The Shalom bus service is offering discounted bus fares between Tedim in Chin State and Kale (Kalay) Town during December, but passengers cannot find or buy the discounted tickets.
The regular fare is 70,000 MMK but Shalom claims that for December it is offering a discounted fare of 60,000 MMK. During the offer period as well as getting the discount passengers on the Tedim to Kale route will also get a 5,000 MMK voucher to help pay for a meal, according to an official from Shalom bus service.
He said: “Our plan is to bring joy to our customers, as well as to war-displaced people, in December, the final month of the Christmas season in 2024. We see this as a good deed we can do. The regular Kale-Tedim bus fare is 70,000 MMK per passenger, but we are offering a 10,000 MMK discount. Additionally, passengers who purchase tickets in advance and board the bus will receive an extra 5,000 MMK refund as a lunch gift,”
He added that fuel prices and toll fees remain high, making it necessary to revert to the standard fare after the Christmas period and in the coming year.
“We are aware that some privately run vehicles are advertising fares as low as 50,000 MMK. However, the nature of these vehicles is different from express companies like ours. They can cease operations at any time if they are not economically viable, whereas we, as an express company, must continue running regularly, even when there are few passengers,” he said to Chin World.
Despite these claims of a discount, a traveler said to Chin World that all the express service ticket prices are still 70,000 MMK a passenger between Tedim and Kale. There were no discount tickets available from Shalom or any other express bus services on that route.
When fighting broke out in Tedim Town on 26 May 2024 fares from Tedim to Kale rose to nearly 100,000 MMK a person. Since then the fighting has died down and the bus fare has stabilised at 70,000 MMK.
As of 5 December, ongoing fighting in Falam, Chin State has caused express bus services on the Kale-Falam-Hakha Road to be suspended.
