Female students prefer flights; males take train or bus: Travel survey

Business Standard

17-07-2025

Female college students prefer to fly and men of their age are more likely to take a bus or train, said a survey by online travel company Goibibo on Thursday.
The survey was based on 50,000 bookings made through Goibibo's GoPass programme for students since January and tracked how they travel, plan and pay.
Safety and speed appear to matter more for female students: 36 per cent of them booked domestic flights compared to just 23 per cent of male students. As many as 50 per cent of male students booked bus or train tickets for travel, compared to 34 per cent of women.
'The female student traveller is digitally savvy and deliberate in her choices. She values convenience and safety,' said Raj Rishi Singh, chief marketing officer at Goibibo.
As many as 71 per cent of female travellers used UPI to make payments for travel, compared to 64 per cent males. But female students are 50 per cent less likely to opt for 'buy now, pay later' schemes than males.
One in three women books travel tickets through iPhones, while Android devices were more popular among men.
Despite such behavioural differences, affordability remains the common thread. Nearly three-fourths (74 per cent) of all students booked accommodations priced under Rs 3,000 per night. Planning is also evident, with 63 per cent of bookings made more than a week before travel, unlike the wider Indian traveller base that books closer to travel dates.
GoPass targets student needs
Goibibo's GoPass programme, aimed at making travel affordable for students, offers 25 per cent off on hotels, free meals on domestic flights, and a flat 10 per cent discount on flights and bus bookings. Students are verified through their college email IDs to access these exclusive deals.
'What unites both male and female students is a sharp eye on value. GoPass was designed to cater to that mindset,' said Singh.