Bus travel for women is free in eight states and one union territory of India. Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Delhi, Punjab, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Jammu and Kashmir, and Andhra Pradesh have either announced or implemented schemes to make bus travel for women in most government-run buses free.But on-ground implementation and rules differ across states. Another point of discrepancy is the expansion of the free facility to transgender persons. Here’s a guide to know the differences and facilities in each state. Understanding zero-ticket travel‘Zero-ticket’ travel is a phrase that is common across regions which offer free commuting on buses. This does not mean that tickets are not issued. It means that the conductor will issue a ‘zero-ticket’. This is a ticket that levies no charge on the passenger and is for records. In some cases, you may use smart cards issued by your local transport authority.Who can travel?The verification of the passenger (linked to the geography of the beneficiary) is done by the conductor before issuing a ‘zero-ticket’ to the relevant passenger. Identification proofs for free travel differ by state. But the most common ones include the Aadhaar card, Elector’s Photo Identity Card (EPIC), VB-G RAMG job card, Ayushman Bharat health card, driving license, PAN card, passport, pension document with photograph, identity card of Central/State government/PSUs, and identity cards issued by schools/colleges/universities.The use of smart cards to verify the identity of the passenger availing free travel on buses is also common.The fine-print for each State and region differs. Tamil Nadu