Rapido launches travel booking, partners with other platforms

Rapido has added a travel booking section to its app through partnerships with Goibibo, ConfirmTkt, and RedBus.

Users can now book trains, flights, buses, and hotels directly from the platform.

Goibibo provides flight and hotel bookings, ConfirmTkt handles IRCTC-authorised train tickets, and RedBus offers intercity bus options.

The update follows Rapido’s recent expansion into food delivery with its Ownly app in select areas of Bengaluru.

In September, the company was reportedly closing in on a US$500 million to US$550 million funding round with Prosus and WestBridge Capital.

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

Rapido handled about 3.3 million daily rides in March 2025 across bike, auto, and cab segments 1. Monthly transacting users topped 18.5 million by December 2024 1. That scale beats many standalone travel sites. Turning riders into flight or hotel buyers is still unproven. MakeMyTrip (Indian online travel agency) plus Paytm (digital payments app) spent years on trust, supplier ties, and cross-sell systems that a ride-hailing platform cannot match fast.
By December 2024, 81% of new users arrived organically 1. The brand pulls people in. Travel booking needs different habits. People plan days ahead, compare prices a lot, and value loyalty programs. Bike-taxi frequency does not become hotel Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) unless Rapido offers exclusive deals or bundles rides with stays. The article does not mention either.

Rapido’s partnerships with Goibibo, ConfirmTkt (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)-authorised), and RedBus look like third-party integrations. The company has not disclosed exclusivity. Other large consumer apps can add the same providers.
Product plus business development teams at consumer platforms should map travel Application Programming Interface (API) providers that offer fast integration, low revenue share, and strong profit per booking. Early movers in cab-to-train bundles or hyperlocal hotel deals for weekend getaways can win niche users before OTAs react.