AbhiBus (ixigo’s bus business) has reported a 35% year-on-year growth in bus travel demand to and from Gujarat in 2026, underscoring the state’s growing significance as a hub for business, leisure and spiritual travel.
The growth was reflected across both bookings and seat demand, with Gujarat routes witnessing a strong increase in travel activity compared to the same period last year. May emerged as the strongest travel month, recording a 44% year-on-year increase in searches and bookings, driven by summer vacations, family travel and heightened intercity movement.
Ahmedabad continued to be Gujarat’s largest travel hub, while cities including Surat, Rajkot and Vadodara also witnessed robust demand. Emerging destinations such as Jamnagar, Junagadh, Dwarka, Palanpur, Vapi, Gandhidham and Mehsana further contributed to the overall growth, highlighting the expanding footprint of intercity bus travel beyond the state’s traditional routes.
The insights were unveiled by AbhiBus at Prawaas 5.0, India’s flagship multimodal transport exhibition being held in Gandhinagar, where the company is participating alongside leading stakeholders from India’s bus and mobility ecosystem.
Commenting on the trends, Rohit Sharma, COO, AbhiBus, said: “Gujarat continues to be one of the fastest-growing bus travel markets in the country, driven by a healthy mix of business, leisure and spiritual travel. We are seeing strong momentum across both established and emerging routes, alongside increasing preference for premium travel experiences. With growing digital adoption and expanding connectivity, we remain committed to making intercity bus travel more seamless, reliable and accessible for travellers across the state.”
Spiritual Travel Emerges as a Key Growth Driver for Gujarat
Spiritual and pilgrimage-led travel continued to gain momentum during the period. Destinations such as Dwarka, Somnath and Porbandar recorded strong demand this year, with Somnath witnessing a 62% year-on-year increase in bookings and Porbandar growing by 82% year-on-year.
Interstate Travel Sees Strong Momentum
Demand across interstate corridors also strengthened significantly. Delhi emerged as one of the fastest-growing destinations from Gujarat, registering an 86% year-on-year increase in bookings, while routes connecting Gujarat with Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and North India continued to witness healthy traction.
Travellers Shift Towards Comfort-Led Bus Travel
The data also highlights a clear consumer shift towards comfort-led travel. AC sleeper bookings grew 59% in 2026 year-on-year, making it one of the fastest-growing bus categories across Gujarat routes. Higher fare segments also recorded healthy growth, reflecting rising adoption of premium bus travel among passengers.
Last-Minute and Weekend Travel Continue to Dominate
Booking behaviour also reflected the evolving travel preferences of Gujarat commuters. A majority of bookings were made either on the same day or one day prior to travel, highlighting strong last-minute demand. Friday and Saturday continued to be the busiest travel days, driven by weekend leisure trips and short-duration travel.
Women Travellers Drive Sustained Growth
Women travellers remained an important contributor to overall demand. Bookings involving at least one female traveller grew 35% year-on-year, while solo female bookings increased by 41% year-on-year, indicating sustained confidence among women travellers in intercity bus travel.
Private Operators Accelerate Growth Alongside GSRTC
Private bus operators outpaced government-run services during the period, registering 44% year-on-year growth, compared to 25% growth for RTC services. At the same time, GSRTC continued to remain the largest operator on Gujarat routes, underlining the complementary role played by both public and private operators in the state’s intercity mobility ecosystem.