ixigo: How Three Friends Simplified Travel for Millions of Indians
Travel in India was once confusing, time-consuming, and stressful. Booking trains or flights meant visiting agents, standing in long queues, or jumping between multiple websites. Seeing this problem closely, three young entrepreneurs decided to build a smarter solution. This idea later became ixigo, one of India’s most trusted travel-tech startups.
ixigo was founded in 2007 by Aloke Bajpai, Rajnish Kumar, and Shoaib Malik. All three founders had strong technical backgrounds and a shared interest in solving everyday problems using technology.
While studying and working abroad, they noticed how simple travel planning was in other countries. At the same time, they saw how difficult it remained in India. Train information was scattered, ticket prices were confusing, and travelers often lacked clear data to make decisions.
Instead of building something fancy, the founders focused on one basic question, how can we make travel easier for the common Indian? With this thought, they returned to India and started working on ixigo.
ixigo began as a travel search and comparison platform. The goal was simple, help users compare flight and train options in one place and choose the best deal. In its early days, ixigo did not sell tickets directly. Instead, it helped users understand prices, routes, travel time, and availability. This honest and transparent approach helped ixigo gain trust quickly.
The founders believed that information is power. If travelers had the right information, they could save money and time. This idea became the foundation of ixigo’s success. ixigo stood out because it deeply understood Indian travel behavior. A large number of Indians prefer trains over flights, especially for short and medium distances. While many platforms ignored rail travel, ixigo made it a priority.
One of ixigo’s biggest innovations was providing real-time train running status, seat availability, and platform numbers. These features solved daily problems faced by millions of train passengers. Later, ixigo launched smart features like fare alerts, price predictions, and route suggestions. These tools helped users decide the best time to book tickets and avoid overpaying. The startup also focused heavily on mobile users. ixigo’s app worked smoothly even on slow internet and budget smartphones, making it accessible to users in small towns and rural areas.
Challenges, Learning, and Steady Growth
Like most startups, ixigo also faced challenges. Competing with large global travel companies was not easy. Funding was limited in the early years, and growth was slow. However, the founders stayed patient. They focused on building a strong product instead of chasing quick profits. Over time, ixigo’s loyal user base grew through word of mouth. As smartphones became common in India, ixigo was already well-prepared. The app gained millions of downloads, and users trusted it for daily travel planning. Gradually, ixigo expanded into train ticket booking, flight booking, bus tickets, and hotels, becoming a complete travel platform.
A Made-in-India Travel Brand
ixigo’s journey is special because it grew with India’s digital revolution. It was built for Indian needs, Indian languages, and Indian travel habits. Today, ixigo serves millions of users every month and is known for its honest pricing, useful features, and user-friendly design. It has helped first-time travelers plan journeys confidently and frequent travelers save money regularly.
<p>The post ixigo: How Three Friends Simplified Travel for Millions of Indians first appeared on Hello Entrepreneurs.</p>
