redBus projects 42% surge in bus bookings across Maharashtra, Goa ahead of Holi
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Based on platform bookings, key travel projections show the top routes by traffic are Nagpur-Pune, Pune-Nagpur, Pune-Mumbai, Pune-Goa, Pune-Hyderabad, and Mumbai-Hyderabad.
redBus platform recently released data indicating that bus bookings in Maharashtra & Goa are projected to rise by 42% during the Holi travel window. The analysis compares projected bookings between February 28 and March 8, 2026, with the corresponding period last year (March 8 to 16, 2025), pointing to a clear acceleration in homebound and leisure-led journeys, highlighting a rise in demand for festive homebound travel, leisure trips, and reunions with family and friends.
Based on platform bookings, key travel projections show the top routes by traffic are Nagpur-Pune, Pune-Nagpur, Pune-Mumbai, Pune-Goa, Pune-Hyderabad, and Mumbai-Hyderabad. The most popular boarding points by traffic include Sangamwadi (Pune), Wakad (Pune), Swargate (Pune), Ashirwad Theatre (Pune), Borivali East (Mumbai), and Nigdi (Pune).
85% of bookings are for AC buses, indicating a strong preference for comfortable travel options, while the remaining 15% are for non-AC buses while 89% of travellers have opted for sleeper buses, underscoring the continued popularity of convenient overnight journeys during the festive travel period.
Male travellers account for 68%, while female travellers make up 32% of total bus bookings. 48% of travellers begin their journeys from the metro city of Mumbai (Tier 1), while 20% depart from (Tier 2) cities and 32% from (Tier 3) towns and villages, underscoring strong metro demand alongside steady momentum in non-metro markets.
This surge reflects the continued importance of buses as a preferred mode of transport during festive occasions, particularly for travellers planning short getaways or visiting loved ones. The trend also signals evolving travel behaviour, with commuters increasingly booking in advance and opting for comfort-led services along high-demand corridors connecting major urban centres with hometown and tourism destinations.
