India’s holiday bus travel to see 45% growth in 2025, AI pricing tools, ettravelworld

Image credit – iStock-1154164634

India’s intercity bus sector is witnessing record growth this festive season, with bookings growing by over 45 percent year-on-year, according to a new analysis by sciative solutions. Increasingly, operators are adopting asset-based (AI) pricing tools to optimize ownership and profit during high-demand travel periods.

Based on pre-booking data for October 17-19, 2025, major routes (43 percent) compared to Diwi-Varanasi (51 percent), Mumbai (46 percent), are reported to have led to increased revenue growth for operators. This year, advanced AI-LED-led pricing strategies contributed to an 18-22 percent improvement in profit margins.

“Holiday travel in India is emotional, exciting and increasingly data-driven. AI operators and businesses alike are creating, md, and sciative solutions for passengers.

With Sciativing’s agent AI-Driven Pricing Engine, Vijee, operators use predictive analytics to track churn rates and plumbing patterns in real-time. This approach accelerated advance orders and yield management, even on low-demand routes.

In the regions, the turn is clear. Routes like Puri-Kolkata, from 22 percent last year to 31 percent, Arunachalam-Hyderabad, saw an 18 percent increase in early bookings. North India’s Delhi-Varanasi route posted a record unseated fare of intr 8,000 during pre-sale of Mumbai-Indore.

“Viaze doesn’t just optimize revenue; it empowers operators to make confident, timely decisions,” said Vijeta Soni, co-founder and CEO, sciative solutions. “By detecting early and guiding price adjustments, operators can respond before it’s too late, ensuring passengers enjoy a smooth journey home.”

The 2025 analysis highlights a fundamental transformation in India’s bus travel industry – from jet fare to exploration-leading operations. Now with Central AI for their pricing and forecasting strategies, operators enter a new level of precise travel management and sustainable profitability during peak holiday periods.

Join the 2M+ community of industry professionals.

Subscribe to the newsletter to get the latest insights and analysis in your inbox.

EttravelWorld industry on your smartphone.