Mumbaikars, using the BEST app? Be ready to stand in 'digital' queue at bus stops

People in a digital queue at a bus stop at CSMT, on Friday

In a first, the BEST undertaking on Friday introduced separate ‘digital' queues at bus stops for commuters who book tickets through its new app. This means they need not stand in the same queue as those who buy physical tickets. The physical smart cards through which bookings can be made, will also be made available from today.

"A digital queue is exclusive for commuters who book tickets through the app as a measure to popularise it, and encourage more and more commuters to use the Chalo app," BEST General Manager Lokesh Chandra said. More than one lakh passengers have registered for the newly launched BEST's ‘Chalo' app in just a week and the increase in digital e-tickets, instead of paper tickets, will save the undertaking up to Rs 2 crore yearly.

Mumbai passengers are now able to live-track their bus, buy mobile bus tickets, and mobile bus passes on the Chalo App. For those who do not wish to use their smartphones to travel, the BEST Chalo Card for Mumbai, which is being made available today, will be an option.

Super saver options

The app and the card come with a super saver option. A spokesperson said that the new Super Saver plans offer the best choice to Mumbaikars with each Super Saver plan offering passengers a specific number of trips for a fixed price. "Prices are as low as Rs 1.99 per trip and are based on a combination of the fare stage, number of trips, and duration of the plan. Plans start from one day, going all the way up to 84 days; and from two trips to 150 trips," an official note said. The new Super Saver plans replace the distance-based stop-to-stop passes that were previously available. In the previous pass system, passengers had to choose a specific start and end stop and could travel only between these stops. Passengers also had to previously choose AC or non-AC service for their pass.

The Chalo app, working with city governments across the country, is an NCMC-compliant card and is operational, besides Mumbai, in 31 cities throughout India - including prime cities like Bengaluru, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Surat, Lucknow, Kanpur, Nagpur, Agra-Mathura, Ujjain and Bhopal. It live-tracks nearly 15,000 buses. The NCMC (National Common Mobility Card), a card on the lines of London's Oyster card, is a proposed national transport card which can be used seamlessly on trains, Metros and all other public transport modes.