Quick answer
Delhi's DTC and cluster buses cost Rs 5 to Rs 15 on non-AC and Rs 10 to Rs 25 on AC buses, depending on distance. A daily Green Card costs Rs 40 or Rs 50. Pay by UPI, card, NCMC or cash, track buses on One Delhi or Google Maps, and Delhi women ride free with a Pink Saheli card.
- Adult fares: Rs 5 to Rs 15 non-AC, Rs 10 to Rs 25 AC
- Daily Green Card: Rs 40 non-AC, Rs 50 AC
- Pink Saheli Smart Card mandatory for free rides from 1 October 2026
- DTC complaint helpline (toll free): 1800118181
Delhi’s buses are the cheapest way around the city, and in 2026 they are easier to use: most new buses are electric, you can pay by UPI or card, and live tracking is on your phone. This guide covers bus types, finding routes, fares and passes, the Pink Saheli card for women, and the city’s interstate bus terminals.
Who runs Delhi’s city buses?
Two groups of buses share the same stops and fares: the government-owned Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), and cluster buses run by private operators under the Delhi Transport Department, managed by DIMTS. The same tickets, passes and free-travel cards work on both.
The fleet is going electric fast. By February 2026 Delhi had 4,286 e-buses, with a stated target of 7,500 by the end of 2026.
What kinds of buses will you see?
| Bus type | What to expect | Fare band |
|---|---|---|
| Non-AC (CNG) | Older standard buses, being phased out. | Non-AC fares |
| AC (CNG) | Air-conditioned low-floor buses. | AC fares |
| Electric (12 m) | Air-conditioned, low-floor and quiet; most new buses. | AC fares |
| DEVI electric (9 m) | Smaller last-mile e-buses linking neighbourhoods to Metro stations and terminals. Route numbers start with D, such as D-001. | Rs 10 to Rs 25 |
DEVI stands for Delhi Electric Vehicle Interconnector; these 23-seat buses launched in May 2025. DTC also runs night, NCR, IGI Airport, non-stop and Ladies Special services, each with its own timetable on the DTC website.
How do you find the right bus route?
Route numbers change when services are reorganised, so check a live source rather than an old list:
- One Delhi app: the Delhi government’s transit app. It tracks DTC and cluster buses in real time, lets you search routes and nearby stops, and sells e-tickets and daily passes.
- Google Maps: switch to transit directions. Google is one of the organisations that uses Delhi’s Open Transit Data live bus feed.
- Chartr app: a private app that shows buses on a live map and sells QR tickets for Delhi buses, according to its developer.
- DTC website: the Services page lists the current timetable, night, NCR, airport, DEVI and Ladies Special routes as downloadable files.
Live data is not perfect: GPS units sometimes go offline, so treat arrival times as estimates.
How to plan a bus trip in Delhi, step by step
- Enter your start point and destination in One Delhi or Google Maps and choose bus or transit directions.
- Note the route number, the name of your boarding stop and the stop where you need to get off.
- Check live tracking to see when the next bus on that route is due, and allow a few minutes of buffer.
- Check the route number on the front of the bus before boarding.
- Tell the conductor your destination and pay by UPI, card, NCMC or cash, or tap your Pink Saheli card or show your pass.
- Keep your ticket until you get off, as inspectors may check it.
How much does a Delhi bus ticket cost?
Fares depend on distance and on whether the bus is air-conditioned. These are the city bus fare slabs published by Delhi Tourism:
| Distance | Non-AC adult | AC adult | Child (5 to 12 years) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 4 km | Rs 5 | Rs 10 | Rs 3 non-AC / Rs 5 AC |
| 4 to 8 km | Rs 10 | Rs 15 | Rs 5 non-AC / Rs 8 AC |
| 8 to 10 km | Rs 10 | Rs 20 | Rs 5 non-AC / Rs 10 AC |
| 10 to 12 km | Rs 15 | Rs 20 | Rs 8 non-AC / Rs 10 AC |
| Over 12 km | Rs 15 | Rs 25 | Rs 8 non-AC / Rs 13 AC |
Non-AC slabs are up to 4 km, 4 to 10 km and over 10 km; AC slabs are up to 4 km, 4 to 8 km, 8 to 12 km and over 12 km. Limited-stop and night AC services charge Rs 25. Tickets bought in the One Delhi or Chartr apps get 10% off.
Which bus passes are available?
Regular riders can save with a pass. Current DTC rates:
- Green Card (daily pass): Rs 40 non-AC or Rs 50 AC, valid for unlimited rides on most DTC city services that day.
- General monthly pass: Rs 800 non-AC or Rs 1,000 AC.
- Student monthly pass: Rs 100, or Rs 150 for the All Route Special pass.
- Senior citizens (60 and over): Rs 50 non-AC or Rs 150 AC per month.
- Free passes: for categories such as persons with disabilities, freedom fighters, war widows and dependents, and national award winners.
A printed laminated pass costs Rs 15 extra. Passes are issued at DTC pass sections or online, where an e-pass arrives by SMS or email within one working day.
How does free bus travel for women work now?
Women and transgender persons who live in Delhi ride DTC and cluster buses free, AC and non-AC. Paper pink tickets ended on 30 September 2026, and from 1 October 2026 free travel requires a Pink Saheli Smart Card, tapped on the conductor’s ticketing machine.
- The first card is free; a replacement for a lost or damaged card costs Rs 59.
- The card is valid for five years and doubles as an NCMC card for paid travel on Delhi Metro and RRTS.
- You need an Aadhaar card and an Aadhaar-linked mobile number. You can register online and collect the card from an authorised centre, or apply at a DTC centre, DM office or SDM office.
- Women without the card, including visitors from outside Delhi, can still ride by buying a regular ticket.
How can you pay on the bus?
Since October 2025 every DTC and cluster bus conductor carries an electronic ticketing machine that accepts UPI, debit and credit cards and the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC). You can also buy a QR ticket in an app before boarding. Keep some small change as a backup.
How do you get to popular sights by bus?
We have not listed route numbers for places like India Gate, Red Fort or Qutub Minar because routes are revised often and old online lists are frequently wrong. Type the attraction into One Delhi or Google Maps transit directions to see current routes. For a guided day out, DTC’s Delhi Darshan tour leaves from Scindia House, Connaught Place, at Rs 200 for adults and Rs 100 for children aged 5 to 12.
Where are Delhi’s interstate bus terminals?
- Kashmere Gate ISBT (Maharana Pratap ISBT): buses to Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and western Uttar Pradesh. Kashmere Gate Metro (Red, Yellow and Violet Lines) is next door.
- Anand Vihar ISBT (Swami Vivekanand ISBT): buses to Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Next to Anand Vihar Metro (Blue and Pink Lines), the railway terminal and the RRTS station.
- Sarai Kale Khan ISBT: buses to southern Haryana, Rajasthan and parts of central and southern Uttar Pradesh. Close to Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station, the Pink Line Metro and the RRTS station.
Local DTC and cluster buses serve all three terminals.
Which helplines can you call?
- DTC Central Complaint Cell (toll free): 1800118181
- DTC helpline: 011-41400400
- DTC Central Control Room: 011-23370210
- Anand Vihar ISBT helpline: 011-22149089
DTC says its control room and complaint cell run round the clock.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is bus travel free for women in Delhi in 2026?
Yes, for women and transgender persons who live in Delhi, on both DTC and cluster buses, AC and non-AC. Since 1 October 2026 the free ride needs a Pink Saheli Smart Card tapped on the conductor’s machine, because paper pink tickets have been phased out. Visitors and women without the card can still travel by buying a normal ticket.
How much is a DTC bus ticket?
Adult fares run from Rs 5 to Rs 15 on non-AC buses and from Rs 10 to Rs 25 on AC buses, depending on distance. Children aged 5 to 12 pay roughly half. The exact fare depends on your boarding and alighting stops, so tell the conductor your destination.
Can I pay for a Delhi bus ticket with UPI or a card?
Yes. Conductors on DTC and cluster buses carry electronic ticketing machines that accept UPI, debit and credit cards, and National Common Mobility Cards (NCMC). Carry small change as a backup.
Which app shows live Delhi bus locations?
The Delhi government’s One Delhi app tracks DTC and cluster buses in real time and shows route and stop information. Google Maps also uses Delhi’s open live bus feed. Treat arrival times as estimates.
Is there a one-day bus pass in Delhi?
Yes. DTC’s daily Green Card costs Rs 40 for non-AC buses and Rs 50 for AC buses and covers unlimited rides on most city services that day.
Which ISBT should I use for buses out of Delhi?
It depends on your destination. Kashmere Gate serves the north (Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand), Anand Vihar serves Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and Sarai Kale Khan serves southern Haryana, Rajasthan and parts of central and southern Uttar Pradesh.
Sources
- DTC Citizen Charter (fares for passes, helplines)
- DTC Services and timetables
- Delhi Tourism: City Bus fares
- The Pioneer: Pink Saheli Card made mandatory (October 2026)
- Navbharat Live: Pink card mandatory from 1 October 2026
- ETV Bharat: Cashless ticketing on all Delhi buses
- The Week (PTI): NCMC for Delhi public transport
- electrive: Delhi adds 500 electric buses (February 2026)
- ETV Bharat: DEVI electric bus routes
- EVreporter: 400 DEVI buses flagged off
- Swarajya: Delhi bus data and apps (2026)
- ThePrint: One Delhi app relaunch
- Chartr app
- Delhi Open Transit Data
- DTIDC: Anand Vihar ISBT
Also read: Delhi Metro Guide for Tourists 2026 | Delhi Ring Metro Explained | Innovations in Delhi's Public Transport System
Written by Pankaj, Founder & Editor, Just Delhi
Pankaj writes about Delhi neighbourhoods, food, travel, weddings, the Delhi Metro and everyday city life, and keeps these guides updated with current prices, timings and local tips. About Just Delhi