Returning to the hometown, on a business trip, taking a solo journey, or traveling for any occasion, nothing beats the experience of a bus ride with a window seat, headphones on, and the relaxation of meal stops along the way. To enjoy this to the fullest, choosing the best bus through a top-rated bus booking app is essential.
Traveling by train can be a fun experience, but last-minute ticket confirmations aren’t guaranteed. Flight prices are competitive and often change between high and low fares. For emergencies or last-minute travel, the comfortable 2-seater or 2+1 sleeper AC buses are a top choice. With over 10,000 quality buses available across India, finding one that offers comfort and great service depends on using the best bus booking apps.
Choosing the right bus booking app can provide detailed information about bus options, amenities, wake-up calls before your stop, free water bottles, and valuable discounts. This article covers the best bus booking websites in India, so whether you're at home or traveling in the bus, you can easily pick the best bus for your journey.
Best Bus Booking Websites/ App in India for a Comfortable Journey
There are many bus booking apps and websites available online, but it can be hard to know which ones are the best. Key factors to consider include whether the app or site shows actual bus photos, lists all available amenities, displays accurate prices and has trustworthy public reviews. Here are some of the best bus booking websites of India that are trusted to deliver the best booking experience.
Zingbus - The Best Bus Booking Site for AC 2-Seater Intercity Bus Travel
Zingbus is an excellent choice for both short trips and intercity bus bookings. It offers 100% air-conditioned premium buses, ensuring a luxurious travel experience. Zingbus features AC 2-seater buses equipped with clean and hygienic washrooms.
One of the standout features of Zingbus is its exclusive lounges for travelers in cities like Delhi, New Delhi, Manali, Ahmedabad, and Lucknow. These lounges provide a perfect space to relax with amenities like snack centers, luggage storage, charging points, free Wi-Fi, and washrooms.
With a network spanning 500 cities across North, South, and West India, Zingbus ensures easy access to quality bus services. In addition to buses, Zingbus offers SUV (Cab) services starting at just ₹249, equipped with CCTV and live tracking for added security.
When it comes to pricing, Zingbus offers luxury AC buses with premium amenities like free Wi-Fi and lounges, making it a more comfortable and convenient choice compared to government buses, where fares might be as low as ₹100 but often lack the same level of comfort.
Zingbus also provides great Zingbus First-Time User Discount, Early Bird, Student, Women’s (up to Rs. 300), and Group Booking Offers, along with many other Special Coupons. While Zingbus is known for its premium 2-seater AC buses, it also offers sleeper seating in buses where available, ensuring a comfortable journey for all travelers.
Book Zingbus Tickets Online!
Yatra.com – From Bus Bookings to Complete Holiday Planning
Yatra.com is the best bus booking website for planning trips to short & long destinations. Yatra makes planning your holiday easy by offering genuine recommendations for hotels, cabs, must-visit places, and much more. While there are other great options for solo or single bus travelers, Yatra is an excellent choice for family or office trips.
If you're a frequent traveler for work, Yatra is the best bus, train, flight & hotel booking website for quick & easy tour planning. With Yatra Prime subscription, you can save on convenience fees, enjoy exclusive fares, receive weekly surprise gifts, and earn rewards. Yatra also has great deals for users with credit cards, offering numerous discounts with various banks, making it easy to travel in comfort at affordable rates.
Plan a Bus Trip on Yatra!
Save ₹200 to ₹500 on Yatra Bus Bookings!
Paytm Bus Ticket Booking
On Paytm, you can book both private and government buses, unlike some websites and apps that offer only private bus bookings. Paytm is your all-in-one solution for daily online activities, whether it's shopping, traveling, booking movie tickets, or paying bills and loans.
On Paytm, you can easily book different types of buses, including seater, sleeper, and semi-sleeper options. Also, you’ll enjoy rewards like cashback and coupons on your bookings. Paytm also offers a rare 100% cancellation policy on bus bookings for a small fee, allowing you to cancel anytime and get a full refund.
Paytm Bus Tickets!
Explore Paytm Discounts on Premium Bus Operators!
RedBus – The Best Bus & Train Booking App in India
RedBus is one of the leading platforms for bus and train bookings, founded by Charan Padmaraju, Phanindra Sama, and Sudhakar Pasupunuri in 2006. It caters to users in India, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Peru, and Colombia. The platform was designed to provide a simple, user-friendly interface that allows travelers to easily select departure and arrival locations, as well as their travel dates.
RedBus stands out not only for its simple booking process but also for regular updates that improve the user experience and ensure travelers have the latest information. When booking through RedBus, users can view all preferred routes and even book government-operated buses.
Features and Benefits of RedBus
Real Bus Photos and Amenities: RedBus provides photos of the actual buses you’ll travel in, along with a list of amenities each operator offers.
Primo Buses Highlighted First: RedBus prioritizes "Primo" buses with high facilities and good reviews to ensure you have a comfortable journey without compromising on quality. Also, it offers 100% cancellation sometimes.
Rest Stop Hygiene Details: RedBus displays rest stops along the route and provides info about their hygiene, so you can travel with peace of mind, knowing that the stops are clean and safe.
Live Bus Tracking: With reliable live bus tracking, RedBus lets you follow your journey in real-time, unlike some platforms where tracking might be inaccurate.
Exciting Discounts and Festival Offers: RedBus provides discounts of up to ₹300 on bus bookings. During festivals, RedBus also releases special RedBus Coupon Codes and Offers, making travel more affordable.
A friendly tip - The bus pictures displayed in the app are uploaded by the bus operators, not by RedBus, so they may vary. However, the top-rated operators in each city or state typically provide accurate photos of their buses and amenities. If you're unsure about the images, consider reading the reviews of the bus to get a better idea of what to expect.
RedBus Cancellation Policy
If you cancel your bus booking at least six hours before your journey, you will receive a full refund with no cancellation charges. However, if you cancel within six hours of your departure, you will not be eligible for any refund.
Book Bus & Train on RedBus!
Abhibus
Abhibus is a trusted platform used by over 5 crore travelers and is the best bus booking website in India. It offers features similar to RedBus, such as live tracking and competitive bus fares. Abhibus also offers the Abhi Assured program, which allows travelers to receive compensation ranging from 10% to 150%. Through this program, users can get a 100% refund for poor service quality, bus delays, or changes to the destination or journey details.
Abhibus also has a unique feature called AbhiCash, where you can get Abhibus Promo Codes, cashbacks, and refunds. In case of cancellations, you can load your refund into your AbhiCash wallet and use the amount to book another ticket.
To avoid the hassle of booking tickets and making payments via UPI, you can add money to your AbhiCash wallet. This makes payments much more convenient without needing to open your UPI app. A major advantage of Abhibus is that, unlike RedBus, it allows you to book trains, flights, and hotels in addition to bus tickets.
Book Bus on Abhibus!
Next on our list is Goibibo. Goibibo is the first choice for frequent flyers for flight ticket booking, and when it comes to booking flights, whether you're a frequent flyer or planning your first trip, choosing the right platform can make a difference. Here’s a list of the Top Flight Booking Websites that are popular for reliability and ease of use.
Goibibo
If you want to book bus tickets with great bank offers and discounts every time, Goibibo is a top choice for families planning travel and holidays. Goibibo not only lets you book bus tickets online but also helps you organize holidays and stays if you're visiting a new place. While booking on Goibibo, you'll see recommendations for top destinations, attractions, famous landmarks, and nearby accommodations with top reviews.
Most bus booking apps offer a first-time user coupon, but they stop providing ongoing discounts for every booking after that. With Goibibo, however, you enjoy both a first-time discount and continuous discounts (usually ₹50 to ₹70) on every bus ticket you book. Also, for students studying away from home, Goibibo has the Student GoPass, offering great deals on trips back home, especially during festival seasons.
If you want reliable savings without complicated coupons and offers, Goibibo is a great choice for bus bookings, with deals available on every trip.
Goibibo’s Current Bus Booking Offers!
Popular Government Bus Tickets on Goibibo -
APSRTC - Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation
HRTC - Himachal Road Transport Corporation
KTC - Kadamba Transport Corporation
SBSTC - South Bengal State Transport Corporation
TSRTC - Telangana State Road Transport Corporation
UPSRTC - Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation
WBTC - West Bengal Transport Corporation
NBSTC - North Bengal State Transport Corporation
KSRTC (Kerala) - Kerala State Road Transport Corporation
CTU - Chandigarh Transport Undertaking
ASTC - Assam State Transport Corporation
PEPSU - Patiala and East Punjab States Union
JKSRTC - Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation
Chalo - The Best and Convenient App for Booking Local City Buses
The article “Best Bus Booking Websites & Apps in India” is not just for booking long-distance journeys; they cover all your travel needs, including local bus trips with the Chalo Bus App. With Chalo, you can easily travel within the city without worrying about change or cash, making every trip digital and convenient.
The Chalo Bus App is simple and convenient, perfect for daily commuters and newcomers alike. Whether you're in a bustling city like Mumbai or anywhere else, just enter your destination, and Chalo will show you upcoming buses, timetables and fares, and let you book tickets instantly.
Chalo also offers a ‘Chalo Card’, a contactless payment option that you can recharge from as little as ₹10. You can use it for quick, one-tap payments, storing bus tickets on the card. For even more convenience, Chalo has a Mobile Bus Pass. Easily renew your pass through the app and simply show it on your phone, scan the QR Code, and you’re ready to travel!
Chalo Discount: Chalo may not offer special deals on ticket bookings like other top bus ticket apps. Still, you can save money with the Chalo Card in the future.
Chalo App on Google Play!
Install Chalo from the Apple Store!
MakeMyTrip
MakeMyTrip is the largest travel platform in India for bus ticket and travel bookings. Here's what you need to know about MMT
MMT offers a wide range of bus services, including both private and government-operated buses. The prices start low, making it an affordable option for bus travel. One of the reasons MakeMyTrip is so popular for bus bookings is the exclusive, non-stop deals they offer during checkout. This allows you to save ₹50 to ₹70 on every bus ticket because of the special MakeMyTrip Promo Codes available at checkout.
However, it's important to note that MMT may charge a higher convenience fee or taxes on the final price of your bus ticket. If you're a frequent user of MMT and have earned rewards, you can use those rewards as a balance to help cover the cost of your bus tickets.
Flipkart & Amazon Pay Bus Booking - Shopping & Payment from One App
Both Amazon and Flipkart have transformed e-commerce, grocery delivery, music, OTT services, and even bus ticket bookings! We’ve included Amazon Pay and Flipkart in our list of the best bus ticket booking websites for their time-saving payment options. If you prefer not to juggle multiple apps for shopping and travel, Amazon Pay offers a seamless solution. Flipkart, on the other hand, makes saving easy with cashback or rewards on bus ticket booking. As you may have seen in our 'News & Articles' section, we regularly keep you updated on Amazon and Flipkart sales and offers, these include fantastic deals not only on fashion and electronics but also on bus tickets.
However, one drawback is that while top bus ticket booking apps like RedBus and Goibibo show you detailed images of buses and amenities (like charging ports, pillows, and blankets), Amazon Pay doesn’t yet display such images in its bus ticket booking section.
Amazon Pay Bus Offers Today!
IntrCity Smartbus - Zingbus vs IntrCity SmartBus (A Short Comparison)
If you're looking for a luxurious bus travel experience and the best bus booking website, IntrCity is also a good option over Zingbus. IntrCity SmartBus offers premium amenities, including online food ordering and in-bus restrooms. On IntrCity, you can book SmartBus or choose from various operators, but SmartBuses are only available in select Tier 1 cities.
They also offer an IntrCity SmartBus Savings Card for ₹99, which helps you save up to ₹600 on SmartBus fares and gives you a 10% discount on each trip. Also, they have premium lounges similar to Zingbus. In short, IntrCity SmartBuses are comparable to Zingbuses in terms of pricing, lounges, and amenities. If you live in a capital city and Zingbus isn't an option, IntrCity is a great alternative.
Top IntrCity Bus Routes -
Delhi - Lucknow
Bengaluru - Hyderabad
Chennai - Coimbatore
Delhi - Amritsar
Chennai - Bengaluru
Chennai - Madurai
RedBus vs. IntrCity SmartBus: Which Has the Better Cancellation Policy?
If you cancel your bus ticket on RedBus at least six hours before your journey, you'll get a full refund with no extra charges. For IntrCity SmartBus tickets, a full refund is available if you cancel at least 12 hours before your journey.
Cleartrip - Cleartrip Now Offers Bus Ticket Bookings
Previously, Cleartrip’s only focus was flights and hotel bookings. However, last year, they expanded their services to bus ticket bookings, with access to an inventory of 1 million bus routes across India. Now, you can book tickets easily for A/C sleeper and Volvo buses, covering destinations all over the country at competitive prices.
While Cleartrip might not offer frequent discounts like some other platforms, they do run attractive deals during special sale events. For example, when they launched their bus booking service last year, Cleartrip introduced the #NationonVacation sale, which offered zero convenience fees + 10% Off on bus bookings.
Cleartrip has become one of the best bus booking websites since last year, though it doesn’t offer bookings for government buses.
It’s common for some bus platforms to stop offering discounts after a while, but we still continue using their apps. While Cleartrip may not always have regular discounts, you can still save on bus bookings by checking out the latest Cleartrip Discount Codes!
EaseMyTrip
EaseMyTrip is another great option if you're not satisfied with the other bus ticket booking websites mentioned in this article. Users often consider EaseMyTrip the best because it brings some of the best discounts on both bus and flight tickets.
One of the best features of EaseMyTrip is its "Activity" section. If you haven't planned your trip yet and aren't sure where to go, you can browse through the activities happening in your preferred city and on your chosen date, all at the best prices. So, if you're looking to spend quality time with friends and family without spending high amount, you can easily book bus tickets to your chosen destination and enjoy a fun, affordable trip.
Your search for the Best Bus Booking Website/App to Book Bus Tickets ends here, but there's still a chance to save even more. Explore the special EaseMyTrip Offers on both bus and flight tickets! Before you book your bus tickets, we've also included some helpful tips for first-time travelers below.
Bus Tickets at Low Fares, Cancellations & Bus Travel Tips for First-Time Travelers
Consider booking directly on the bus operator's website or app, as tickets costing ₹600 on platforms like RedBus, Goibibo, or Yatra might be just ₹500 when booked directly.
If you’re a first-time traveler, carry a USB cable. Some buses have only USB ports, while others have 3-pin sockets, which can affect mobile charging options.