Initially the corporation started operating with a fleet of 60 buses covering 11,107
daily scheduled kilometers on 15 routes with 345 employees. At present, the PRTC
has approximately around 800 buses, 529 routes (including inter-state routes) covering
a daily mileage of 323238 kilometers. There are 10 depots of the corporation located
at Patiala, Bathinda, Kapurthala, Barnala, Sangrur, Budhalada, Faridkot, Ludhiana,
Chandigarh and Special Cell of KM Scheme at Patiala. Head office is situated at
Patiala. PEPSU provides bus route services / transit facility to the state of Punjab
and to the adjoining states. The PRTC provides services not only on intercity routes
but also links the remote villages with the nearby towns and cities. It is also
extending free/concessional travel facilities to various categories of commuters
as per the instructions of the State Govt. from time to time. Punjab, with a total
area of 50,362 square kilometer, has one of the best infrastructure systems in India,
be it in any sphere. It supports different modes of transport, like buses, taxis,
auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws, which connect various parts of the state. These
modes of commutation make it easy for people to travel within the state. It is of
great help to the tourists as well, in finding an easy accessibility to various
parts of the state. Roadways and railways are the main modes of transportation within
the state. There is a broad road network of 60,825 kilometers, which passes through
the state. It has a number of both state and national highways. At the same time,
there are many intercity trains, for going from one place to the other. Public transportation
is the most widely and easily available means of transportation within the state.
The Government of Punjab runs a number of public buses in the name of Punjab Roadways
and PUNBUS. These buses are economical and suit everyone's pocket. Besides the government-run
buses, there are several private buses running through the state of Punjab. You
can easily avail buses to travel to any of your desired location, within as well
between the cities and that too, at a nominal cost. Trains are suited only for those
who want to travel from one city of Punjab to the other. Intra-city trains are not
available in the state. If you want to opt for a comfortable journey and do not
mind paying more, taxi is the best option, for both inter and intra city travel.
There are a number of taxis widely available on the streets and you can hire them
right away. Also, there are many travel agents available throughout Punjab, who
can arrange a taxi for you. You find uncountable auto-rickshaws rushing through
the streets of Punjab. These are comparatively cheaper than taxis and more comfortable
than the buses, for intra-city travel. However, it is always advisable to bargain
and fix the rates with the auto driver beforehand. Cycle Rickshaws - This is the
cheapest mode of commutation available for intra-city travel in Punjab. Since these
rickshaws are driven manually, they are appropriate only for short journeys.