State Governments Announce Special Travel Gift For Women, Find Out Where Bus Rides Are Free This Raksha Bandhan

New Delhi: If you’re planning to visit your brother to tie a rakhi this Raksha Bandhan, here’s some good news for you. Across many Indian states, women will be able to travel for free in government buses. Raksha Bandhan will be celebrated on 9th August 2025, and several state governments have announced free bus travel for women on this occasion. While some states are offering this facility for a single day, others are allowing free rides for two or even three days.

Uttar Pradesh offers three days of free travel

The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) has announced a special Raksha Bandhan gift for women. From 6 AM on Friday, August 8 to midnight on Sunday, August 10, women can travel for free in all AC and non-AC government buses. They are also allowed to bring one co-passenger, male or female, with them. During this time, the transport department will operate 986 buses, with 50 additional buses kept in reserve.

Other states with free travel offers

The Uttarakhand government has allowed free travel for women in state-run buses only on 9th August. Meanwhile, Rajasthan is offering free bus rides for two days- 9th and 10th August, but the benefit is limited to travel within the state only.

In Haryana, women and children up to 15 years of age can travel for free from afternoon on 8th August till midnight on 9th August, including routes to Delhi and Chandigarh.

Madhya Pradesh will offer free city bus rides in Bhopal and Indore on 9th August, along with a Rs 1,500 bonus and a Rs 250 gift for women employees.

In the Tricity region of Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula, limited free bus services will be available on 9th August.

Year-round free travel in some states

Some states already provide free travel for women all year round, including Delhi, where local women travel for free in DTC buses. The same benefit applies in Punjab (for all government buses), Karnataka (statewide), and now Bihar has also joined in. On Raksha Bandhan day, the Bihar government will allow women to travel for free on all major routes including Patna and Muzaffarpur. Women in Patna can also avail of this offer in Pink buses running within the city.