redBus review
Updated September 28, 2026 · NomadCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
redBus suits travellers who want a single place to book Indian ground transport and beds, and it is the only listing here that pairs rail with ferries and hostels. Support runs on email and phone, and the trains-and-buses category holds 56 brands.
Key facts
- Best for
- Indian bus and rail booking with ferries, hotels and hostels in the same app.
- Products
- Bus, Rail, Ferry, Hotels, Hostels↗
- Cancellation terms
- Free cancellation 6-12 hrs before departure↗
- Mobile app
- Yes↗
- Legal entity
- Redbus India Private Limited↗
- Headquarters
- India↗
- Founded
- 2006↗
- Support channels
- Email, Phone↗
- Official website
- redbus.in
Facts checked September 26, 2026, 3 sources
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- App StoreGoogle Play
Pros and cons
Pros
- Lists bus, rail and ferry in a single app, a wider mix than FlixBus covers.
- Free cancellation in a set window before departure, so a change of plan does not cost the full fare.
- Support runs on email and phone, so a booking problem can be raised by phone or email.
- A mobile app handles search, booking and ticket access on the move.
Cons
- Headquartered in India, its routes, fares and departures concentrate on that single market.
- Flights and car hire sit outside bus, rail and ferry, so those bookings need a different site.
- Hostels are the thinnest corner of the site, with 14 brands in that category.
Who it suits
- Travellers booking Indian buses and trains who also need a ferry seat or a bed in the same app.
- Anyone who wants phone and email support after paying, since support runs on email and phone.
- Fares-first bookers willing to work through the 56 brands in this category.
Who should look elsewhere
- Flyers and car hire shoppers, who will find flights, rail and bus at MoMo instead.
- Travellers who only want coach seats, who can go straight to the single transport type in bus.
- People who also need a rental car or a transfer, which car rental and transfers covers at Hertz Bahamas WiFi.
The company behind it
redBus operates as Redbus India Private Limited, headquartered in India and trading since 2006. It is an Indian company with a long record in travel booking, and its own mobile app is the main way in for travellers. Anyone with a question after paying reaches the team through email and phone, which covers email and phone.
How redBus compares
9.0 vs 8.5
9.0 vs 8.9
9.0 vs 8.7
9.0 vs 8.5
9.0 vs 8.8- 9.0 vs 8.5
9.0 vs 8.5
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9.0 vs 8.4
9.0 vs 8.4
9.0 vs 8.5
9.0 vs 9.6
9.0 vs 9.5
9.0 vs 8.5
9.0 vs 8.5
9.0 vs 8.7
9.0 vs 9.5
9.0 vs 9.3
9.0 vs 8.5
9.0 vs 8.5
9.0 vs 8.5
9.0 vs 8.5
9.0 vs 9.1
9.0 vs 9.3- 9.0 vs 8.4
9.0 vs 8.7
9.0 vs 8.5- 9.0 vs 9.0
9.0 vs 8.7- 9.0 vs 9.4
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9.0 vs 9.1- 9.0 vs 9.1
9.0 vs 8.9
9.0 vs 8.8- 9.0 vs 8.5
- 9.0 vs 8.5
- 9.0 vs 8.5
9.0 vs 8.5
9.0 vs 8.5
9.0 vs 8.5
9.0 vs 8.5
9.0 vs 8.5- 9.0 vs 8.5
9.0 vs 8.5
9.0 vs 8.5
Where redBus is available
- Available
- India
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What can I book on redBus?+
RedBus covers bus, rail and ferry, so buses, trains, ferries, hotels and hostels all sit in the same place. The company has traded since 2006, and the same app handles the journey and the bed at the other end.
Is there a mobile app?+
There is a mobile app, and it is the easiest way to search departures, hold a seat and keep the ticket. Once a booking is made, changes go through email and phone, so email and phone cover the questions that follow.
Can I cancel a booking?+
Plans change, and bookings carry free cancellation in a set window before departure, so an early change of plan does not cost the full fare. Anything outside that window goes through email and phone, where email and phone are the routes in.
How do I reach support?+
Support runs on email and phone, which covers email and phone. Both are the channels listed for the company, so a traveller who would rather talk a problem through than write it out has a route.
Which country does redBus cover?+
The company sits in India, and its routes, fares and departures all sit inside that single market. Travellers planning a wider trip can compare flights, rail and bus at MoMo, which reaches past a single market.
Can I book hostels and hotels too?+
Hostels and hotels are part of bus, rail and ferry, so a bed can be booked in the same place as the bus or train seat. The hostel category on the site lists 14 brands, so that field is narrower than for hotels.
How does redBus compare with MoMo and FlixBus?+
RedBus trades on bus, rail and ferry, MoMo on flights, rail and bus, and FlixBus on bus. That puts redBus and MoMo in the same broad bracket, while FlixBus stays with a single transport type, which suits a coach-only search.
Sources
- apps.apple.com/us/app/redbus-book-bus-train-hotels/id7337... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Mobile app
“trackName=redBus: Book Bus/Train/Hotels; sellerName=PILANI SOFT LABS PRIVATE LIMITED”
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RedBus checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded
“Founded 2006; 20 years ago (2006)”
- play.google.com/store/apps/details checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Cancellation terms, Headquarters, Legal entity, Products, Support channels
“Free Cancellation - Add-on feature that allows you to cancel your bus ticket 6-12 hours before departure to receive a full refund.”
Compiled from 3 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Booking fees.
redBus
Indian bus and rail booking with ferries, hotels and hostels in the same app.