Stree Shakti Scheme (Free Bus Travel for Women)

What is the Stree Shakti Scheme?

Stree Shakti Scheme is the Government of Andhra Pradesh's free bus travel scheme for women, girls and transgender persons, launched on 15 August 2025 and delivered through the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC). The scheme was announced as one of the ruling coalition's "Super Six" promises and is expected to benefit around 2.62 crore women in the state.

The design is deliberately simple. There is no registration, no smart card and no application form. An eligible passenger boards a covered APSRTC service, shows the conductor a valid photo ID carrying an Andhra Pradesh address, and the conductor issues a zero-fare ticket. The corporation records the journey for its own reimbursement from the state government; the passenger pays nothing.

Stree Shakti follows a pattern several southern states have adopted, and the reasoning is the same everywhere. Bus fare is a small daily cost that quietly decides large things; whether a girl continues at a college two towns away, whether a woman takes a job that pays slightly more but is further off, whether a mother makes the follow-up hospital visit. Removing that cost changes those decisions at scale rather than one household at a time.

The scheme also produced a direct policy consequence worth knowing: because free bus travel reduced the passenger load of auto-rickshaw and cab drivers, the state launched the Auto Driver Sevalo Scheme in October 2025, paying Rs 15,000 a year to affected drivers.

Who is eligible for Stree Shakti free bus travel?

You can travel free if:

• You are a woman, girl or transgender person.
• You hold Andhra Pradesh domicile, that is, you are a resident of the state and can show an ID with an Andhra Pradesh address.
• You are travelling within Andhra Pradesh.
• You are on an eligible APSRTC service, Pallevelugu, Ultra Pallevelugu, City Ordinary, Metro Express or Express.

There is no age limit, no income ceiling, no caste condition and no cap on the number of journeys. A schoolgirl, a working woman, a farm labourer and a retired grandmother all travel on the same basis.

You cannot travel free if:

• You are a man or boy. The scheme is limited to women, girls and transgender persons.
• You are not domiciled in Andhra Pradesh; visitors and residents of other states are not eligible, and a conductor who cannot verify AP domicile from your ID will issue a paid ticket.
• You are travelling on an excluded service category; Super Luxury, Ultra Deluxe, Star Liner, A/C services, Saptagiri Express, Non-Stop, chartered buses or package tours.
• You are travelling on an interstate service, or on a journey that crosses the state border.
• You cannot produce any accepted photo ID on the bus. The ID is what makes the entitlement verifiable, and no ID means a paid ticket.

Which buses are covered?

The pattern is consistent: the everyday services that carry village, town and city commuters are free, while premium, air-conditioned, long-distance and special services are not. If you are unsure which category a bus falls in, ask the conductor before boarding, the category is displayed on the bus board and on the APSRTC timetable.

How to avail Stree Shakti free bus travel

1. Carry a valid photo ID showing an Andhra Pradesh address: Aadhaar, voter ID, rice card or driving licence. Keep it on you, not at home; the ID is the only condition the scheme applies.
2. Board an eligible APSRTC service — Pallevelugu, Ultra Pallevelugu, City Ordinary, Metro Express or Express.
3. Show the ID to the conductor and state your destination when he comes for ticketing.
4. Collect the zero-fare ticket. The conductor issues a ticket showing zero fare against your journey. Take it and keep it until you alight, it is your proof of a valid journey during a checking inspection.
5. Do not pay any amount. If a conductor asks for money on an eligible service, note the service number and report it.

There is nothing to register for, nothing to download and nobody to pay. Websites offering "Stree Shakti online application" or a "Stree Shakti card" for a fee are not run by the Government of Andhra Pradesh.

What if you are travelling on a mixed journey?

Two situations come up often. First, a journey that starts inside Andhra Pradesh and ends in another state is an interstate journey and is not free, even if the service type would otherwise qualify. Second, if you begin on a free service and change to a Super Luxury or A/C service midway, the second leg is chargeable and you buy a normal ticket for it. The zero-fare entitlement attaches to the individual service you are on, not to the whole trip.

Luggage charges, where APSRTC levies them, are separate from passenger fare and are not waived by the scheme.

Common problems and how to fix them

• Conductor refuses the zero-fare ticket. Note the service number, route, depot and time. Complain to the depot manager or on the APSRTC number 0866-2570005, and file a Spandana grievance on 1902 if it is not resolved.
• Your ID has an old address from another state. Update your Aadhaar address or obtain a rice card or voter ID with your Andhra Pradesh address, otherwise domicile cannot be verified on the bus.
• You forgot your ID. You will have to buy a ticket for that journey. There is no refund process for a paid ticket claimed later as a Stree Shakti journey.
• Overcrowding on free-eligible services. Free travel has increased loads on Pallevelugu and City Ordinary services. Travel outside peak hours where you can, and check the APSRTC timetable for additional services on your route.
• Confusion about the bus category. Ask before boarding. A passenger who boards a Super Luxury expecting free travel will be asked to pay the full fare.

Key dates

• August 2025, the Government of Andhra Pradesh issued the modalities for free bus travel for women, girls and transgender persons.
• 15 August 2025; Stree Shakti launched state-wide by the Chief Minister, with free travel beginning the same day on eligible APSRTC services.
• 4 October 2025. The Auto Driver Sevalo Scheme was launched, paying Rs 15,000 a year to auto, cab and maxi cab drivers whose earnings were affected by the shift of passengers to free bus travel.

There is no application deadline. The benefit is permanent and available on every eligible journey.

Where do I complain about Stree Shakti?

• APSRTC depot manager of the depot operating your service. The fastest route for a conductor or service complaint.
• APSRTC contact number 0866-2570005, and the corporation's website apsrtconline.in for timetables and service categories.
• Spandana at spandana.ap.gov.in or the toll-free number 1902, for a formal grievance with a tracking number and SMS updates.
• Spandana Monday at the district collectorate for in-person escalation.

Stree Shakti is free at the point of use and requires no enrolment. No fee, no card and no agent is involved at any stage, the only thing you need to carry is a valid photo ID with an Andhra Pradesh address.