BuuPass Drives Intercity Travel Growth with QuickBus Acquisition

Kenyan travel booking platform BuuPass is poised to become a dominant force in African intercity travel following its acquisition of QuickBus, a competitor with a strong presence in Nigeria and South Africa. This deal represents a strategic move that will expand BuuPass’s reach, simplify the booking experience for travelers, and potentially reshape the continent’s bus travel landscape.

The most significant outcome of this acquisition is the convenience it offers African travelers. With a combined user base of 650,000 monthly active users and the addition of over 5,000 new routes across 16 countries, BuuPass is creating a vast, integrated network of bus travel options.

Travelers will now be able to seamlessly book popular cross-border routes like Johannesburg to Cape Town directly through the platform, with further route expansions expected in the coming months.

To ensure a smooth transition, QuickBus’s development and product teams, along with its South African head of operations, will be incorporated into BuuPass. This will help maintain a consistent user experience across the expanded platform.

Additionally, BuuPass will inherit QuickBus’s integrations with major distribution channels, such as Vodaphone’s VodaPay app in South Africa, opening up new markets and simplifying payment options for travelers familiar with those platforms.

BuuPass plans to leverage the acquisition to diversify its offerings beyond bus ticketing. Drawing on QuickBus’s existing capabilities, the company will soon integrate train and flight booking options, creating a more comprehensive and convenient travel planning solution for African consumers.

This acquisition highlights the growing demand for streamlined and reliable intercity travel solutions in Africa. Industry analysts predict that the African bus travel market will experience significant growth in the coming years, fueled by rising urbanisation and the need for affordable transportation options. BuuPass’s expansion positions it well to capitalise on this trend.

Founded in 2016, BuuPass has a proven track record, having processed over 6 million bookings and generating over $100 million in ticket salesto date. With backing from key investors like Founders Factory Africa and FrontEnd Ventures, the company is well-positioned for continued growth.