Ride-hailing giant Uber has partnered with ixigo’s bus business AbhiBus to launch intercity bus ticketing services in India. This collaboration allows Uber users to search, compare, and book bus tickets directly through the Uber app, providing a seamless experience.
By integrating with AbhiBus, Uber users can now explore various bus options, check real-time seat availability, select preferred seats, and benefit from features like 24/7 customer support and live bus tracking. AbhiBus’s COO Rohit Sharma highlighted that this partnership brings over 6 lakh routes to millions of users, simplifying the bus travel discovery and booking processes.
Uber’s decision to adopt a partnership-led approach, rather than building its own bus network, demonstrates a strategic shift in the company’s operational strategy. This move allows Uber to leverage AbhiBus’s established operator network and booking technology while maintaining an asset-light model.
This strategic partnership marks Uber’s first global entry into the intercity bus segment, reflecting the company’s ambition to tap into India’s substantial mobility market, projected to reach $13 billion by 2030. With bus travel accounting for a significant portion of this market, Uber’s expansion into bus ticketing services aligns with its broader goal of enhancing accessibility and convenience for users across different modes of transportation.
Source: Inc42 Media