Women now make up 33% of intercity bus travelers, rising from 23% in 2019, based on platform data from 2019 to 2025.
There’s also a notable rise in solo travel among women passengers, especially among younger demographics. Gen Z women aged 14-29 represent 60% of all female bus travelers and account for 68% of solo trips taken by women.
The growth in women’s bus travel has been observed across various regions. South India reports the highest increase, with women travelers climbing from 24% in 2019 to 34% in 2025. Other regions have recorded similar gains, with the West rising from 23% to 31%, the East from 21% to 30%, and the North from 20% to 28%.
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An index evaluating the ease of travel for women across states ranks Assam, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, and Telangana among the leading five. This classification is based on several factors, such as the national percentage of women travelers, the proportion of solo women travelers, and the number of long-distance journeys over 500 kilometers undertaken by women.
Passengers from smaller towns contribute significantly to these journeys, with 68% of women bus travelers hailing from tier-2 and tier-3 towns.
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Booking patterns also vary by gender. Approximately 62% of women secure bus tickets at least one day prior to travel, while only 48% of men do the same.
Peer feedback and safety considerations heavily influence travel decisions among women passengers. Nearly 47% prefer buses that have high ratings from other female travelers, and 33% take note of how many other women have already booked seats on the same bus. During their journeys, the staff’s behavior (50%) is the primary concern, followed closely by the option to share live tracking with trusted contacts (48%).
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(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)
