Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has unveiled a special bus for its budget tourism project, one of its flagship initiatives connecting popular tourist destinations at affordable rates. The scheme, which organises low-cost excursions, has gained considerable popularity, and the promises made by the Transport Minister to expand its reach and enhance facilities are now being fulfilled.

Previously, KSRTC’s Superfast and Fast Passenger buses were used for budget tourism trips. However, special buses are now being prepared exclusively for the project. As a first step, KSRTC has launched a dedicated bus featuring a unique design and colour scheme.

The new bus resembles the livery of KSRTC’s Super Deluxe buses, with a green body accented by yellow lines. The words ‘KSRTC Budget Tours’ are displayed on the front, and an image of an elephant adorns the sides. These buses are expected to enter service soon.

A major criticism of the scheme had been the use of older buses, despite budget tourism being a high-revenue generating project. Various depots had previously raised complaints about the inadequacies of buses used for leisure and pilgrimage trips. The introduction of these dedicated buses addresses these concerns.

Between November 2021 and February 2025, the budget tourism scheme generated revenue of ₹64.98 crore. Plans are also underway to launch additional trips to tourist destinations in other states, in collaboration with the transport corporations of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Additionally, an All-India tour package is being planned in cooperation with Indian Railways.