Idea Money, redBus Partner to enable bus ticket bookings for users

Idea Money, the instant, safe and secure digital wallet service from Idea Cellular, has partnered with India’s online bus ticketing platform redBus.

This partnership will support and enable hassle free bus ticket booking for Idea Money customers with limited or no internet access.

This collaboration will allow customers to book bus tickets online through Idea Money’s RAM portal with the help of the retailer at all Idea Money retail points. The customers can access bus bookings across 70,000+ routes in India, inclusive of both inter and intra state travel, on private and state-run bus services like GSRTC, UPSRTC, etc.

With the improving connectivity between cities, towns and villages in the country, road transport is a growing mode of travel among the Indian population. However, accessibility to technology based electronic ticket booking and awareness around it is low in the Tier 2, 3 and 4 markets. With this association, Idea’s network of 1.8 million retailers coupled with redBus’s geographical spread will amplify the reach of the offering to Tier 3 and Tier 4 markets and be beneficial for both the end customer and retailer.

Commenting on the partnership, Sudhakar Ramasubramanian, MD & CEO, Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank said “We are delighted to partner with redBus and add yet another service offering to our portfolio under the Idea Money Retailer Assisted Model (RAM). Road is the most sought-after mode of transport among India’s growing populace. Through this collaboration, we aim to bridge the accessibility challenge faced by our customers in the smaller markets. The essence of our RAM model is to bring more and more online services to our offline customers and establish a sense of inclusiveness. With this partnership, Idea Money, further empowers its retailers with a comprehensive suite of offerings, those that the customers can avail easily at all times.”

Commenting on the partnership, Manoj Agarwala, Vice President, redBus said, "We are very excited with this partnership, as Idea’s 1.8 million retailer network opens up a significant large channel for us. Ability to book bus tickets in advance, for a consumer along with informed choice and seat selection, will improve the overall ticketing experience and help scale up online bus ticket bookings, esp. beyond Metro’s and Tier-1 markets”

With an aim to scale up rural assisted bus bookings, the Idea Money - redBus partnership will work to solve the accessibility and transport challenges faced in the distant and smaller towns of our country. The digital wallet service is currently being offered by IMCSL (Idea M-Commerce Services Ltd), a subsidiary of Idea Cellular.

redBus was founded in the year 2006 and it became a part of ibibo Group in 2013 via a 100% acquisition. Recently, in 2016, three entities, namely, MakeMyTrip, Goibibo, and redBus merged together to form one single entity with an aim to make travel simpler for everyone in the country.

redBus is the World’s Number One online bus ticketing platform, with over 100 million tickets sold. redBus offers services of over 2,300 bus operators across 70,000 routes in India.

Over the years, redBus has grown exponentially and has forayed into international markets as well. As of now, apart from India, redBus is operational in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Peru and Colombia.