Chandigarh is one of the most bus-connected cities in North India. As the shared capital of Punjab and Haryana and the administrative hub of a Union Territory, it sits at the intersection of five major government bus networks. CTU (Chandigarh Transport Undertaking) manages all local and suburban routes within the Tricity, while PUNBUS, PRTC, Haryana Roadways, and HRTC all operate from Chandigarh's two Inter-State Bus Terminals — ISBT Sector 17 and ISBT Sector 43.
- January 2026: CTU signed a contract agreement for 100 new electric buses under the PM e-Bus Sewa scheme, operating on Chandigarh, Panchkula, and Mohali routes.
- January 2026: UT Administrator flagged off 60 new 51-seater non-AC ordinary buses for CTU's inter-state fleet, equipped with Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and smart cards.
- November 2025: 85 diesel JNNURM buses (2010 batch) retired from service after completing their 15-year operational lifespan.
- October 2025: HRTC launched the Him Bus Card (RFID-based) which is now mandatory for women claiming the 50% concession.
- Fleet Goal: CTU is currently retrofitting 258 diesel local buses to CNG (₹35.31 crore project), with a massive goal to shift the local fleet to 100% electric by 2026–27.
Detailed Breakdown of Chandigarh Operators
Established on 1 November 1966, CTU operates 642 active buses. This includes 464 buses navigating local Tricity lanes (Chandigarh, Panchkula, Mohali/Kharar) and 178 servicing inter-state corridors.
Electric Fleet Update: 80 electric buses are currently operational on city routes, saving over 29.81 lakh litres of diesel to date. 100 more are being inducted right now (Nov 2025 - Feb 2026).
Online Booking (Inter-State only): ctuonline.chd.gov.in
PUNBUS, headquartered right here in Sector 17, operates heavily from ISBT Sector 43. They connect Chandigarh to every major city in Punjab including Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Pathankot, and Hoshiarpur. Note: They run a select Volvo service to Delhi from ISBT 17 (Platform 11).
Operating primarily out of ISBT Sector 43, PRTC connects the Tricity to south and central Punjab districts — Patiala, Bathinda, Ludhiana, Faridkot, Sangrur, and Moga. They also operate long-distance Volvo and HVAC coaches to Delhi from Chandigarh.
Haryana Roadways operates the most inter-state routes from Chandigarh of any single operator. Operating primarily out of ISBT Sector 17, they connect to all 22 districts of Haryana. Their flagship Saarthi Volvo service operates on the Chandigarh–Delhi–Gurugram corridor, with select trips touching Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.
HRTC manages all routes leading up into the mountains. Operating strictly out of ISBT Sector 43, they run Himsuta Volvo, Himgaurav, and Himmani standard networks connecting Chandigarh directly to Shimla, Manali, Dharamsala, Kullu, and seasonal trails to Leh and Spiti.
J&K SRTC operates to Jammu and Katra from ISBT 43. RSRTC connects to Jaipur and Bikaner from ISBT 17. UPSRTC and UKTSC connect to Lucknow, Haridwar, and Dehradun from ISBT 17.
CTU Local Fares & Smart Passes (Tricity)
CTU charges fares in distance slabs for local and suburban routes:
| Transit Type | Up to 5 KM | Above 5 KM (Within UT Area) |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary Non-AC | ₹10 | ₹15 |
| AC / HVAC Lines | ₹15 | ₹20 |
Available CTU Smart Pass Concessions
Passes are issued at ISBT Sector 17 (8 AM to 2 PM), ISBT Sector 43, and all e-Sampark Centres across Chandigarh. Apply online at chdctu.gov.in.
| Pass Configuration | Non-AC Rate | AC / HVAC Rate | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Commuter Pass | ₹50 | ₹60 | 24 hours |
| General Monthly Smart Card | ₹600 | ₹800 | Calendar month |
| Student Monthly Pass | ₹300 | ₹500 | Route-specific |
| Senior Citizen Pass | ₹250 | ₹500 | As issued |
| BPL Monthly Pass | ₹400 | — | Calendar month |
GPS & Passenger Information System (PIS)
CTU has installed GPS-based vehicle tracking on 100 buses and Passenger Information System (PIS) displays at 50 bus queue shelters across the Tricity. These displays show the Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) of the next bus. The new 60 ordinary buses added to CTU's inter-state fleet come pre-equipped with ITS and smart card integration.