For years, intercity travel in India came with an unspoken compromise for women: endure unsafe bus stations, tolerate unhygienic halts, and travel under the shadow of uncertainty. Journeys for women were rarely about freedom; they were about survival.
New-age mobility players are gradually awakening to the needs of women travelers in today’s world. Women can now book inter-city bus travel, ensuring that their co-passenger is also a female. Some routes also have relatively hygienic washrooms. However, a lot more work needs to be done in making intercity travel for women a safe and comfortable journey.
Aparajita Mukhopadhyay, COO of IntrCity SmartBus, wondered what mobility could look like if safety and dignity were treated as foundations, not afterthoughts. This thought led to IntrCity SmartBus introducing a slew of features to make intercity travel easier for women. By embedding predictability, hygiene, and trust into the very fabric of travel, IntrCity SmartBus is not only improving bus journeys but also unlocking new possibilities of independence for women across India.
Breaking Visible and Invisible Barriers
When IntrCity began reshaping intercity travel, the visible gaps were everywhere: lack of clean washrooms, disorganized boarding, unhygienic stops, and inconsistent service. But the greater challenge, Aparajita realized, was the invisible one trust.
“For many women, intercity travel felt like an act of compromise on safety, comfort, or dignity,” she shares. “We had to challenge the assumption that putting up with inconvenience was part of the deal.”
The company responded with end-to-end innovation: tech-enabled boarding, live GPS tracking, women-friendly seat allocation, curated halts, and trained bus captains. Over time, these deliberate changes transformed not just the bus experience, but also the perception of what safe travel could mean for women.
Unlocking Mobility for Lakhs of Women
Interestingly, gender was not the starting point. “Our initial goal was simply to bring dignity and structure to a chaotic system,” Aparajita says. But it was women who first embraced these changes, valuing not just comfort but predictability and control.
Soon, stories began to emerge: young professionals taking late-night trips without fear, mothers traveling alone for medical care, students journeying home safely, and elderly women reassured by real-time tracking. That’s when Aparajita and her team realized they weren’t just building a bus service, they were enabling independence.
Today, with 2.13 lakh solo women travelers on IntrCity SmartBus, the company has catalyzed a quiet revolution: transforming buses into spaces of assurance and empowerment.
Sustaining Trust, Journey After Journey
In an industry where safety is often marketed as a feature, Aparajita insists on treating it as a foundation. Every new service from verified boarding points to CCTV-equipped buses and partnerships with hygiene brands is part of a “trust loop” that reinforces confidence trip after trip.
Listening plays a central role. “We make it a habit to listen through surveys, feedback, and travel patterns,” Aparajita explains. “The moment we notice a gap, we act.” For her, trust is not about winning passengers; it’s about earning it every single time a woman steps onto the bus.
Beyond Numbers: The Emotion of Travel
Behind the statistic of 2.13 lakh solo women travelers lies something more personal: a sense of agency. For many, that first solo trip is not just logistical, it’s deeply emotional.
Aparajita recalls stories of women taking their first business trip without worry, mothers visiting children after years, students traveling late at night with confidence, and elderly passengers reassured by constant connectivity.
“The emotion is empowerment but also relief,” she says. “The ability to travel without fear or overplanning, without the invisible labor of managing uncertainty. That’s the real success, not just movement, but freedom.”
The Changing Face of Women’s Travel
Across India, women’s travel patterns are shifting. Safety and convenience are now central considerations, with women increasingly drawn to tech-enabled, predictable services. Aparajita notes a sharp rise in solo bookings during holidays and long weekends, signaling growing confidence.
Family and women-only groups are also traveling more frequently, not just for leisure but for work and education, reflecting how structured services are expanding women’s mobility choices.
What the Industry Must Do Next
While progress is visible, Aparajita stresses that the industry cannot afford complacency. “Simple steps like real-time safety features, reliable hygiene facilities, and clearer communication about amenities make a huge difference,” she says
For IntrCity, the introduction of onboard washrooms has already been transformative, giving women greater confidence during long trips. But Aparajita believes the larger goal should be universal: to create an environment where women feel comfortable, cared for, and confident wherever they travel.
From Endurance to Empowerment
By dismantling both visible and invisible barriers, Aparajita Mukhopadhyay has turned intercity bus travel from an endurance test into an empowering experience. In doing so, she has proven that mobility is not just about reaching a destination; it’s about reclaiming freedom along the way.
With every safe journey, every trusted experience, and every empowered traveler, IntrCity SmartBus is driving more than buses; it’s driving change!
