BENGALURU: With Coldplay’s highly anticipated concerts scheduled in Mumbai and Ahmedabad as part of their ‘Music of the Spheres’ tour, many Bengalureans had eagerly secured their tickets months in advance. However, as the concert dates draw closer, a wave of ticket resales has emerged, driven by logistical challenges and soaring air travel costs.
Skyrocketing airline fares, non-availability of affordable train tickets, and the steep costs of accommodation in both cities are forcing fans to rethink their plans. Social media platforms and ticketing forums are buzzing with listings from Bengalureans who are reluctantly putting their prized concert passes up for sale.
When TOI checked on flight prices Sunday, a round trip from Bengaluru to Mumbai was priced at a staggering Rs 28,000. Coldplay’s third concert in Mumbai is on Jan 21. The first two concerts were on Jan 18 and 19. Similarly, for the Ahmedabad concerts scheduled for Jan 25 and 26, the round-trip fare from Bengaluru soared even higher, reaching Rs 35,000.
Speaking with TOI, many Bengalureans explained their reasons for selling their tickets days before the concert. Shaanya Sharma, a techie from Bellandur, said, “The flight tickets are insanely expensive. A round trip to Mumbai costs almost 10 times the concert ticket. Forget about travelling, finding accommodation is a nightmare. If you’re lucky enough to get a room, it’s priced as high as Rs 4,000 a night.”
Meenank M, a marketing professional from JP Nagar, said, “One of the main reasons I decided not to attend the concert, despite having the privilege, is the extremely high travel costs. Ahmedabad has very limited connectivity, and finding affordable accommodation is nearly impossible, making it incredibly difficult to make the trip. Some people aren’t even bothering to buy tickets because the overall costs are just ridiculous.”
Shreyas GV, a sales consultant from Banaswadi, said, “We’ve always dreamed of seeing Coldplay live, and when Ahmedabad was announced, we immediately booked six tickets. But we didn’t factor in the logistics at all. Flights are ridiculously expensive — Rs 15,000 for a one-way ticket. We even looked for accommodation, but there are no decent stay options available in Ahmedabad. The best we found was a two-star hotel costing Rs 12,000 a night! We even considered staying in Vadodara and commuting to Ahmedabad for the concert, but when we added up the costs — flights, stay, food, and transport — it became impossible. That’s why we’re selling tickets.”
Kaashvi Saxena, a resident of Indiranagar shared, “We had booked a hotel room for Rs 4,000, but they cancelled it without any prior intimation and relisted it for Rs 10,000. It completely upset our tight budget.”
