[ramzsys]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

KSRTC Rajahamsa non-AC bus from Shanti Nagar bus station at Bangalore to Munnar in May 2010..

Even now, seats are comfortable, but the bus does not have air suspension.

Also, this bus goes to Coimbatore and then to Pollachi, Udulampet, Munnar.

[dhandapanik]

Originally Posted by ramzsys

Even now, seats are comfortable, but the bus does not have air suspension.

Also, this bus goes to Coimbatore and then to Pollachi, Udulampet, Munnar.

I have used this bus before 2 or 3 years. Now it looked too old. Not sure why KSRTC is not replacing this bus. This is a 36 seater bus and most of the new Rajahamsas are 12M 43 seaters. I hope they will replace this soon.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by dhandapanik

I have used this bus before 2 or 3 years. Now it looked too old. Not sure why KSRTC is not replacing this bus. This is a 36 seater bus and most of the new Rajahamsas are 12M 43 seaters. I hope they will replace this soon.

12M buses cannot take the Marayur Route. KaSRTC will buy a lot of 10.8M buses once there is a requirement for sizeable number of such buses - quite some hill routes require 10.8M buses.

[a4anurag]

Hi guys,

Does anyone here travel regularly on the Hyderabad to Chennai and Chennai to Hyderabad route?

I use the Kesineni Travels but now a days their attitude is going towards customer service and care. Is there any other travels that one can choose instead of Kesineni?!

I tried Shama Sardar Travels but it is worst than Kesineni.

Cheers,
Anurag.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

I use the Kesineni Travels but now a days their attitude is going towards customer service and care. Is there any other travels that one can choose instead of Kesineni?!

Generally heard that Orange is a good operator - they have this tendency to raise prices during weekends though. Then there is SVR and Kaveri - Kaveri has fairly good reviews in the Bangalore route (not sure of the Chennai route).

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by binaiks

Generally heard that Orange is a good operator - they have this tendency to raise prices during weekends though. Then there is SVR and Kaveri - Kaveri has fairly good reviews in the Bangalore route (not sure of the Chennai route).

Orange is a good operator but what you have said is right. Normal rates on weekdays are Rs 900 for Volvo Multi Axle semi-sleeper but on weekends its hiked to 1100-1200. This guy has his office and parking area just opposite my house. These rates are what back me off from him.

Will try SVR tours the next time.

Anurag.

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Hi guys,

Does anyone here travel regularly on the Hyderabad to Chennai and Chennai to Hyderabad route?

I use the Kesineni Travels but now a days their attitude is going towards customer service and care. Is there any other travels that one can choose instead of Kesineni?!

I tried Shama Sardar Travels but it is worst than Kesineni.

Cheers,
Anurag.

Why not try TN operators? SRM, KPN.

[TKMCE]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Orange is a good operator but what you have said is right. Normal rates on weekdays are Rs 900 for Volvo Multi Axle semi-sleeper but on weekends its hiked to 1100-1200. This guy has his office and parking area just opposite my house. These rates are what back me off from him.

Anurag.

Anurag, on weekends what is so great if the operator charges a premium??? You try flying on any airline on Hyderabad Chennai Hyderabad on a Friday evening//Monday morning and you will still pay a premium compared to the fares on other days. It surprises me no end that people can gladly pay the premium for air services on weekends but hesitate so much to do so on week days.

As long as the premium is not extortionate (and 300 Rs is hardly so), I dont think it is unreasonable. Please also keep in mind that mid week (Tue-Thu) most of the buses go half empty so they have to compensate for the revenue lost on those days. Orange ( I have not travelled on them) appears to be one of the better operators as per reports here and elsewhere .


On the same note, I was checking prices for Wonderla amusement park in Kochi (same management as the similarly named one in Bangalore). They charge about 20-30% premium in May for entry tickets compared to other months as per their website justifying the same as Peak Period Pricing. BSNL had off peak rates priced significantly lower for STD calls between 11 PM-5 AM till not so long back. So in all these cases we are already aware of premium pricing and often pay up without hesitation. Then why are we so reluctant to do so on wekends for travelling on buses???

[srimath]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Hi guys,

Does anyone here travel regularly on the Hyderabad to Chennai and Chennai to Hyderabad route?

You can also try Dhanunjaya Travels. I never used them on this route, but found them good while travelling within AP. The other option will be APSRTC Garuda Plus service.

[Nanometer]

You can try the AP Tourism buses also , I was using them regularly , and they drive safe , Kaleswari is another name you can try , you can also try VRL , Garuda plus is using Merc buses between Chennai Hyderabad and they ply on the Nagarjun Sagar route which is pathetic with its winding roads and this multiaxle not a pleassent drive .

[venki.bala]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Hi guys,

Does anyone here travel regularly on the Hyderabad to Chennai and Chennai to Hyderabad route?

I use the Kesineni Travels but now a days their attitude is going towards customer service and care. Is there any other travels that one can choose instead of Kesineni?!

I tried Shama Sardar Travels but it is worst than Kesineni.

Cheers,
Anurag.

I always prefer Dhanunjaya travels. Very reliable and good service. I also travel with orange sometimes, they are also equally good. Bad to hear that kesineni customer service is going down.

[silversteed]

I travelled from Bangalore to Palakkad in the KaSRTC 2111BNGTRC service on 12th April. Though I have no complaints about the bus or its trip, I am really dejected with the way the customer-care and the depot personnel handle customers.

I was to board from KMF/Christ College bus stop at 21:20hrs (scheduled time of departure). At around 21:00hrs, I casually checked if I could change my boarding point from KMF to St.John's hospital junction (not very far from Christ college bus stop), which is closer to where I was at that point. To my horror, the website showed my boarding point as Shantinagar BMTC bus depot. I called the customer care, kept listening to their recorded cacophony for almost 15 minutes, and finally got to speak with a human being. The exec told me that the bus has already left Shantinagar on time, and it'll reach KMF soon.

I was at St.John's hospital junction, hoping to get the conductor's mobile number from the Customer Care. On requesting to provide me the conductor's mobile no, I am told that they cannot provide me this piece of info, but I may get it from the Shantinagar depot office. I rang up the Shantinagar depot at the number provided. The lady at the other end was screaming at the top of her voice, and didn't let me finish asking her the conductor's number, and hung up. All she kept yelling was that my boarding point was KMF itself, and the bus will be at the KMF bus stop in a short time. I tried again, but this time I tried asking her the number before she could start yelling. Result, she hung up the phone.

It was already 21:20hrs, and I ran as fast as I could, to KMF from St.John's junction. Finally, I managed to reach the boarding point at 21:31hrs. I saw many other Airavat/Airavat CC and Corona buses bound to Kerala, including those bound to Palakkad and also to CBE, that were to come after my bus. Finally, my bus arrived at 22:30, a full hour and ten minutes late. My co-passenger told me that the bus arrived at the platform in Shantinagar bus stand at 21:50hrs.

I have two questions:
1. Is it such a crime to pass the conductor's number to the passenger, on request?
2. If the bus is late, wouldn't the depot concerned have any damn clue about it?

The icing on the cake was, I received an SMS alert at 1:40am from KaSRTC mentioning the bus number, crew cell number, trip code etc

Dear KaSRTC, instead of spending money on hi-fi customer care etc, please ensure that your existing system can serve the patrons properly.

The bus reached Palakkad at 6 o'clock in the morning, an hour and fifteen minutes behind schedule.

[balajird]

Originally Posted by venki.bala

I always prefer Dhanunjaya travels. Very reliable and good service. I also travel with orange sometimes, they are also equally good. Bad to hear that kesineni customer service is going down.

I agree, Dhanunjaya is certainly better, reliable and a good service. But, I have started relying on our railways (tatkal booking) for traveling between Hyderabad and Chennai, the train leaves around 5:30 PM at Secunderabad and reaches Chennai by 6 AM next morning. Third AC sleeper costs around 1175 and is probably 100 - 200 more than the Volvo, but, worth the cost.

I traveled in Volvo, sleeper and train and found that the train journey suits me better and doesnt tire me that much.

Give it a try and see which suits you.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by silversteed

Dear KaSRTC, instead of spending money on hi-fi customer care etc, please ensure that your existing system can serve the patrons properly.

The bus reached Palakkad at 6 o'clock in the morning, an hour and fifteen minutes behind schedule.

6AM at Palakkad? Thats quite early for that bus - considering the fact that it came an hour late. The 2111BNGTRC is one of the worst services from KaSRTC. It leaves late, and reaches a minimum 1.5hrs late at Thrissur. The last time I took it, they took a good 10:20hrs for Bangalore-Thrissur - a distance of 464kms according to the trip computer in the bus.

The same service, in the opposite direction, is the most punctual bus from Kerala to Bangalore! I avoid KaSRTC like plague in the Bangalore-Thrissur route, but prefer them in the opposite direction.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by binaiks

6AM at Palakkad? Thats quite early for that bus - considering the fact that it came an hour late. The 2111BNGTRC is one of the worst services from KaSRTC. It leaves late, and reaches a minimum 1.5hrs late at Thrissur. The last time I took it, they took a good 10:20hrs for Bangalore-Thrissur - a distance of 464kms according to the trip computer in the bus.

This has been my preferred service for the weekend. I was dropped at Palakkad at 5-ish on 6th morning.