Routes
How Delhi bus route numbers work
Updated · 6 min read · Figures from Delhi’s Open Transit Data, imported 18 July 2026
A Delhi route number identifies a route, not a direction: the same number runs both ways. Letters after it (543A, 740EXT) mark a different route that shares part of the corridor, and loops such as the Mudrika services need extra care with direction.
The basic format
Most routes are a plain number: 543, 764, 181. The same number runs in both directions, so always read the destination on the front board, or check which way the bus is moving on a live map.
Letters after the number
- A / B / C variants (543A, 764A) are branches of the parent route. They share most of the corridor but diverge for part of it. A 543A can skip exactly the stretch you needed from the 543.
- EXT (extended) continues past the usual terminal to a further destination.
- STL, LINK and similar codes appear on special and short-working services. BusPe lists these as other patterns on each route page, with their own stop counts.
UP and DOWN
In the official data the same number appears twice, once as UP and once as DOWN (701UP and 701DOWN). These are the two directions of one route, recorded separately because each has its own stop sequence. You will rarely see UP or DOWN on the bus itself.
Mudrika: the ring routes
Some route families circle the city instead of crossing it. The Outer Mudrika runs the Outer Ring Road loop, and there are smaller loops such as the Gramin Mudrika and West Delhi Mudrika. On a loop the terminal is also the origin, so the destination board tells you little: check the direction.
Loops are also the longest services in Delhi by far. The routes with the most stops in the current feed:
A typical Delhi route has a few dozen stops. Boarding a loop in the wrong direction can take you close to two hundred stops the long way round.
Do the number ranges mean anything?
Loosely. Routes were historically numbered in geographic bands (many 5xx routes serve south and south-west Delhi, while 7xx routes cluster in the west), but decades of renumbering mean the bands are a habit, not a rule. Treat the number as an ID. You can browse every number on the routes page.
Quick answers
Is 764A the same as 764?
No. A lettered route shares part of the corridor but has its own stop list. Check the stops of the exact number you plan to board.
What do UP and DOWN mean in Delhi bus data?
They are the two directions of the same route, recorded separately in the timetable data. They are not different services.
Which is the longest bus route in Delhi?
By number of stops, the ring services such as the Outer Mudrika are the longest. The list on this page is computed from the current feed.
Fares and schemes are set by DTC and the Government of NCT of Delhi and can change. BusPe is independent and not affiliated with DTC, DIMTS or the Delhi Government. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.