PRTC Bus Tickets Booking
PRTC refers to the Puducherry Road Transport Corporation. It was founded in 1988 as the Pondicherry Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC). However, the entity was bifurcated to tackle transport and tourism separately. The PRTC is currently run by the Government of Puducherry. PRTC services the union territory of Puducherry which includes Mahé, Karaikal, Yanam, and Pondicherry.
The PRTC currently owns a fleet of over 140 inter-state and intra-state buses that service a total of 55 routes. Its focus is to connect towns and cities in the union territory and Tamil Nadu state to Puducherry. Some buses also travel to popular cities, such as Bengaluru and Tirupati, in neighbouring states. You can make your PRTC online booking safely and easily on redBus.
Amenities on PRTC
The PRTC operates a variety of buses to cater to preferred amenities, budgets, and needs of its passengers. As a result, the types of conveniences you may find onboard a PRTC bus will differ depending on your reservation type. Here is a general list of amenities you may choose to look out for:
- Push-back seats
- Overhead luggage racks
- Luggage storage cabins
- Air-conditioning
- Blankets and pillows
- Televisions
- Window curtains
- Water bottles
- Cellphone charging points
- Glass-breaking hammer
- Fire extinguisher
Popular Routes with PRTC
To make your PRTC bus booking, it would help to learn what the most popular routes are. Please note that these routes are serviced by different buses and at various times, so you might not see all of them for your date of travel. Here are some routes that redBus users frequent:
- Puducherry to Chennai: The Puducherry to Chennai route is approximately 165 kilometres (102.53 miles) long. By bus, it usually takes an average of 3 hours to cover.
- Tindivanam to Puducherry: This route is one of the shortest ones serviced by the PRTC as the distance between Tindivanam and Puducherry is an average of 40 kilometres (24.85 miles). It can be covered in approximately one hour by bus.
- Coimbatore to Puducherry: The distance between Coimbatore and Puducherry by road is approximately 400 kilometres (248.5 miles). It takes an average of 7.5 hours to cover this distance by bus.
- Puducherry to Tirupati: The Puducherry-Tirupati route is an average of 250 kilometres (155.3 miles). It usually takes up to 6 hours by bus to reach the final destination.
Types of PRTC Buses
The PRTC bus fleet consists of a variety of bus types. Although a majority of them are from Ashok Leyland, you will find the occasional Volvo and Scania bus as well. Here are the popular types you can choose from when making a PRTC online reservation:
- AC 2 + 2: This bus type is fully air-conditioned, with air vents for each seat. The 2 + 2 seating plan ensures ample leg space.
- Ultra-Deluxe Push Back: In this bus, you can recline your seats at a comfortable angle to settle in or take a nap. The seats have enough distance between them to prevent cramped legs.
- Express: The 3 + 2 seating plan allows for more passengers to travel at once without compromising on comfort.
Popular Cities with PRTC
The PRTC primarily services Puducherry Union Territory as well as the state of Tamil Nadu. Here are some popular cities that you can make a PRTC online booking for:
- Nagercoil: Nagercoil is perched close to the tip of the Indian peninsula, in the Kanyakumari district. The serene town is a natural wonderland and packed with tourist destinations including Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary, Thiruparrapu Waterfalls and the Vivekananda Rock Memorial.
- Chennai: The capital city of Tamil Nadu, Chennai is a historically significant part of India, having served as the East India Company outpost during the British Raj. The city is home to several monuments and architectural marvels including Fort St. George and the 17th-century Anglican church, Saint Mary’s.
- Bengaluru: Also called the Garden City and the Silicon Valley of India, Bengaluru is the capital city of Karnataka. Puducherry sees frequent travellers to and from this city as it is a hotspot for business and entertainment.
Popular Pilgrimage Destinations with PRTC
- Tirupati: Tirupati is a revered pilgrimage site in Andhra Pradesh. It is best known for the Sri Venkateshwara Temple that is nestled on of the seven Tirumala Hills peaks. The Chandragiri Fort and Sri Venkateshwara National Park are popular tourist attractions.
- Kapaleeswarar Temple: A Hindu temple built in the name of Lord Shiva, the Kapaleeswarar Temple is situated in Mylapore, Chennai. It is a minimum 6-hour journey from Pondicherry by bus and is a stone’s throw away from the Bay of Bengal coastline.
How to Book a PRTC bus on redBus
Here is a step-by-step guide to making your PRTC bus reservation on redBus:
- On the redBus homepage, enter the following details:
- Pick-up point
- Drop-off point
- Date of travel
- Click on “search buses” to be directed to a list of buses
- Use the ‘filters’ on the right-hand side to filter the bus options down to only PRTC buses
- Further segregate the buses by amenity, bus type or route
- Select your preferred seats and click on “proceed to book”
- Enter the passenger information as well as correct contact information
- Choose to insure your journey to cover cases of accidents or loss of luggage
- Click on “proceed to pay”
- Enter any offer code you may have or continue to select your payment method
- Enter the relevant payment details and complete the procedure
- Check your email for your confirmation and an e-ticket, and your mobile phone for an M-ticket if applicable
Safety Measures Followed on PRTCs during COVID-19
PRTC and redBus are committed to ensuring passengers travel safely and maintain enough distance between co-passengers. The safety measures taken to ensure that the buses are fit for travel include:
- Sanitising the bus exterior while crossing borders
- Disinfecting individual seats after each journey
- Maintaining empty seats to aid social distancing
- Wearing of masks by employees
- Drivers and passengers on board buses and at terminals
When you make a PRTC online booking with redBus, you are saying “yes” to comfort, convenience, safety and an enjoyable journey. Safe travels!
redBus is introduced Safety+, a special feature that reinforces the implementation of critical Covid-19 measures across all activities involving bus travel. It also acts as an indicator for bus operators to showcase their adherence to these measures for everyone’s safety and well-being.
These measures primarily involve thorough disinfection of buses after every trip, staff wearing masks and gloves at all times, regular temperature checks of all passengers and staff, and availability of hand sanitizers inside buses.
You can identify if a bus follows these Covid-19 measures by checking the Safety+ shield icon while booking. You may also check for the Safety+ sign while boarding the bus.
To help redBus and its staff enforce these measures and ensure safe travel, users are expected to wear proper face masks, use hand sanitizers or soap and water to wash their hands regularly, and avoid touching their faces. Individuals who are unwell or have associated symptoms are advised to postpone their travel.