increased from Rs 6 to Rs 10. Six to ten stages have gone up from Rs 10 to Rs 15, and eleven to fifteen stages from Rs 20 to Rs 25.
Free luggage limits
Passengers may carry up to 10 kg of luggage free of charge. Goods up to 20 kg are free under specified conditions. For consignments over 20 kg, the minimum charge for every five stages has reportedly risen from Rs 5 to Rs 10.
The hike follows recent increases in bus ticket fares by KSRTC and BMTC, and it is expected to hit daily commuters and small-scale traders who move goods between taluk and district centres on public buses hardest.
Who is hit hardest
Daily commuters who carry goods on buses and small traders who depend on public transport to move stock between towns will feel the increase most. For them, even a few rupees per stage adds up over repeated trips.
The last luggage-charge revision was in February 2026, when rates went up by about 15 per cent. The new hike comes less than a year later, alongside the recent fare increases.
In Mangaluru and the wider Dakshina Kannada region, buses are a lifeline for traders moving goods between taluk centres and the city, and the hike adds to their travel costs.
For now, passengers will pay the new rates on every KSRTC service in the state, with the free allowance of 10 kg unchanged.
