HRTC Baggage Policy & Terms Decoded (Tips & Fee Chart)

HRTC (Himachal Road Transport Corporation) is well known for its drivers driving buses through vertiginous landscapes of Himachal Pradesh.

However, a few people know that HRTC — though established in 1974 — came up with a luggage fare policy only in August 2023.  

Needless to say, the revenue generation of the corporation have been boosted manifold by the new luggage/baggage policy. In September 2023, its revenue was 25 percent up when compared with the same period in 2022.

Though it has been more than seven months now, there is still lack of clarity about the baggage tariff, especially among the people living in remote regions of the state. 

The backstory 

About a week ago, my mother called me up to let me know that she is sending two bags stuffed with Arbi (Taro roots), Spinach and Chives leaves.

Though I knew the Himachal government has enacted a baggage policy for HRTC¹, I was not sure about its details. My mother was not sure about it either. So I advised her to carry some cash with her and offer it to the bus conductor for taking care of the stuff. 

About 11 o’clock, the next day, I got a call from her. Mother said she had to pay 229 rupees as a baggage fee to the conductor. 

The conductor charged full ticket — normal bus fare without any women concessions or green/yellow card concession — for the allowing the luggage to be carried from Madanpuri bus stop (a place near my home) to Shimla. 

HRTC luggage fee

📱Swipe left/right on your phone to view off-screen columns of this table.

#	Articles	Tariff (with passenger/pax)	Tariff (without passenger/pax)*
1	Office chair/Dinning Chair	1/4th of a passenger fare	Half of a passenger fare.
2	Dining/Office table up to 3 feet length	Full fare of one pax	2× of the full fare of one pax
3	Sofa set 5 seaters	2 pax fare	4 pax fare
4	Sofa chair, single seat	Half of 1 pax fare	1 pax fare
5	Sofa chair, 3 seaters	1 pax fare	2 pax fare
6	Folding/Single bed	Half of 1 pax fare	1 pax fare
7	Single bed box	1 pax fare	2 pax fare
8	Double bed box	2 pax fare	4 pax fare
9	Almirah (big size)	2 pax fare	4 pax fare
10	Almirah (medium/small size)	1 pax fare	2 pax fare
11	Sewing machine/ Fan	1/4th of one pax fare	Half of one pax fare
12	Plastic/Folding Chair	1–3 Chairs:1/4th of   one pax fare 4–6 Chairs:  Half of one pax fare 7–9 Chairs: 3/4th   of   one pax fare 10–12 Chairs: 1 pax   fare	1–3 Chairs: Half of one pax fare 4–6 Chairs: One pax fare  7–9 Chairs: 1.5 times of 1 pax fare 10–12 Chair: 2 pax fare
13	Bicycle	Half of one pax fare	One pax fare
14	Children trolley/tricycle	Free	1/4th of one pax fare
15	Wheelchair	Free	1/4th of one pax fare
16	Desktop computer w/ LED/LCD monitor	Half of 1 pax fare	One pax fare
17	Laptop	Free up to 3 computers. 1/4th of one pax fare for every computer set after 3.	One pax fare
18	LCD/LED TV & Monitor up to 21″	1/4th of one pax fare	One pax fare
19	LCD/LED TV & Monitor up to 21 to 40″	Half of 1 pax fare	Two pax fare
20	LCD/LED TV & Monitor 40″	One pax fare	Two pax fare
21	Washing Machine	One pax fare	Two pax fare
22	Apple fruit box (gift pack)	Free for 1 box. For more than one, 1/4th of one pax fare shall be charged.	Half of one pax fare.
23	Apple fruit box (large)	Free for 1 box. For more than one, half of one pax fare shall be charged.	One pax fare
24	Luggage containing only personnel and household items	Up to 30 Kilograms:  Free if you’re carrying two bags that weighs up to 30 kg.  For luggage weighing more than 30 kilograms, 1/4th of one pax fare shall be charged.	One pax fare
25	Fruits and vegetables sack/box	a) Up to 20 Kg: 1/4th of one pax fare. b) 21 to 40 Kg: Half of   one   pax fare. c) 41 to 80 Kg: One pax fare.	a) Up to 20Kg: Half of one pax fare b) 21 to 40 Kg: One pax fare c) 41 to 80 Kg: Two pax fare
26	Luggage of any size containing automobile parts/Electronic gadgets/Electrical machines or tools/Dry Fruits/Cosmetic products/ Hosiery material/Medicines/Medical appliances**	a) Up to 5 Kg: 25% of one pax fare. b) 6 to 40 Kg: Half of one pax fare. c) 41 to 80 Kg:  One pax fare	a) Up to 5 Kg: 25% of one pax fare. b) 6 to 20 Kg:  Half of one pax fare c) 21-40 kg: One pax fare d) 41-80 kg: Two pax fare.
27	Voluminous material	a)  Up to 10 kg:  Half of one pax fare. b) 11-20 kg: One pax fare.	a)  Up to 10 kg:  One pax fare. b) 11-20 kg: Two pax fare.
28	Flower box Weighing up to 35 kg	1/5th of one pax fare.	1/5th of one pax fare
29	Other kind of luggage, i.e. any item listed above.	a)  Up to 40 kg: Half of one pax fare. b) 41 to 80 kg:  One pax fare.	a)  Up to 40 kg: One pax fare. b) 41 to 80 kg:  Two pax fare.
30	Bird in cage	1/4th of one pax fare	Not allowed
31	Pet Animals in Non-AC Buses.	One pax fare	Not allowed
32	Newspaper bundles of the travel date	Free	Free

*Without a passenger here means that you are not travelling in the bus and are simply transporting your luggage through the bus. This is the reason behind the baggage charges being doubled (in most cases) in comparison to the former. 

** HRTC revised and reduced luggage fare for commercial items listed under #26 on 16 October 2024. The new fare has been updated in the above table.

Despite this detailed luggage tariff, there are many points of confusion here. For example: 

• What luggage comes under the definition of “voluminous material”? 
• Why luggage tariff is different for apple boxes and fruits and vegetables sack/boxes? 

Moreover, HRTC is charging luggage fee for articles like bicycles and wheelchairs. Cycling is an environment (and health) friendly mode of transport.  Charging a baggage fee for transporting bicycles is like discouraging people from buying them.  I can’t think of a reason for charging luggage fee for wheelchairs. 

Policy terms

1. Pets are not allowed in AC buses 
2. Restricted, prohibited and banned articles are not allowed. Check the HRTC website for the details. 
3. You’re responsible for loading and unloading of the luggage. 
4. HRTC will not be responsible if the baggage is seized by tax authorities for not producing valid supporting invoice/documents. 
5. The passenger or baggage sender must show their Aaadhar card to the bus conductor before loading the articles.

Related: Kinnaur HRTC Bus Timings

Augmenting resources

The primary reason behind bringing this baggage policy is improving the financial health of Himachal Road Transport Corporation, a public sector undertaking of the government of Himachal Pradesh. 

While it is imperative to better the financial health of HRTC, the policies implemented to achieve its financial goals should be rational and easy to digest. 

Take an example of luggage policy of Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC). They offer free baggage policy of 50 kg per passenger. For more than 50 kg baggage, the luggage fee is calculated based on the travel distance and weight, eliminating any possibility of confusion.  APSRTC one of a few state road transportation in India who is netting good profit for the state exchequer. 

Featured image by: Saurabh Sabikhi.

1. https://www.hrtchp.com/web-content/pdf/06112023_LuggagePolicy.pdf ↩︎