Development of a Mobile App for Bus Tickets

We develop mobile apps for bus ticket sales with integration into carriers' accounting systems. Unlike aviation, where standardized GDS systems operate, bus ticketing faces fragmented APIs, outdated protocols, and a lack of a unified carrier registry. Many carriers still use outdated XML protocols without REST support, so we adapt parsing for each system—from 1C to specialized 'Avtovokzal' ticket offices. It is crucial to maintain response speed: the average carrier API response time must not exceed 500 ms, otherwise users abandon the app. That's why clients need a complex integration system, offline mode, and flexible refund logic.

Our team has extensive experience in transport app development, having delivered 15+ projects for bus carriers and aggregators. We guarantee quality at every stage—from analysis to post-release support. Contact us for your project evaluation or get a consultation on integration.

Data Sources and Integration

Three main paths:

• Carrier's own system. We develop for a specific carrier—they have their own schedule and cash register system (typically Avtovokzal, Radar, Transinfo, or 1C). We integrate directly via REST or XML API. Reliable but closed audience.
• Aggregators. Tutu.ru, Busfor, CheckMyBus provide APIs for white-label partners. Access requires a contract. Tutu API is REST/JSON with up-to-date schedules for most routes in Russia and CIS. CheckMyBus is for international routes.
• Own aggregation. Parsing and direct contracts with carriers—the most expensive and labor-intensive option, but gives control over data and margin.

Integration with SBP allows faster payments than cards, and a 0.4–0.7% commission saves up to 30% on acquiring costs.

Why Bus Apps Require a Special Approach?

Unlike airline tickets, where data is standardized via booking systems, bus carriers use dozens of different accounting systems with incompatible protocols. Some carriers do not support electronic tickets—only paper ones, which must be explicitly shown in the UI before purchase. Additionally, seat layouts in buses vary greatly: from simple 'seat available' to a layered grid with aisles and different classes. This makes the UI more complex and testing critical. According to App Store Review Guidelines (Section 4.2, 5.1), such apps must explicitly indicate all restrictions.

How Does Integration with a Carrier Work?

1. Audit of the carrier API—study documentation, test endpoints, identify limitations (e.g., no basket or refund support).
2. Development of an adapter—write a module to convert data to a unified format. Use Codable (iOS) or Kotlinx.serialization (Android).
3. Testing on live routes—run up to 100 scenarios: purchase, refund, seat change, delays.
4. Deploy to sandbox—carrier tests on their own data.
5. Release to App Store and Google Play—ensuring compliance with App Store Review Guidelines (sections 4.2, 5.1).

Search and Seat Availability

Search: origin-destination, date, number of passengers. Autocomplete for stops via UISearchTextField (iOS) with 300 ms debounce or SearchBar + Flow in Jetpack Compose. The stop database is cached locally: the full list of Russian bus stations is about 3000 entries, loaded on first launch and updated weekly.

Seat selection. Not all carriers support a bus seat map with specific seat selection—some just sell a 'seat on the bus'. When a map is available, we render it as rows and columns from the API, marking occupied seats.

// SwiftUI: bus seat grid struct BusSeatMapView: View { let seats: [[BusSeat?]] // nil = aisle var body: some View { VStack(spacing: 4) { ForEach(seats.indices, id: \\.self) { row in HStack(spacing: 4) { ForEach(seats[row].indices, id: \\.self) { col in if let seat = seats[row][col] { SeatCell(seat: seat) } else { Spacer().frame(width: 32) } } } } } } } 

Electronic Ticket

After payment, we generate a PDF with a QR code for the ticket. Important: some carriers do not accept electronic tickets—only printed ones. This limitation must be explicitly shown in the UI before purchase, otherwise you'll get a wave of negative reviews.

The QR is stored in FileManager (iOS) or filesDir (Android) for offline access. Push notification 2 hours before departure via FCM/APNs.

How Is Offline Access to Tickets Ensured?

We cache QR codes and ticket data locally so passengers can present tickets without internet. We use FileManager (iOS) or filesDir (Android) with encryption. The ticket list syncs on each network connection, and delay/cancellation notifications arrive via push services.

Payment

SBP is the main payment method for bus tickets: low commission (0.4–0.7%), instant settlement. YooKassa or CloudPayments for cards. Apple Pay and Google Pay increase conversion at the final step—we don't forget them.

For some carriers, cash payment upon boarding is required: booking without payment with a 30-minute hold. No need for hold scheme; a flag payment_method: cash in the booking suffices.

Ticket Refunds

Refunds via the carrier or aggregator API. Conditions vary by carrier—we display them on the purchase screen, not hidden in the terms of service. Technically: DELETE /orders/{id} or POST /orders/{id}/refund. Money is returned to the card within 3–10 business days depending on the bank.

Typical policy: free cancellation 3+ hours before departure, 10–30% penalty for cancellation less than 3 hours before. Specific conditions come from the API along with the schedule.

Notifications and Tracking

Delay tracking—via carrier API if supported, or by polling flight status every 5 minutes. Push 2 hours and 30 minutes before departure. If the carrier supports GPS tracking, we show the current bus location on the map via MapKit or Google Maps SDK.

What’s Included in the Work

• Integration documentation (API description, data schemas, request examples).
• Access to test API (sandbox) for debugging.
• Training of carrier personnel on app usage.
• Support during App Store and Google Play release.
• Warranty for fixing critical errors within 30 days after delivery.
• Source code and app ownership (you get full ownership).

Timeline

4–6 weeks for an app for a specific carrier or with an aggregator API. Cost is calculated individually after requirements analysis. Order turnkey development—contact us for a preliminary estimate. Proper integration with data sources reduces time to market by up to 30%.

Get a consultation on your project—we will help you choose the optimal integration path.