Uber Integrates AbhiBus to Enable Intercity Bus Bookings Within Its App

Uber has partnered with AbhiBus, the bus-ticketing arm of Indian travel platform ixigo, to allow users to book intercity bus tickets directly within the Uber app. The feature went live across India on March 9, 2026, and marks a notable expansion of Uber's service offering in one of its largest global markets.

Users can access the service through the Home or Services section of the Uber app by selecting the "Intercity" option. From there, they can enter their origin, destination, and travel date, browse available services, choose preferred seats, and complete payment — all without being redirected to an external platform. The booking process is designed to mirror the simplicity of hailing a cab, applying a familiar interface to a different mode of travel.

The integration draws on AbhiBus's network of over 6,200 bus operators covering more than 600,000 routes nationwide. Features available through the booking flow include real-time seat availability, filters for bus type — such as AC, Sleeper, Seater, Volvo, and Scania — 360-degree bus photos on select routes, live bus tracking, and 24/7 customer support. An "Abhi Assured" option offers users defined compensation in the event of a service disruption, adding a layer of reliability assurance to what has historically been an uneven experience on some intercity routes.

Rohit Sharma, Chief Operating Officer of AbhiBus, said the partnership was aimed at reducing friction in how travellers discover and book bus services. "By integrating AbhiBus's deep operator network and booking technology into the Uber app, we are bringing over 6 lakh routes directly to millions of users — making bus travel discovery as seamless as booking a cab," he said. Sharma added that the tie-up was intended to "set a new benchmark for how India books its intercity journeys."

Praveen Neppalli Naga, Chief Technology Officer at Uber, framed the move as consistent with the company's broader mobility strategy. "Our mission is to make movement seamless for everyone," he said, describing the integration of AbhiBus's bus inventory as "a natural extension of that vision." Naga highlighted AbhiBus's depth of operator relationships as a key factor in the partnership, noting that it would "unlock a new dimension of mobility for millions of Indians."

For Uber, the partnership represents a strategic push to position the app as a one-stop platform for both short-distance and long-distance travel in India, rather than solely a ride-hailing service. The Indian intercity bus market is substantial — the country's road transport network handles hundreds of millions of passenger trips annually, with bus travel remaining the most widely used mode of intercity transport, particularly among price-sensitive travellers.

For AbhiBus, the Uber integration adds a significant new distribution channel to an already broad footprint. The platform currently serves as an official ticketing partner for the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) as well as several state road transport corporations (SRTCs) across the country. Embedding its inventory within a high-traffic consumer app like Uber offers the company access to users who may not have previously considered AbhiBus as a booking option.

AbhiBus is owned by ixigo, listed on Indian exchanges as Le Travenues Technology Limited. The company positions itself as a travel platform built for the next wave of Indian internet users, offering AI-powered bookings for trains, flights, buses, and hotels across its platforms — ixigo, ConfirmTkt, and AbhiBus. In the financial year ending March 2025, ixigo reported over 540 million annual active users, reflecting the scale at which the group operates.

The announcement was made at an event in Gurugram attended by senior leadership from both companies, including AbhiBus CEO Lenin Koduru and Uber India's Senior Director of Mobility and Platforms, Manikandan Thangarathnam.