BMTC Night Services: Routes & Timings (2026)
Most of Bengaluru's buses head back to the depot by about 11 PM, but the city is not fully stranded after dark. Under its Night Out service, BMTC runs roughly 200 buses on selected corridors from about 10 PM to 3:30 AM, with the airport, the IT belts and Majestic anchoring the late-night map.
Key takeaways
- Night Out buses run roughly 10 PM to 3:30 AM, mostly originating from Majestic.
- Around 200 buses cover late-night corridors; frequency is sparse, often 30 to 60 minutes.
- Strongest coverage: airport, Whitefield, Electronic City, Yelahanka and the Outer Ring Road.
- Vayu Vajra airport buses are the most reliable, running close to round the clock.
- Always confirm the next bus on the Namma BMTC app; night schedules shift by day and demand.
Does BMTC run buses at night?
Yes, but on a thinner network. Regular city services wind down around 11 PM, after which the Night Out service takes over on high-demand corridors until the early morning.
| Aspect | Daytime | Night Out |
|---|---|---|
| Hours | ~5 AM to 11 PM | ~10 PM to 3:30 AM |
| Coverage | Citywide | Selected corridors |
| Frequency | 5 to 20 min | 30 to 60 min |
| Origin hub | All depots | Mainly Majestic |
| Buses on duty | Full fleet | ~200 |
The trade-off at night is simple. You give up frequent buses, but you gain near-empty roads, so a trip that crawls in daytime traffic can finish in a fraction of the time after midnight.
Which routes run late, and when?
Late-night coverage clusters on the corridors with the most night demand: the airport, the eastern and southern IT belts, and the northern suburbs.
| Corridor | Key stops | Why it runs late | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airport | Hebbal, Yelahanka, KIA | Round-the-clock flights | ~30 min |
| Whitefield | KR Puram, Kadugodi, ITPL | Night-shift IT staff | ~hourly |
| Electronic City | Silk Board, Bommasandra | IT and factory shifts | ~hourly |
| Yelahanka | Mekhri Circle, Hebbal | North suburbs, airport link | ~hourly |
| Outer Ring Road | Marathahalli, Bellandur | Tech-park cluster | ~hourly |
Want your brand on Bengaluru's buses?
Get a route plan, format recommendation and pricing, usually within a minute.
Getting to the airport at night
The airport is the one destination where BMTC effectively runs all night. Vayu Vajra services to Kempegowda International Airport operate close to 24 hours, timed loosely to flights.
Most night airport buses pass through Hebbal, which makes it the natural pickup point from the north and east of the city. Fares are distance based and the airport run is BMTC's priciest, but it stays far cheaper than a late-night cab.
Source: BMTC Vayu Vajra service reporting. Confirm the next departure on the app, as late-night frequency tracks flight timings.
Who actually rides BMTC at night?
Night buses serve a narrow but loyal crowd: shift workers, travellers and late finishers who all share the same handful of corridors.
| Rider | Typical trip | Peak window |
|---|---|---|
| IT night shifts | Whitefield, Electronic City, ORR | 10 PM to 1 AM |
| Airport travellers | City to KIA and back | All night |
| Hospitality staff | CBD, MG Road, pubs and hotels | 11 PM to 1 AM |
| Late commuters | Majestic to suburbs | 10 PM to 12 AM |
| Early risers | Markets, stations, first shifts | 3 AM to 5 AM |
How to plan a night trip
Because night timetables are thin and change often, the safe move is to confirm the next bus before you leave, then keep a backup ready.
- Open the Namma BMTC app and check live timing for your stop and route.
- If nothing shows soon, walk to a major corridor or Majestic where night buses cluster.
- For the airport, head to Hebbal and catch a Vayu Vajra service.
- Carry cash plus a UPI option; not every late bus has a working card reader.
- Build in a 30 to 45 minute buffer for the wider night gaps.
The city that stays lit after the buses thin out
The corridors BMTC keeps alive at night are exactly where Bengaluru's night economy lives: tech parks, the airport road, and the pub and food belts of the central business district.
After midnight, a bus is one of the only big, lit, moving surfaces left on the road, seen by exactly the night-shift and nightlife crowd most brands struggle to reach.
The late corridors are a billboard for 24x7 businesses
A branded bus on the Whitefield, Electronic City or airport night routes runs straight past the audience that food delivery, late-night dining, 24-hour pharmacies, gaming and cab brands all want: people who are awake, out, and spending after dark.
See how we map fleets to specific corridors and shifts in our guide to bus branding in Bengaluru, or plan a route-led campaign with transit advertising.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do BMTC night buses run?+
The Night Out service runs roughly from 10 PM to 3:30 AM. Regular city routes mostly stop around 11 PM, after which only the night corridors stay active.
Are BMTC buses available after midnight?+
On selected corridors, yes, but frequency drops sharply. Expect a wait of 30 to 60 minutes or longer between midnight and 2 AM, so check the app before you travel.
Which BMTC routes run late at night?+
The strongest late-night corridors are the airport, Whitefield, Electronic City, Yelahanka and the Outer Ring Road, most of them starting from or passing through Majestic.
Can I get a BMTC bus to the airport at night?+
Yes. Vayu Vajra airport buses run close to round the clock, timed to flights, and most pass through Hebbal. They are the most reliable BMTC service after midnight.
Is the night bus fare higher than daytime?+
It can be slightly higher on some runs because of low ridership. Confirm the exact fare on the conductor's machine, since it is still far cheaper than a late-night cab.
How do I find live night bus timings?+
Use the Namma BMTC app for live tracking, or Google Maps transit. Night schedules change by day and demand, so live tracking is more reliable than a fixed timetable.
Bus Branding Glossary
- Full bus branding (wrap)
- A full vehicle wrap covering both sides and the rear of the bus, the highest-impact, most visible format.
- Bus back / rear branding
- Advertising on the rear panel of the bus, in the line of sight of traffic queued behind it at signals and junctions.
- Side panel branding
- Branding on one or both side panels of the bus body, facing pedestrians and parallel traffic along the route.
- Vajra / AC service
- BMTC's premium air-conditioned (Volvo / Vayu Vajra) services, carrying a higher-income commuter set on IT and airport corridors.
- TTMC
- Traffic and Transit Management Centre, a large BMTC bus terminal where many routes start, terminate and interchange.
- Depot
- The BMTC facility where buses are parked, serviced and from which many local routes originate.
- Dwell time
- How long a bus stays in view of a stationary crowd, at a stop, signal or in slow traffic, which lengthens brand exposure.
- Corridor
- A main arterial road (e.g. the Outer Ring Road or Hosur Road) that a bus route runs along, defining who sees the branding.
How to run a BMTC bus branding campaign
Five simple steps from enquiry to a live, tracked campaign on Bengaluru's buses.
- 1
Pick your area & audience
Tell us the Bengaluru area or corridor you want to reach and who you're targeting, IT professionals, shoppers, students or residents.
- 2
Choose a format
Select a format, full bus wrap, rear panel, side panel or premium AC/Vajra service, based on your budget and the impact you want.
- 3
Select routes & bus count
We map the high-frequency routes and stops that cover your audience and recommend how many buses to brand.
- 4
Approve the creative
Share your artwork (or we help design it). We prepare it to BMTC specifications and get the approvals.
- 5
Go live & get proof
We print, wrap and deploy the buses, then share proof of display so you can see your brand on the road.
Bus Branding Formats
Choose how your brand rides, pick the format that fits your goal and budget.
Bus Branding Across Bengaluru
We run BMTC bus branding in every major Bengaluru neighbourhood. Explore more areas:
Outdoor & Transit Advertising Specialists
We plan, design and run BMTC bus branding campaigns across every major Bengaluru corridor, matching brands to the routes, formats and audiences that deliver the most visibility.
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Geo-Targeting With Bus Routes: Advertising Where Your Customers Are
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