Delhi’s commuters are set to experience a new level of convenience as ride-hailing giant Uber has announced the integration of metro ticket booking directly within its application.
This significant development, powered by the innovative Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), commences with the Delhi Metro, marking Uber’s first foray into leveraging India’s pioneering digital public infrastructure to enhance urban mobility. The company has also revealed ambitious plans to extend this metro ticketing feature to three additional Indian cities throughout 2025, further solidifying its commitment to multimodal transport solutions. Beyond metro integration, Uber is also poised to launch a B2B logistics solution via the ONDC network, empowering businesses to request on-demand logistics through Uber’s extensive delivery network without the necessity of maintaining a dedicated fleet, promising a more agile and efficient logistics ecosystem.
The launch of metro ticketing on the Uber app is a direct outcome of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2024 during Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi’s visit to India. This agreement underscored Uber’s commitment to collaborating with ONDC to amplify the reach and impact of India’s digital public goods, aiming to create a more interconnected and seamless urban mobility landscape. In a press release, Uber stated, “Today’s launch is a tangible realisation of that commitment, reinforcing Uber’s mission to make urban mobility more inclusive, sustainable, and seamlessly connected.” This integration signifies a pivotal step towards Uber’s broader vision of evolving into a comprehensive one-stop shop for diverse mobility needs within urban centres.
Praveen Neppalli Naga, Chief Technology Officer at Uber, expressed his enthusiasm for this integration, stating, “India has taken an impressive leap in building population-scale technology through its Digital Public Infrastructure like ONDC, and we are thrilled to integrate with them to bring metro ticketing to the Uber app—bringing us one step closer to our vision of being a one-stop shop for mobility needs.” This sentiment highlights the strategic importance of leveraging India’s digital infrastructure to enhance the user experience and expand the scope of services offered by Uber.
Vibhor Jain, Acting CEO and COO at ONDC, hailed Uber’s onboarding as a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to expand access to trusted and interoperable digital infrastructure across the nation. Jain remarked, “As a global platform, Uber’s initial enablement of metro ticketing and logistics unlocks new possibilities—from seamless multimodal journeys to unifying a fragmented logistics ecosystem. This collaboration lays the foundation for future innovations from Uber on the Network, enhancing value for users, partners, and the broader mobility and services landscape.” This perspective underscores the transformative potential of this partnership in creating a more integrated and efficient urban transit ecosystem.
Starting today, Uber users in Delhi can seamlessly plan their metro journeys, conveniently purchase QR-based tickets directly within the Uber app, and access real-time transit information, all without having to switch between multiple applications. This integrated experience promises to streamline the daily commute for millions in Delhi, offering a more convenient and efficient way to navigate the city’s extensive metro network. The ability to book a ride to the metro station and purchase a ticket within the same app represents a significant step towards creating truly multimodal and interconnected urban journeys, aligning with the vision of sustainable and equitable urban mobility. This integration also has the potential to encourage greater adoption of public transport by making it more accessible and user-friendly through familiar and widely used platforms like Uber.
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