Careem Bus launches in Egypt, available now in Cairo, Saudi and Pakistan to follow

Careem has launched its bus services in Cairo, the company announced in a statement today. The service is available through a dedicated app Careem Bus, that’s available for iOS and Android.

Customers will be able to choose pick-up and drop off locations and then pick the bus that suits their time. They will be able to track the bus in real-time. The fares are fixed and 60-70 percent cheaper than the regular Careem car service, according to the statement.

For some reason, the service is cash only for now but the company plans to add payment via Careem wallet option very soon.

The service is starting with with 13-seater air-conditioned buses, with bus stops to be marked at city landmarks, covering four di. The company in the future will add more routes and make changes to the existing ones based on feedback of the customers.

Hadeer Shalaby, Director of Careem Bus, said, “Customers now expect the same high-tech experience across all products and services they engage with – why shouldn’t taking a bus be as seamless as ride hailing a car? Research conducted by Careem revealed 40 percent of the Egyptian population is not being adequately served by a transportation service that suits their needs and the situation was getting worse.”

“Careem Bus will revolutionise mass transportation allowing customers to enjoy the benefits of our tech as well as reducing traffic in cities as mass shared-mobility could lead to an 80 percent reduction in the number of vehicles and CO2 emissions by 2050,” she added.

Careem’s CEO and co-founder Mudassir Sheikha also commented on the occasion, “The launch of Careem Bus means that transport options and mobility has just improved for millions of people, as well as decreasing congestion and pollution in the city. Cairo is just the start. Careem’s move into mass transportation will have a huge and positive impact across the region.”

Careem plans to expand the service to Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in the near future.

Earlier this year, when Careem had acquired Indian bus shuttle service app Commut, the company had said that it plans to launch Careem Bus in all the 100+ cities where it currently operates.

Routes

5th settlement – Maadi

AUC Gate 5, FUE, Concord Plaza, Intersection 90 Street with Naguib Access, Tolip Plaza, Siemens, Dusit Thani, Before Mountain View Square, Air Force Specialized Hospital, Nestle Egypt (Banks Center), Downtown, Cairo Festival City, Mountain View Square, Talaat Harb Axis, Fatma El Sharbatly Mosque, Total Gas Station Near Fatma El Sharbatly, Mostafa Baghdady Square, Masjid Al Hamd, CO-OP Gas Station, New Cairo’s Government Office, Katameya Heights, Total Gas Station – El Nasr Road, Total Gas, Station – El Nasr Street, Maadi Smart Village, El Nadi Street, Victoria Square, Port Saeed Square, Al Horia, Square, Total Gas Station – Helwan Road, Platform Maadi, HSBC Corniche El Maadi

Mohandesein – 6th of October

Cityscape, Al Mehwar Al Markazi, Al Hosary Mosque, Dolphin Mall, West Somid, Dar El Fouad Hospital, Mall of Arabia, Juhayna Square, Nile University, Mobil Gas Station – 26th of July Corridor, Galleria 40, Sheikh Zayed Statue, 26th of July Corridor – Ceramica Cleopatra, Hyper One Market, Lebanon Square Gamaet Al Dowal Street, Mostafa Mahmoud Square, Shooting Club, National Research Center, El Tahrir Cinema, El Tahrir Square

Update – Dec 3 – 1:15 PM GMT: The story was updated with corrections and more details after receiving Careem’s official statement about the launch.