Every great city has a place where it concentrates itself — where the maximum number of people in transit, commerce, and daily urgency converge at once. For Bengaluru, that place has been Majestic for over five decades. Officially named Kempegowda Bus Station (KBS) in honour of Nadaprabhu Kempe Gowda I — the 16th-century chieftain who founded Bengaluru and whose name now also graces the international airport — the station acquired its popular name from a cinema theatre that once stood nearby. The cinema is long gone. The name stayed because names that attach themselves to the daily vernacular of millions of people do not yield to official nomenclature.
Built on the drained bed of the ancient Dharmambudhi Lake and inaugurated on June 2, 1969 by then-President V.V. Giri, Kempegowda Bus Station has operated at the centre of Bengaluru’s transit identity for 56 years. Today it handles 80,000 KSRTC intercity passengers and nearly 5 lakh BMTC city passengers daily across 11,150 buses — 2,660 KSRTC, 283 from other state RTCs including NWKRTC, KKRTC, APSRTC, TGSRTC, MSRTC, and KTC, and approximately 8,200 BMTC city services. Directly opposite stands KSR Bengaluru City Railway Station, one of South India’s busiest rail junctions. Underground runs the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Metro Station — the Purple and Green Line interchange of Namma Metro.
That convergence — India’s third-largest city, its busiest city bus depot, an intercity bus terminal of national scale, a major railway junction, and a two-line metro interchange, all within a few hundred metres — is what makes Majestic genuinely unique in Indian urban transit geography.
Current Status: Fully operational. Karnataka Budget 2025-26 announced ₹1,500 crore Project Majestic PPP redevelopment. Consultancy firm Resurgent India Ltd appointed November 2025. Tenders expected second half of 2026. Construction will proceed in phases to maintain uninterrupted bus operations.
Majestic Bus Station Overview
| Detail | Information |
| Official Name | Kempegowda Bus Station (KBS) |
| Popular Name | Majestic Bus Station / Majestic |
| Location | Tank Bund Road, Kempegowda, Subhashnagar, Bengaluru — 560009 |
| Phone | 080 22952311 |
| Inaugurated | June 2, 1969 |
| Named After | Nadaprabhu Kempe Gowda I — founder of Bengaluru |
| Built On | Drained bed of Dharmambudhi Lake |
| Daily KSRTC Passengers | Approx. 80,000 |
| Daily BMTC Passengers | Approx. 5 lakh |
| Total Buses Daily | 11,150 (KSRTC: 2,660; Other RTCs: 283; BMTC: ~8,200) |
| State RTC Operators | KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC, KKRTC, APSRTC, TGSRTC, MSRTC, KTC |
| Metro Station | Nadaprabhu Kempegowda — Purple Line + Green Line interchange |
| Railway Station | KSR Bengaluru City (SBC) — directly opposite |
| Key Routes | Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubli, Hassan, Chennai, Hyderabad, Goa, Mumbai |
| Airport Bus | Vayu Vajra ₹310, every 30 min, 24/7 to KIA |
| Redevelopment | ₹1,500 crore PPP (Project Majestic) — Karnataka Budget 2025-26; consultancy underway |
| Redevelopment Status | Planning stage — tenders expected second half of 2026 |
Location
KBS occupies the Majestic/Subhashnagar zone bordered by Seshadri Road (north), Danavanthri Road (east), Tank Bund Road (south), and Gubbi Thotadappa Road (west). KSR Bengaluru City Railway Station stands directly opposite its main entrance. The station’s semi-circular architecture — the built form of a 1969 civic gesture that cleared a drained lake to house a city’s mobility — is distinctive on the Majestic skyline. Three subways currently connect the bus station to the railway station, though notoriously difficult pedestrian movement between the two has long been cited as a priority to resolve in the redevelopment.
Directions
From KSR Bengaluru City Railway Station: Walk directly across the road — 100 to 200 metres. The most-made transit transfer in Bengaluru, done by tens of thousands of passengers daily.
From Kempegowda International Airport: Vayu Vajra airport bus from KBS every 30 minutes, 24/7, at ₹310. Approximately 60 to 90 minutes via Outer Ring Road.
From MG Road (Metro): Namma Metro Green Line from MG Road to Kempegowda Station — three stops, approximately 7 minutes.
From Mysuru via road: KSRTC non-stop services cover 145 kilometres in under 2 hours on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway.
From Chennai: KSRTC overnight services cover approximately 350 kilometres, 5.5 to 7 hours.
Connectivity
The Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Metro Station underground serves both the Purple Line (Whitefield to Challaghatta) and the Green Line (Nagasandra to Silk Institute) — making it the most important metro interchange in Bengaluru’s entire grid. KSR Bengaluru City Railway Station handles trains on all major corridors including Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, and every significant destination in South India. The upcoming Pink Line metro and the planned suburban rail interchange are both being designed with Majestic as an anchor, reinforcing the station’s central role in the city’s transit future.
Nearby Areas
Cubbon Park: Bengaluru’s 300-acre historic urban park — laid out in 1870 by the British Resident Richard Sankey, shaded by enormous rain trees and housing the State Central Library and the Attara Kacheri — is within 1.5 kilometres of Majestic. Vidhana Soudha: The magnificent Neo-Dravidian granite state legislature building — built in 1956, its dome and pillared facades one of post-Independence India’s most architecturally assertive civic statements — is adjacent to Cubbon Park and accessible by metro or on foot from the Majestic zone. National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA): The Bengaluru NGMA with its significant collection of Indian modernist art is within the Kasturba Road zone accessible by city bus from KBS.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What is Majestic Bus Station and where is it?
A: Kempegowda Bus Station (KBS) — Tank Bund Road, Bengaluru — 560009. Phone: 080 22952311. Inaugurated June 2, 1969, directly opposite KSR Bengaluru City Railway Station.
Q2. How many passengers use Majestic Bus Station daily?
A: About 80,000 KSRTC intercity passengers and nearly 5 lakh BMTC city bus passengers — 11,150 buses daily.
Q3. What is the ₹1,500 crore Project Majestic redevelopment?
A: Both KSRTC and BMTC stations on approximately 40 acres will be demolished and rebuilt as a PPP-model multimodal transit and commercial hub. Announced Karnataka Budget 2025-26. Consultancy underway — tenders expected second half of 2026. Construction phased to avoid service disruption.
Q4. Which metro lines serve Majestic Bus Station?
A: Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Metro Station — Purple Line and Green Line interchange — directly serving the bus station underground.
Q5. How do I get to Bengaluru Airport from Majestic?
A: Vayu Vajra KSRTC airport bus — ₹310, every 30 minutes, 24/7, approximately 60 to 90 minutes.