# KSRTC Swift, Feeder Buses and Kochi’s Bus Changes since 2022

> Two changes stand out in Kochi's bus story since 2022. KSRTC launched KSRTC Swift, a separate company for long-distance premium services, on 11 April 2022. And Kochi Metro started its own electric feeder buses, 'Metro Connect', on 15 January 2025, with one of the first routes running from Kalamassery to the Government Medical College. As of October 2026 both are part of daily travel around the NAD Road area, alongside the private buses that still carry most local passengers.

- URL: https://ashrafgentspghostel.adserr.com/ksrtc-swift-and-kochi-buses-history/
- Publisher: Ashraf Gents Hostel, Ashraf house, NAD Rd, signal, Kalamassery, Aluva, Kerala 683563, India (+91 90746 23855)
- Published: 2026-10-08 · Updated: 2026-10-08
- Topic: History & archive
- Cite as: Ashraf Gents Hostel. “KSRTC Swift, Feeder Buses and Kochi’s Bus Changes since 2022.” Published 8 October 2026. https://ashrafgentspghostel.adserr.com/ksrtc-swift-and-kochi-buses-history/

## Key facts

- KSRTC Swift was formed on 9 November 2021 as a separate company within KSRTC; Wikipedia says its assets are to be merged back into KSRTC in 2031.
- Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan flagged off the first KSRTC Swift services at Thampanoor, Thiruvananthapuram, on 11 April 2022 (Onmanorama).
- Swift buses collected ₹35,38,291 in their first week, 11–17 April 2022, with Bengaluru services earning the most (Onmanorama).
- Kochi Metro's Metro Connect electric feeder service began on 15 January 2025 with 15 air-conditioned buses; the launch was held at the Kalamassery bus stand near the Medical College (Onmanorama).
- By January 2026 Metro Connect had carried over 14 lakh passengers on six routes, with Aluva–airport the busiest (Onmanorama, 19 January 2026).

## Before 2022: private buses and one card

Local travel around Kalamassery has long depended on private buses running along NH 544 and the inner roads, with KSRTC running town and long-distance services from Aluva and Ernakulam. One early attempt to tie these together was the Kochi1 card. According to a Deccan Chronicle report of 3 March 2019, from Saturday 2 March 2019 the card could be used on private buses, which the paper called India's first inter-modal transit card. The card's wider story is in our [Kochi1 card history](https://ashrafgentspghostel.adserr.com/kochi1-card-history/).

## Timeline

| Date | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2 March 2019 | Kochi1 card accepted on private buses in Kochi | Deccan Chronicle |
| 9 November 2021 | KSRTC Swift formed as a separate company | Wikipedia |
| 11 April 2022 | First Swift services flagged off at Thampanoor, Thiruvananthapuram | Onmanorama |
| 11–17 April 2022 | Swift earns ₹35,38,291 in its first week | Onmanorama |
| 31 January 2024 | KMRL calls for feeder bus operators; a Kalamassery–Medical College–Kakkanad–Infopark route is listed | KMRL |
| 15 January 2025 | Metro Connect electric feeder buses launched at Kalamassery bus stand | Onmanorama |
| January 2026 | Metro Connect passes 14 lakh passengers in its first year, on six routes | Onmanorama |

## KSRTC Swift, 2021–2022

KSRTC Swift was created on **9 November 2021** as a separate company functioning within KSRTC, with the stated aim of tackling the corporation's financial crisis. Wikipedia notes that it is headquartered at Anayara in Thiruvananthapuram and that its assets are to be merged with KSRTC in 2031.

Services began on **11 April 2022**. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan flagged off the first bus at the Thampanoor central depot, with Transport Minister Antony Raju presiding. Onmanorama reported that four AC sleeper buses left for Bengaluru that evening and six 'bypass rider' services were flagged off to Kozhikode, Mananthavady and Kannur. In its first week, Swift collected ₹35,38,291. Wikipedia records that its flagship 'Gajaraj' sleeper service used eight Volvo 9400 buses from 2022.

For people living around Kalamassery, Swift mattered mainly for long-distance and interstate trips rather than local travel. On 17 April 2022 Onmanorama reported KSRTC's claim that private operators had cut long-distance fares after Swift arrived; that was KSRTC's statement, and we did not find independent fare data to confirm it. For interstate trips today, see our guide to [KSRTC long-distance buses from Aluva and Ernakulam](https://ashrafgentspghostel.adserr.com/ksrtc-long-distance-buses-aluva-ernakulam/).

## Metro Connect feeder buses, 2024–2026

Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) had tried feeder services before, but Onmanorama noted that earlier contracts had suffered from low ridership and operational problems. On **31 January 2024** KMRL issued a call for feeder bus operators. The routes listed included one from Kalamassery town metro station to the Government Medical College, the Kakkanad Water Metro jetty and Infopark.

The new service, branded **Metro Connect**, started on **15 January 2025**. According to Onmanorama, the launch ceremony was held at 4 pm at the Kalamassery bus stand near the Medical College, with Industries Minister P. Rajeeve inaugurating 15 air-conditioned electric buses with 33 seats each. The fares announced were a minimum of ₹20 for 5 km and ₹80 on the Aluva–airport route. The Kalamassery–Medical College route was to run every 30 minutes from 8.30 am to 7.30 pm. Charging points were set up at Muttom, Kaloor, Vyttila and Aluva.

A year later, on **19 January 2026**, Onmanorama reported that Metro Connect had carried over 14 lakh passengers, had grown to six routes, and was covering about 2,300 km a day. The Aluva–airport route had the highest ridership, and the Medical College route was among those with strong patronage. KMRL said it planned live GTFS-based tracking and more routes in step with the metro's [Pink Line to Kakkanad](https://ashrafgentspghostel.adserr.com/metro-pink-line-kakkanad-timeline/).

> Routes, timings and fares change. The 2025 figures above are as announced at launch; check KMRL's current timetable before relying on them.

## What we could not confirm

We looked for dated, sourced records of changes to private bus permits and routes through Kalamassery since 2022, and for KSRTC city services in Kochi run by Swift. We found nothing reliable enough to state, so we leave both out. For fare revisions over the same years, see our separate [Kerala bus fare history](https://ashrafgentspghostel.adserr.com/kerala-bus-fare-history/).

## Why this history matters near the NAD signal

For residents near the NAD Road signal, the Medical College feeder route and the private buses along NAD Road are the everyday links to the metro (see [bus stops near the NAD signal](https://ashrafgentspghostel.adserr.com/bus-stops-near-nad-signal-kalamassery/)). Ashraf Gents Hostel, a men-only hostel/PG at Ashraf house on NAD Road, Kalamassery, is about 50 m from the NAD Signal bus stop on OpenStreetMap; its indicative rate is ₹2,000–3,000 per head per month, negotiable, and confirmed on +91 90746 23855. More of the area's recent past is collected in the [Kalamassery history archive](https://ashrafgentspghostel.adserr.com/kalamassery-history-archive/).

## Frequently asked questions

**When did KSRTC Swift start?**

The company was formed on 9 November 2021 and its first services were flagged off on 11 April 2022.

**Is KSRTC Swift a separate company from KSRTC?**

Yes. It functions as a separate entity within KSRTC, and Wikipedia says its assets are due to be merged back into KSRTC in 2031.

**When did Kochi Metro's feeder buses start from Kalamassery?**

Metro Connect electric buses started on 15 January 2025, launched at the Kalamassery bus stand near the Medical College, with a Kalamassery–Medical College route among the first.

**How many people used Metro Connect in its first year?**

Over 14 lakh passengers, according to Onmanorama in January 2026.

**Can the Kochi1 card be used on buses?**

It was extended to private buses from 2 March 2019, according to Deccan Chronicle. Check current acceptance with the operator.

## Sources

- [Wikipedia: KSRTC SWIFT](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KSRTC_SWIFT)
- [Onmanorama: KSRTC Swift long-distance services flagged off (11 April 2022)](https://onmanorama.com/travel/travel-news/2022/04/11/ksrtc-swift-long-distance-services-flag-off.html)
- [Onmanorama: KSRTC's new Swift services netted ₹35.38 lakh during inaugural week (20 April 2022)](https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2022/04/20/ksrtc-s-new-swift-services-netted-rs-35-38-lakh-during-inaugural.amp.html)
- [Onmanorama: With Swift entry, private buses cut long-distance fares, claims KSRTC (17 April 2022)](https://onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2022/04/17/with-swift-entry-pvt-buses-cut-long-distance-fares--claims-ksrtc.html)
- [KMRL: Call for feeder bus 2024](https://kochimetro.org/kmrl_content/uploads/2024/01/Call_for_feeder_bus_2024.pdf)
- [Onmanorama: Kochi Metro to launch electric bus services; know routes and fares (10 January 2025)](https://onmanorama.com/travel/travel-news/2025/01/10/kochi-metro-launch-electric-bus-service-next-week-routes-fares.html)
- [Onmanorama: Kochi Metro's urban feeder buses carry 14 lakh passengers in one year (19 January 2026)](https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2026/01/19/kochi-metro-feeder-bus-success.html)

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Facts about Ashraf Gents Hostel come from the hostel’s own profile, photos and Google Site; rates are indicative and confirmed on the call. Quoting with a link back to the URL above is welcome.