FlixBus Partners ixigo’s AbhiBus To Bolster Its Southern India Expansion

German travel tech startup FlixBus, which is on an expansion spree in India, has partnered ixigo’s bus ticketing platform AbhiBus. The partnership will allow users to browse bus routes offered by FlixBus at prices starting INR 99 through AbhiBus’ platform. 

The development comes a week after FlixBus announced its foray into the southern region of the country with the launch of 14 new buses on six new routes via Bengaluru. In a statement, the startup said that the partnership with Ixigo will help it expand its reach into cities like Coimbatore, Madurai, Tirupati, and Vijayawada.

“We are excited to join forces with AbhiBus, leveraging its strong foothold in South India to expand our reach into new regions. As part of our recent South India expansion, we have launched 6 new routes as inaugural connections in the region connecting 33 cities, further driving our growth. Together, we aim to offer Indian passengers convenient and affordable travel solutions that prioritise both comfort and sustainability,” Flixbus India’s managing director Surya Khurana said in a statement. 

Founded in 2011, FlixBus offers low-cost intercity bus services in more than 40 countries in Europe, North America, South America and Asia. In India, it began its journey in February this year with Delhi as its hub. Since then, it has expanded to 101 cities.

This is FlixBus’ second such partnership with a bus ticketing aggregator platform in India. In July, it partnered fintech major Paytm to allow users to book bus tickets through Paytm’s app. 

Founded in 2008 by Sudhakar Reddy Chirra, AbhiBus provides end-to-end software and other value-added solutions such as eticketing systems, fleet management solutions, vehicle tracking systems, passenger information systems, and logistics management.  It claims to be aggregating over 4,000+ private bus operators and 25 leading State RTCs, covering more than 350,000+ routes across the country

The startup was acquired by ixigo in a cash and stock deal in 2021. The acquisition gave the listed travel tech startup rights over all intellectual property, brands, technology and operations of AbhiBus.

Commenting on the partnership with FlixBus, AbhiBus COO Rohit Sharma said, “This partnership reflects the shared ambition of FlixBus and AbhiBus to revolutionise intercity travel in India by providing high-quality, yet affordable bus services. By combining FlixBus’s premium offerings with our intuitive and user-friendly platform, we’re elevating the travel experience for Indian passengers.” 

Earlier this year, ixigo also expanded its partnership with PhonePe to offer flight and bus bookings on the latter’s app.

The partnership is anticipated to increase ixigo’s revenue from its bus ticketing business. In the first quarter of the financial year 2024-25 (Q1 FY25), the startup’s bus ticketing revenue rose to INR 39.6 Cr from INR 35.9 Cr in Q1 FY24.

Shares of ixigo ended today’s trading session 1.9% higher at INR 157.25 on the BSE.