2/3rd inter-city travellers prefer SmartBuses with on-board washroom, says IntrCity’s survey

⅔ rd of surveyed travellers prioritise travelling with an on-board washroom facility, while 60% like to travel with

GPS tracking enabled buses

Indian travellers prefer SmartBuses and willing to pay more for their additional services

Female travellers prefer safety, while men prefer punctuality when choosing the mode of travel

New Delhi, April 27, 2022: With a steady decline in the number of Covid cases and ease in restrictions pertaining to COVID-19, IntrCity, India’s leading mobility platform, revealed the findings of a travel survey to better understand Indian travellers’ behaviour and preferences while travelling inter-city. Results illustrate that with long due vacations, visiting family on weekends and work trips, Indians are enthusiastic to travel and yet cautious about hygiene & sanitisation. The importance of hygiene and safety among travellers has skyrocketed. 65% travellers prioritise travelling with an on-board washroom facility, while 60% prefer GPS tracking enabled buses. Indian travellers prefer SmartBuses and are willing to pay more for the additional amenities. Female travellers prefer safety, while men prefer punctuality when choosing the mode of travel.

Travellers still prioritise safety and hygiene, while travelling inter-city

For inter-city travellers, hygiene comes first, followed by safety and punctuality in that order, which is fairly similar to the results of last year’s survey. Even when the pandemic begins to fade, a bias toward hygiene and sanitisation signals a more permanent change to the ‘new normal.’ Hygiene and safety are the top two criteria that impact mode of transportation selection, followed by cost and punctuality as the joint third most significant factor.

Nearly 2/3rd of all respondents have stated a clear preference for a SmartBus over a regular bus. More encouragingly, even more respondents (75%) are willing to pay more for these benefits, compared to a regular bus. Out of these benefits, an automated GPS system and an on-board washroom facility comprise two of the most popular features for travellers.

Intercity travellers generally view GPS tracking on their bus as an ideal choice, with 60% saying it will make their ride easier and hassle-free. Similarly, over 65 percent of all respondents across genders and age groups score an onboard washroom facility in an inter-city bus travel a thumbs up.

Speaking about the survey, Mr. Kapil Raizada, Co-founder of IntrCity, said, “Inter-city travel appears to have made a huge comeback in a post-pandemic world, as travel recovers at an unprecedented rate and all COVID restrictions on travel are being eased. We are glad to bring the findings of our survey, which highlight the priority areas of inter-city travellers. The new normal necessitates continued focus on safety, hygiene, punctuality and providing differentiated experience to travellers who decide to travel with IntrCity SmartBus. We look forward to continuing to play a significant role in distinguishing our offerings in this high intensity travel period.”

Travelling begins for both functional and leisure reasons

Among all respondents, more than 70% are intercity functional travellers, out of which, 31% are travelling for work, 32% to meet family/relatives, while 8% are students travelling from or to schools/colleges. However, one-fifth of all inter-city travel is for vacation and leisure purposes, which is in sharp contrast to IntrCity’s last year survey which indicated a drop in planned holidays by more than 70% of respondents. This highlights the resurgence of travel in the country, especially at the outset of the pandemic.

IntrCity SmartBus is a pioneer in Safe+ inter-city mobility initiatives like pre-sanitized private cabins, five-step cleaning and sanitization protocol, mandatory KYC procedures, contactless check-ins, safe & hygienic SmartBus lounges. The Company manages 51+ managed safe boarding zones including SmartBus lounges and partner-managed convenient boarding points. Besides, IntrCity SmartBus offers never-before-seen facilities and innovative features, such as special seat options for extra-tall travellers, pregnant ladies, or women with infants, private cabins, and extra spacious seating areas for plus-size travellers provide both safety and extra comfort.

Survey Methodology

IntrCity performed a nationwide online survey of 3,100 persons aged 18 to 60 years old who travel between India’s metros, tier-1, and tier-2 cities. The survey was conducted between March 15 and April 10, 2022. IntrCity’s data insights team analysed and validated the survey’s results.