No ticket home: How Onam travel plans are turning into a costly nightmare for Malayalis

For thousands of Malayalis working away from home, returning to Kerala for Onam is usually the highlight of the year. However, this festive season is quickly morphing into a logistical and financial nightmare, especially for those working in Kasaragod. From fully booked trains to skyrocketing airfares and a dismal number of public buses, commuters heading to Kasaragod are also facing an uphill battle. With transport operators failing to keep pace with demand, many fear they might miss the family feast altogether.

A lottery for train tickets
Commuters working in different parts of Kerala or neighbouring Karnataka find themselves stranded due to a severe shortage of trains. Getting a confirmed ticket during the festive season is akin to winning a lottery. The railways have historically neglected the needs of North Malabar, and this year is no exception. The train schedule is highly uneven, creating huge bottlenecks.

After the Intercity Express departs Mangaluru at 11.05 am, there is a massive gap until the Chennai Mail at 1.55 pm, followed closely by the Thiruvananthapuram Express at 2.20 pm. The evening peak hours offer little respite, with a long wait until the West Coast Express at 11.45 pm. Getting back to work after Onam is equally daunting, with overcrowded general compartments and several trains terminating at Kannur, leaving passengers stranded mid-way.

Dismal bus alternatives
Those turning to road transport find no solace either. A glance at the KSRTC booking application reveals a shocking lack of services. For commuters heading towards Kottayam after 5 pm, there are only five buses, which include just one Minnal semi-sleeper and an AC sleeper. Those travelling further south to Kollam or Thiruvananthapuram have to rely on a single AC seater bus. Ernakulam and Alappuzha are slightly better served, but still have only four buses on offer, leaving thousands of commuters with no viable way to travel.

Gulf expats bear the brunt of skyrocketing airfares
The worst affected are the non-resident Keralites (NRIs) arriving from the Gulf. Airlines have significantly hiked ticket prices for the peak holiday season between August 10 and September 15. Normal one-way tickets that usually cost between ₹12,000 and ₹25,000 have ballooned to ₹50,000, with some airlines charging up to ₹65,000. Aviation companies have blamed these exorbitant prices on fuel price hikes driven by global geopolitical tensions.

Unfair surcharges and desperate detours
Even early-bird travellers who booked their tickets months in advance have not been spared. Several airlines have demanded an additional fuel surcharge of ₹7,000, offering passengers the ultimatum of paying up or accepting a refund. Return flights after Onam are expected to scale up to ₹75,000. In a desperate bid to save money, some expats are flying into minor airports or even Goa, and then completing the exhausting overland journey to Kasaragod. While this detour saves them around ₹10,000, the sheer exhaustion of the journey takes away the joy of coming home for the holidays.