The RedBus Pink Report reveals that women's bus travel in India has increased by 136 per cent since 2019, double the overall passenger growth of 72 per cent. Women now account for 33 per cent of intercity bus travellers, up from 23 per cent in 2019. The study highlights strong participation among Gen Z travellers and women from Tier 2 and Tier 3, reflecting a broader shift towards independent mobility across the country.
RedBus, an online bus ticketing platform, has released the first edition of the RedBus Pink Report, released during International Women's Week, highlighting evolving patterns in women's intercity and interstate bus travel across India. Based on internal data from 2019 to 2025, the report indicates that women's bus travel increased by 136 per cent, nearly double the growth rate of overall passenger travel, which rose by 72 per cent during the same period. Women now account for around one in three intercity bus travellers, at 33 per cent of passengers, compared with 23 per cent in 2019.
The analysis draws on RedBus platform data covering both private bus operators and state Road Transport Corporation services across the country. The study examines trends in women's travel behaviour and identifies regions where adoption is accelerating. According to the report, South India continues to lead in women's participation in bus travel, with the share of women passengers rising from 24 per cent in 2019 to 34 per cent in 2025. Other regions have also recorded steady increases, with women's participation growing from 23 per cent to 31 per cent in the West, from 21 per cent to 30 per cent in the East and from 20 per cent to 28 per cent in the North.
The report also introduces a state-level index measuring the relative ease of travel for women, based on factors including women's share of travellers, the proportion of solo female travellers, and the number of long-distance journeys exceeding 500 kilometres. According to this index, the top five states for women's bus travel are Assam, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, and Telangana.
Younger tarvellers are playing a key role in driving this shift. Gen Z women aged 14 to 29 account for 60 per cent of women bus travellers and continue to make 68 per cent of women's solo journeys.
Small-town India has also emerged as an important contributor to this growth. The report shows that 68 per cent of women bus travellers originate from Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns, reflecting increasing workforce participation and expanding digital access to travel services. The report further notes that women tend to plan their journeys earlier than men. Around 62 per cent of women book bus tickets at least one day before travel compared with 48 per cent of men.
Prakash Sangam, CEO of RedBus, commented on the findings:
Women's travel in India today reflects more than just rising journeys; it signals a growing sense of independence. More women across India are choosing to travel on their own terms for work, education, or leisure. At RedBus, we are continuously strengthening features that build trust from better visibility of bus ratings by women to enhanced safety information and dedicated support systems. Our goal is to continue making intercity travel more reliable, accessible, and empowering for every woman, whether she is travelling alone or leading a group. We believe mobility is freedom, and freedom should be seamless."
The report also highlights the relevance of trust and safety signals in women's travel decisions. Nearly 47 per cent of women prefer buses highly rated by other women passengers, while 33 per cent check how many other women have already booked seats on a particular bus. During the journey, service quality and safety-related aspects such as staff behaviour and the ability to share live tracking with trusted contacts play a significant role in shaping travel preferences. Looking ahead, women's participation in intercity bus travel is expected to continue growing as digital adoption expands, connectivity improves, and online travel platforms reach a wider user base. Improvements in road infrastructure and travel comfort are also likely to support the increasing role of bus travel as an accessible mode of mobility for women across India.
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