Public transport fares across several intercity routes have been increased following the recent rise in petroleum product prices, placing an additional financial burden on commuters already struggling with inflation, 24NewsHD TV reported on Saturday.
Transporters announced fare increases ranging between Rs300 and Rs600 on multiple routes, shortly after goods transporters declared a 20 per cent hike in freight charges due to higher fuel costs.
Under the revised fare structure, the AC bus fare from Lahore to Islamabad has increased from Rs1,850 to Rs2,050, while the fare for the Lahore–Faisalabad route has been raised from Rs850 to Rs1,050.
Similarly, the fare from Lahore to Mansehra has gone up from Rs2,400 to Rs2,700, and the Lahore–Swat AC bus fare has increased from Rs2,400 to Rs2,600.
Transporters have also revised fares on several other routes.
The AC bus fare from Lahore to Multan now stands at Rs1,700, up from Rs1,500, while the fare to Peshawar has increased from Rs2,000 to Rs2,200.
For southern Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa routes, fares have also seen notable increases.
The AC fare from Lahore to Karor Lal Esan (Karor Layyah) has risen from Rs1,800 to Rs2,000, while the Lahore–Dera Ismail Khan route now costs Rs2,500 compared to the previous Rs2,300.
Similarly, the Lahore to Bannu fare has increased from Rs2,200 to Rs2,400.
The fare for travel from Lahore to Bahawalpur has been raised from Rs1,800 to Rs2,000, while passengers travelling to Sargodha will now pay Rs1,200 instead of Rs1,050.
On other routes, the Lahore to Mianwali AC bus fare has increased from Rs 1,750 to Rs 1,900.
Meanwhile, long-distance passengers travelling from Lahore to Karachi will now pay Rs6,000, up from Rs5,500.
The fare from Lahore to Sadiqabad has also been revised upward from Rs2,300 to Rs2,500.
Transport operators said the adjustments were unavoidable due to escalating fuel prices, while passengers expressed concern over the rising cost of intercity travel.