Flipkart Now Offers Bus Bookings as Part of Travel Services

In response to the growing demand from commuters traveling between cities, Flipkart, the renowned ecommerce giant, has introduced bus services within its app. By collaborating with various state transport corporations and private aggregators, Flipkart aims to offer its customers access to an extensive network of 10 lakh bus connections, spanning over 25,000 routes across India. This initiative further enriches Flipkart Travel’s existing lineup of flight and hotel booking services. The platform now offers hassle-free bus bookings, completely free of any extra charges. Plus, you can snag special deals by redeeming supercoins, saving you up to INR 50. And if you need assistance, our 24/7 voice helpline has got you covered.

According to Ajay Veer Yadav, senior vice president at Flipkart, “Introducing bus bookings to Flipkart’s already diverse range of services is a big step forward in our goal to be your one-stop destination for all your needs, including travel. With Flipkart’s strong presence in smaller markets, this move ensures that we’re giving customers in those areas a reliable and easy way to travel between cities.”

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Yadav emphasized our dedication to providing customers with value-added services to enhance their future travel experiences. It is important to acknowledge that Flipkart faces strong competition from redBus, which has a customer base of approximately 20 million users.

The increase in demand for travel has resulted in a significant growth in bus travel throughout India.

A recent report from redBus stated that the bus industry in India is anticipating a 200% rise in seat bookings, largely attributed to the construction of more expressways.

This news closely follows the launch of a new product called Out of Office (OOO) by Cleartrip, a popular online travel aggregator owned by Flipkart. This marks Cleartrip’s entry into the corporate travel sector.

OOO is a corporate travel booking tool catering to small, medium, and large enterprises. Cleartrip competes with other platforms such as Ixigo, EaseMyTrip, MakeMyTrip, and Ibibo in the market.

Additionally, it is worth noting that Flipkart entered the travel industry with the introduction of its hotel booking service, Flipkart Hotels, in 2022.

Recently, Flipkart’s marketplace division received funding of INR 924 Cr ($111 Mn) in two installments from affiliated entities in Singapore.

According to a recent report, Flipkart is expected to enter the quick commerce sector to compete with Zepto, Zomato’s Blinkit, and Swiggy’s Instamart. The operating revenue of the marketplace arm increased by 42% year-on-year to INR 14,845.8 Cr, while the loss decreased by 9% YoY to INR 4,026.5 Cr in FY23.

In response to soaring commuter demand, Flipkart has introduced bus services within its app, expanding its travel offerings with 10 lakh bus connections and special deals for users. Amidst tough competition, especially from redBus, Flipkart’s move addresses the surging bus travel demand in India, expected to rise by 200%. Furthermore, the company diversifies by introducing Cleartrip’s corporate tool, Out of Office. Recent funding and plans to enter the quick commerce sector highlight Flipkart’s strategic growth and future competitiveness in the evolving travel and e-commerce landscape.