u/NotoriousFluffy855

I feel like commuting in Bangalore has reached a breaking point. Whether it's by road or by metro, neither option seems practical anymore.

My daily commute through ORR and Old Madras Road takes around 1.5 hours one way. It's not even the driving that's the biggest issue—just sitting in traffic for that long is mentally exhausting. By the time I reach work, I already feel drained, and when I get back home, I have no energy left for anything else.

What makes it worse is that the metro, which was supposed to be the alternative to road traffic, no longer feels like a viable option either. Most days it's so overcrowded that finding a seat is impossible, and even standing comfortably can be a challenge. During peak hours you're often squeezed between people for the entire journey. At this point, both road travel and public transport feel equally exhausting.

Today was the final straw. It took me nearly an hour to travel just 7 km. I got so frustrated that I decided to leave my car and switch to the metro, hoping it would be faster. But the metro was packed to the point where there was barely any room to stand.

What bothers me most is that we pay such high taxes, yet the quality of life doesn't seem to reflect it. A huge portion of the day is spent commuting, and it feels like more energy goes into getting to work than actually doing the work. It becomes harder to stay productive when you're already exhausted before the day even begins.

I've also noticed how frustrated everyone on the roads seems to be. Drivers aggressively try to squeeze into every tiny gap, as if overtaking a single auto or car will somehow make a meaningful difference to their journey. The overall atmosphere feels tense and stressful.

For context, I'm originally from Bangalore, so this isn't coming from someone who recently moved here. I've seen the city change over the years, and lately I've been wondering: is living in a metro city like Bangalore still worth it when so much of your time and energy is spent just trying to get around?

When driving isn't practical and public transport is too overcrowded to be a realistic alternative, what are people supposed to do?

Is anyone else feeling the same way?