Uber Sees Highest Ever Intercity Trips Booked in 2024, Buoyed by Travel Demand

The weekend continued to be the most favoured days for Intercity travel by Indians, with Sunday leading the pack with the highest number of trips booked, followed by Saturday and Friday, respectively.

Kolkata: Uber, India’s leading ridehailing app today released the latest edition of its ‘Intercity Ride’ index, the annual data compilation of its popular Intercity mobility product, which revealed that the year-to-date number of trips in 2024 have already surpassed last year’s highs.

In 2024, Uber recorded its highest-ever Intercity trip bookings, fueled by Indians’ increasing penchant for travel, holidays and transformative improvements in the nation’s road infrastructure. The expansive network of national highways and expressways has significantly reduced travel times, making long-distance road journeys more seamless, convenient, and appealing than ever before.

The weekend continued to be the most favoured days for Intercity travel by Indians, with Sunday leading the pack with the highest number of trips booked, followed by Saturday and Friday, respectively.

Commenting on the strong growth momentum, Shweta Mantri, Head of Rider Verticals, Uber India and South Asia said, “It’s been amazing to see how much love Uber Intercity has received this year. People are using it in so many ways – whether it’s quick getaways, family visits, or just exploring new places. We’re thrilled to be a part of their journeys and can’t wait to make road trips even more fun and hassle-free for everyone, with features such as Reserve to aid journey planning, and Round Trips to expand travel possibilities.”

Riders can book Uber Intercity round trips for up to 5 days, with the flexibility to retain their car and driver while making multiple stops along the way. To simplify travel planning, Uber offers the option to reserve rides with pre-assigned drivers and riders can book up to 90 days in advance. This not only empowers riders to organize their journeys seamlessly but also provides drivers with the ability to predict their earnings and plan their schedules more effectively. In 2024, Reserve bookings for Intercity more than doubled, underscoring the growing trust and enthusiasm for this enhanced journey planning feature.

To make travel even more convenient and affordable for Indians this December, Uber has launched its ‘Big Intercity Sale 2024’, with attractive discounts on existing prices. Safety continues to be the top priority for Uber, and the company has introduced 24×7 live support for all Intercity trips, including pre-trip and on-trip assistance.

The round trip feature was loved way more by riders for their leisure travel and visits to places of worship as they could keep the Uber with them, while one-way trips were most booked by those going to visit their families, where the date of return could be flexible.

Here’s some of the key highlights from the ‘Intercity Ride’ index:

Top 3 Intercity Routes in India

  1. Mumbai – Pune
  2. Delhi – Agra
  3. Bangalore – Mysore

Top 5 Intercity Weekend Travel Months

(Top 5 months in 2024 with the highest number of Intercity trips booked during weekends, in no set order)

  • March [Holi long weekend]
  • May [Buddha Purnima long weekend, summer break]
  • June [Eid long weekend, summer break]
  • -August [Independence Day/Rakhi long weekend]
  • September [Onam/Ganesh Chaturthi, Eid long weekends]

Top 3 Days of the Week

(Top 3 days of the week with the highest number of Uber Intercity rides in 2024, in decreasing order)

  1. Sunday
  2. Saturday
  3. Friday

Top Uses For Intercity

(Top uses for Intercity going by number of trips booked in 2024, in decreasing order)

  1. Pilgrimage, tourism & family visits
  2. Business/client meetings
  3. Events (wedding/parties/concerts/trade shows)

Most Popular Getaways

(The top weekend getaways around major cities, going by Intercity trips booked in 2024, in decreasing order of popularity)

Base CityMost Popular Intercity Travel Destinations
MumbaiPune, Nashik, Lonavala, Matheran, Alibaug
BangaloreMysore, Nandi Hills, Chikmagalur
DelhiAgra, Jaipur, Vrindavan
ChennaiPuducherry, Vellore, Thiruvannamalli
HyderabadMehbubnagar, Warangal, Medak
KolkataNadia, Digha, Kharagpur
JaipurDelhi, Ajmer, Sikar
LucknowKanpur, Faizabad, Raebareli
ChandigarhDelhi, Ludhiana, Solan, Amritsar
AhmedabadVadodara, Anand, Surat

About Uber

Uber’s mission is to create opportunity through movement. Since 2013, we’ve revolutionized mobility in India with cars, autos, bikes, and buses, helping millions of riders get where they need to go. Today, Uber is available in over 125 cities across India, connecting people to seamless travel options and helping over 1,000,000 Indians earn a sustainable income. From everyday commutes to once-in-a-lifetime journeys, we’re committed to reimagining the way the world moves, and bringing people closer to the moments that matter.

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