Uber’s premium bus service expected to kick off soon in Delhi
At present, the official further added, the aggregators have plans to focus on travel within Delhi. The intercity travel will be in focus in the next stage, they said.
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Transport Minister Gahlot is set to inspect Uber buses at Rajghat Depot-2 today. In a first-of-its-kind premium service, pre-booked long-distance journeys will soon be a reality across Delhi-NCR with Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot set to inspect Uber buses at Rajghat Depot-2 on Wednesday. Earlier this year, ride-hailing platform Uber had received approval from the Delhi Transport Department to run the premium bus service in the Capital. Once the inspection is done, Uber is expected to kick off the service in 7-10 days, officials said.
“These will be the first premium buses to start under the Delhi Premium Bus scheme, which will help passengers — especially office-goers traveling long distances like Noida to Gurugram, Ghaziabad to Noida, Dwarka to Central Delhi and other places. The Minister will meet the officials of Uber who will give a presentation on the bus services already being provided by the app-based aggregators in other metro cities,” said an official.
At present, the official further added, the aggregators have plans to focus on travel within Delhi. The intercity travel will be in focus in the next stage, they said. “After the trial runs, the services will be extended to NCR cities like Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, and other nearby places,” he added.
The Delhi Motor Vehicles Licensing of Aggregator (Premium Buses) Scheme was notified by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government last year. Under this service, commuters can book tickets in advance, without waiting at bus stands, and travel comfortably instead of jostling for seats. Officials said that these buses will be fully air-conditioned luxury public buses with reserved reclining seats along with WiFi, GPS, and CCTV.
According to transport department officials, the government has issued licenses to two app-based aggregators under the scheme. “Once the buses start operation, passengers will be able to book tickets online, avoid standing when seats are full, and receive pick-ups close to their homes, eliminating the need to travel to a bus stand. This policy marks a historic moment for the national capital, representing a significant step towards improved public transportation, reduced congestion, and lower pollution,” said the official.
The buses cannot be more than three years old, as per the government norms. All the vehicles added to the fleet after January 1, 2025, must be electric. Aggregator licences will be granted upon payment of Rs 5 lakh, which will be valid for five years.
No licence fee will be levied on electric buses, furthering the cause of clean and sustainable transportation in Delhi, said officials.
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