8 Indian states where women can travel free on government buses; West Bengal becomes the latest to join the list

In a recent update, the new government of West Bengal has announced free bus service for women commuters (on government-run buses) from June 1, 2026. It is a major shift in public transport accessibility across the state, and the move is expected to benefit students, office-goers, domestic workers, solo travellers, and women exploring Bengal. But did you know, there are other states too which over the past few years have introduced free or subsidised bus travel schemes for women.

As per government-backed information platform Vikaspedia, at least seven Indian states and Union Territories are offering some form of free bus travel for women on public transport systems. For female travellers, these schemes are quite important and are transforming how women travel across cities and states.
On this note, let’s have a look at other Indian states and regions where women can ride government buses for free.

Delhi was the first to introduce a free bus travel scheme for women in 2019 through the famous “Pink Ticket” system. Women travelling on Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses can travel for free. The scheme is quite popular among students, office goers, and women travelling across tourist hubs like Chandni Chowk, and Connaught Place, among others. Delhi is moving towards digital “Pink Saheli Smart Cards”.

The government of Tamil Nadu introduced the “Vidiyal Payanam” scheme in 2021 which allows women to travel free on gov-run buses. The scheme has transformed how women travel in cities like Chennai, Madurai, and Coimbatore. For women travellers exploring temple towns and coastal cities across Tamil Nadu is considerably easy and affordable.

The new government of West Bengal has announced free bus service for women commuters (on government-run buses) from June 1, 2026.

Karnataka introduced the “Shakti” scheme in June 2023 and soon after its launch it became the talk of the nation! Reason being, women can travel free on non-luxury government buses across the state. The scheme opened up budget-friendly access to tourist destinations like Mysuru, Hampi and Coorg, among others.

Punjab also introduced its free bus travel for women in April 2021. The initiative covers government-owned buses. Women residents need identity proof such as Aadhaar or voter cards to avail the benefit. For travellers exploring Amritsar and Patiala, the scheme has made local mobility easier and cheaper.

The government of Telangana came up with the Mahalakshmi scheme in December 2023, where women and transgender passengers can travel free on non-AC state buses across Telangana. For women travelling through Telangana’s heritage destinations, the policy has significantly lowered travel costs.

The government of Jammu and Kashmir introduced free ride services for women on smart city e-buses and buses operated by the Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC). The initiative has been beneficial in cities such as Jammu and Srinagar.

The Andhra Pradesh government introduced the Stree Shakti free bus scheme in August 2025. To avail this service, women passengers must show ID proof to show their residence proof.