As a resident of Karachi, people have faced a considerable amount of struggle in terms of the commute system. Safety has always been a key issue in terms of these matters. It has always caused a huge commotion for people who are employed or college/university graduates and the usual public transports with all second-hand characteristics are quite challenging for them. In addition to that, most people looking to buy/rent a real estate property tend to ask the property dealer about the commute system as it is a basic requirement.
However, transportation in Pakistan is one of the troubling stuff. The main reason contributing to this drawback are congested roads, reckless pedestrians, potholes and the utter absence of cost-efficient and effective means of transport.
But, recently two new services have brought a great relief of security, reliability, affordability, and comfort. Scroll down to read about these newly launched Bus services in Karachi.
Airlift:
Airlift is a decentralized city App-based transport business, located in Pakistan that provides customers the ability to book fixed-rate rides in their network on buses and transit vans. Its Public transit stations are accessible on certain routes throughout Karachi and Lahore.
It is a bit advanced than the old coaches and buses with comfortable seating and driving. In order to utilize its services, you’ll have to book it electronically beforehand because of the first-come-first-service basis policy.
All you’ll have to do is download the app, register with contact information, check routes and book your trip at least 60-minutes prior to the start of your trip. Next, you can pay through your in-app wallet option. Also, you can use your credit/debit card to buy bundles of credit points varying between Rs 1,000-Rs 5,000.
The path of the booked vehicle can also be tracked. In fact, to make it more interesting and easy, you can track the location of your booked bus just like Uber/Careem and can get on the bus from selected boarding point. Consequently, Airlift operates much like ride-hailing applications to help the consumers to reserve their seats and time so that they can arrive at their destination on time. Plus, it gives you a relaxing experience in just 90 credits and that too anywhere in Karachi. This service is accessible for both, Android and iOS.
They now actually have an undisclosed fleet of 13-seater Hiace and 21-seater air-conditioned buses, both serving about 150 routes in both cities.
SWVL:
SWVL has now been operating in Karachi after an impressive success in Lahore and Islamabad. SWVL is another bus-hailing App-based company, originated from Cairo and is now headquartered in Dubai. Just like Airlift, it is targeted at revolutionizing Pakistani public transport, enabling you to save money, and time on your scarce capital.
Being a safe and relaxing ride, it saves you the extravagant struggle of driving through a traffic jam or, in another case, the hassle of changing rides to reach your destination. SWVL stated its intention to expand its operation across Pakistan, keeping in mind Pakistan’s local demand. Originally, it launched its operations in Lahore, and after a positive comeback, they planned to provide facilities for Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Later, the bus service started operating in Karachi as well.
In Karachi and other major cities, the organization plans to grow its activities. SWVL is great because it gives inexpensive travel as people just have to spend Rs. 20 to meet their destination. Hence, you don’t have to the owner of a Luxury Apartment to avail of a luxurious ride.
In order to book a ride, you’ll have to install its app on your device. Next, make an account then search for your preferred route and request the ride. They allocate you different Pick-up points and you have to select them and reach the destination when required. It assigns you different pit-stops where you must reach on time to be picked by the bus. It drops its users from stop to stop, unlike Careem and Uber. Also, it is accessible for both, Android and iOS users.
