WHEELS OVER WINGS

Travellers ditch planes for cars as India's roads improve and costs drop

Of late, a notable trend has gained widespread acceptance among travellers, wherein they increasingly choose road travel over air transportation due to soaring costs of airfares. This shift is particularly evident among families of four, comprising a couple and two children, who find driving to destinations within thousand kilometers more economically viable.

The enhancement of India’s infrastructure over the past three years, particularly in the form of improved highways and expressways, has further facilitated this trend. Additionally, the upgrading of infrastructure has prompted travellers to opt for Vande Bharat trains for journeys spanning a thousand kilometers or less.

Let us understand the economic considerations of road travel compared to air travel for distances up to a thousand kilometres. Furthermore, we will explore the expressways and highways that have played a big role in revolutionizing road travel in India.

THE SHIFT

Over the past decade, the concept of travel has evolved a great deal, witnessing a surge in trends such as weekend getaways, road trips, staycations (vacations close to home), workations (leisure trips with work as an add-on), and bleisure (business trips extended for leisure). In the last two years, these trends have substantially boosted leisure travel.

The easy availability of finance has also led to increased ownership of large-sized cars, particularly in major cities. This, combined with the travel trends, has contributed to a growing inclination among travellers to choose road travel for distances up to a thousand kilometers.