- By Surarika Das
- Sun, 26 Apr 2026 11:11 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
As West Bengal prepares for the second phase of polling on April 29, travel costs are surging. Flight and train fares have have increased as voters rush to secure last-minute bookings to reach their constituencies, placing a heavy financial burden on those traveling home to cast their ballots.
Flightfares Have Doubled
The ticket prices have surged higher, with one-way tickets from Delhi to Kolkata selling for Rs 13,000 and Rs 20,000. The prices are evidently two to three times more than the usual cost, which is about Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,500.
The Mumbai-Kolkata airfares are also skyrocketing, with ticket prices ranging from Rs 14,000 to Rs 22,000. Similar hikes were noticed in tickets for Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad as well.
Check flightfares here: https://www.airindia.com//
A resident from Kolkata's Golf Green said, "A week ago airfares were manageable, but now they have gone through the roof. The youth, this year, are not taking any chances. He fears that his name may disappear from the rolls. Therefore, he's "not risking that."
Surging Prices Of Train Tickets
The train tickets have also surged in a similar way, making the buyers think twice before buying one. AC three-tier fares from Delhi to Kolkata have spiked to Rs 1,700 to 3,200. On the other hand, Bengaluru-Kolkata ticket prices have risen to almost 2,500-3,300 in the last few days.
People traveling from Mumbai are seeing heavy prices, ranging from Rs 2,500 to Rs 4,000 for the same class. The usual routes, which are said to be comparatively lower, such as Ahmedabad and Hyderabad, are also witnessing the surge in prices.
Nearly 3.35 million voters have exercised their voting rights in the first phase on Thursday. The voter turnout has risen to 93 per cent. The second phase is likely to witness a similar kind of turnout.
According to travel agents, there is a significant rise in last-minute bookings for the voters. They claim that the surge is unbelievable, something they have not encountered even in the Durga Puja. The data shows that people are buying tickets urgently, with no plans but a itinerary of one-day returns for voting, TOI reported.