Most people love to travel. And there are many who still prefer the traditional way of traveling –by bus. Thankfully, bus traveling is not what it used to be like. With the advancement in technology and the availability of unique and highly functional apps, bus ticketing has changed for good.
Standing in long queues to book a bus ticket has become a thing of the past. Operators are now connecting with leading travel booking platforms and offering fully functional bus ticket booking apps to offer augmented ease to the users. With these apps, the passengers enjoy the luxury of booking a bus ticket from anywhere and at any time. Besides, they can benefit from features like checking seat availability, price comparison, online payments, and much more.
If you own a bus service company and want to develop your own bus ticketing mobile app, this post is for you. From understanding the need for such an app to the advanced features and associated cost of development, we will talk about every little aspect to help you become the next big name in the online bus booking space.
Bus Ticket Booking App Overview
A bus ticket booking app is an automated system that enables passengers to purchase bus tickets online. The system also allows them to schedule their route, check seat availability, and even make online payments through secure payment gateways. In case the passengers face any problem, they can straightaway get it addressed within the app itself.
Bus ticketing apps have made bus journeys super comfortable and convenient. These apps maintain all user details, bus details, reservation details, etc. While booking through these apps, the passengers can easily check the type of bus, its ratings, departure time, bus amenities offered, and much more.
Bus Ticket Booking App Stats & Market Size
In the past couple of years, travel has become very rampant. As per reports by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), in 2018, the global tourism industry grew by 3.9%, contributing USD 8.8 trillion to the world’s economy. Additionally, the shifting demographics and the rise in technology have influenced many travel trends like local experience, solo travel, and customer experience, among others. And so the availability of affordable travel solutions offered by bus services triggers the demand for online bus ticket booking apps in the travel industry.
Moving on, travel companies are leveraging technology to augment the experience of travelers. They are venturing into different travel domains, such as travel booking, flight booking systems, hotel reservations, etc. which has increased the general usage of mobile apps. And this increase in the usage of smartphone and mobile apps is a key market driver for online bus ticket booking apps.
The global Online Bus Ticketing market is projected to reach USD 22,663.59 million by 2030, from USD 6,264.67 million in 2021, and is anticipated to register a CAGR of 14.9% between 2022 and 2023
Monetization Opportunities For Bus Ticket Booking Mobile App
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Commissions
This is a popular source of revenue generation for aggregator apps that allows them to make money for every order placed through the app. In this, the app owner can charge a specific amount as a commission from both the passengers as well as the bus services agencies.
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Featured Listing
In this monetization model, the app owner can feature a few bus service agencies in the top section of the app or publicize them separately so they can catch the user’s attention. In return, the app owner can charge a specific amount of money from the featured businesses.
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Ad Selling
This is an excellent way to generate a steady revenue stream where the app owners can sell ad spots to businesses keen on promoting their products/services. In return for these ad spots, the owner can charge a predefined amount of money from the advertising businesses.
Top Bus Ticket Booking Mobile Apps
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RedBus
redBus is one of the leading online bus ticketing platforms that has served over 18 million customers. With a global presence, the bus service enables the users to book bus tickets as well as benefit from several exciting offers. It also enables the users to book hotel rooms and make their journey more comfortable. With this app, the users can choose the bus type, the0ir preferred bus operator, check the departure and arrival time, ratings and reviews, etc. He can also make online payments from within the app using secure payment gateways.
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MakeMyTrip
MakeMyTrip is among the most renowned travel portals in India, offering incredible deals on hotel and flight bookings. But what most people don’t know is that this app can also be used for booking bus tickets. The users can score the best deals and book buses that serve as many as 12,000 routes. You can also find luxury buses including Mercedes, Volvo, Deluxe Luxury, etc. to ensure a smooth and comfortable journey.
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ClearTrip
This is a global online travel agency that offers comprehensive solutions to book flights, trains, hotels, and buses. Founded in 2006, the company has achieved a global presence in just 15 years. It enables the users to check out the different bus operators, choose their preferred bus type, check seat availability, and make quick payments through secured gateways.
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AbhiBus
This is another one of the leading bus travel companies in India that provides hassle-free bus ticket booking services. With a vast network of over 2500 operators, the app offers bus rides that service 100,000 routes. The innovative app also enables the passengers to watch their chosen movies on any device while traveling on a bus.
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Goibibo
Goibibo is a significant travel platform that allows booking bus tickets with various bus operators across the country. You can track the buses in real-time and choose from a variety of bus types such as Mercedes, Volvo, Sleeper Class, Luxury Deluxe, and many more.
Attributes of Successful Bus Ticket Booking Mobile App
- Allow Travelers To Choose Drop & Pick Up Location
This is an important app attribute that will ensure that the users get maximum comfort and convenience. Giving them the ease to choose their pick-up and drop-off location will increase the app usage, making the passengers choose your app over the others.
- Facilitate Co Traveler Management (Male/Female)
Sometimes, when people are traveling alone, they prefer having a co-traveler of a particular gender. For instance, some prefer to have a female passenger seated next to them whereas others like to have a male co-passenger. With this functionality, the user can select the gender of the co-traveler while making the booking. This is a popular feature that can make your app really successful by enhancing the end-user experience.
- Provide Information Inside The Facility
Sometimes, the bus driver or the operator needs to convey important information to the passengers who are on board. This can be anything regarding food availability, change in the bus route, etc. The app can be an effective medium to convey all the information to the passengers in real-time.
- Allow Passenger To Review & Rate
This is a significant attribute that helps to build the trust of new users. The passengers can leave their reviews about different operators within the app. The new users can check these reviews and make informed decisions. This will have a positive impact on the app’s reputation and help to build credibility.
- Ensure Passenger Safety & Security
It is important that the app safeguards all the vital customer data and keeps it confidential. Also, most bus ticketing apps allow users to make online payments. These apps must ensure complete safety and security of the user’s payment details to build trust and prevent any fraudulent activities.
- Provide Travel Insurance
Travel insurance has become a norm these days. So, it could be great if the bus booking app provides this feature of travel insurance to the users. This can immensely boost the app’s popularity.
General Features Of Bus Ticket Booking Mobile App
[table “8” could not be loaded /]Advance Features To Develop An Outstanding Bus Ticket Booking Mobile App
- Social Signup/Login
This is a significant feature that helps new users quickly sign up for the app using any of their social media accounts. This is the easiest way to log into the app using accounts like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. that leads to an enhanced customer experience.
- Push Notification
With push notifications, the drivers or bus operators can convey important information about the bus ride to the passengers. The travelers will receive these notifications in real-time and remain updated about the schedule.
- Live Bus Tracking
This is an interesting feature that enables the customers to check out the real-time location of the bus and know its estimated time of arrival or departure. Thus, they do not need to call the bus operator to find out the whereabouts of the bus.
- Real-Time Seat Check
This feature enables the customers to check the availability of seats on a specific ride. Also, using this feature, they can select any seat as per their preference, such as a window seat or aisle seat. This provides maximum convenience to the users and ensures that they have a comfortable journey.
- Ticket Validation By QR Code
This feature is used by the drivers to validate the ticket provided by the passengers. He can simply scan the QR code on the ticket and check if the ticket is valid before allowing the passengers in the bus.
- CRM Integration
Customer Relationship Management is an important aspect of the smooth running of every business. CRM integration enables the app admin to manage user profiles and expand the functionality of the app.
- Chat Support Integration
A chat support panel is a must for a ticket booking app. It enables the passengers to directly communicate with the bus operators in case of any emergency or to address any queries. Alternatively, the bus operators can pass important notifications regarding the bus departure or arrival time to fellow passengers.
- Marketing & Promotion Tools
Using a range of marketing and promotion tools such as calls, text messages, emails, the app owners can enhance app engagement. They can offer special discount vouchers or loyalty programs that motivate the users to book through the app.
- Real-time Analytics & Dashboards
With this feature, the app admin can keep a tab on the daily activities taking place within the app. For instance, he can see the number of bookings taking place, the most popular bus agencies, the number of new sign-ups, etc. The feature helps to track everything in real-time, measure the app’s performance rate, and make modifications accordingly.
- Loyalty Program Integration
Your bus ticketing app should run new loyalty programs from time to time. This can be in the form of special coupons or discount vouchers for loyal customers. It is a noteworthy way to retain customers as well as encourage them to use the app in the future.
- In-App Navigation
Using this feature, the users can track the bus route and be notified about all the stops that the bus will pass through to reach the destination.
- In-App Calendar Integration
Once the user has made a booking, the app will send reminders or alerts as the travel date approaches.
- Third-party Hotel & Taxi Booking Integration
With this functionality, the app will suggest nearby hotels or taxi booking services that are in close proximity to the user’s destination. This is an excellent feature that will offer enhanced ease to the users and make their journey more comfortable.
Tech Stack Required To Develop A Bus Ticket Booking App
Mobile App Architecture Design
Required Team Structure For Developing Bus Ticket Booking Mobile App
For a smart, intuitive, and feature-rich app, you need to work with a skilled team that has considerable experience in developing on-demand mobile apps. So, make sure to choose a team that comprises the following professionals:
- Project Manager
Having a responsible project manager is indispensable to ensure success. He will be supervising the entire development process and assign tasks to the different departments and ensure timely delivery.
- App Developers
This will include a frontend and backend developer. He will be responsible for managing the app coding and all other technical aspects.
- App Designers
The app designer will manage the UI/UX of the app and ensure the app’s look and feel is in sync with the client’s vision.
- Testers And QA Analysts
These professionals will ensure that the app is completely free of all bugs and glitches. It is only after their approval that the app will be delivered to the client.
How Much Does It Cost To Develop Bus Ticket Booking Mobile App?
The cost of developing a bus ticket booking app depends on varied factors. Some of the most noteworthy ones are as follows:
- The platform chosen for developing the app: Android, iOS, or both
- UI/ UX development
- Number and types of features and functionalities integrated
- Third-party integrations
- Technology stack
- Number of hours needed for development
- Standing and location of the app development, although all of the aforementioned features significantly
influence the developmental cost, the last one, i.e. location of the app development company, has a particularly huge impact. This is because the cost of labor in different countries greatly varies. For instance, in the UK/USA, developers charge around $80 to $250 per hour. The developers in Europe and Eastern European regions charge around $50 to $170 per hour. In contrast to this, app developers in India charge much less. You can easily find skilled and talented developers at around $20 to $80 per hour.
Remember, you can get a good bus ticket booking app with all basic functionalities for around $15,000 to $20,000. However, for a more advanced product with complex functionalities, the cost can go up to $35,000.
Choose Appquipo As Your Trusted Ticket Booking App Development Partner
We are a company that will offer end-to-end bus ticket booking mobile App Development solutions that help bus operators and agents with their business. Your company will thrive because your passengers can easily book their bus trips, making the experience easy. When you get your bus booking app developed by Appquipo, you will have a more efficient operation, reduced expenses and fraud, maximized occupancy, and complete control of commissions, inventory, agents, and more.
Additionally, we have a portfolio showcasing our previous work, which could give you an idea of our capabilities and the quality of our output. You can also look for reviews from our previous clients to gauge our reliability and the satisfaction of our customers.
Wrapping Up
If you own a fleet of buses and want to grow your business, you must invest in this app idea. It will help to make your business grow considerably. Just make sure to choose an experienced mobile app development company like us, as we will help you develop a brilliant app with robust features that are perfect for your success. You can directly reach us and share your project ideas with us.
