Aug 1, 2024
Travelling can be a whirlwind of excitement and stress. For many, the discomfort of air travel is only surpassed by the headache of airport transfers. The worries never end: finding a ride, arriving on time, keeping safe, and steering clear of overcharges.
Luckily, Bolt is available in 100+ airports worldwide, and we’ve worked to make airport transfers as seamless as possible.
In this post, we’ll unveil 13 Bolt app features that make your airport and holiday transport stress-free. From pre-booking your ride to secure payments, we’ll show you how to navigate airport transfers confidently (and maybe even with a little zen).
So buckle up and prepare to ditch the airport shuttle woes for good!
Before we get to the features, here are some tried-and-true tips to make flying more enjoyable.
First, before you book your flight, check out our list of the best airlines to fly with.
Second, go over our list of the best airport tips for easier travel, from getting travel insurance to bringing snacks.
And third, if you hate flying, don’t make the trip even worse with lousy ground transport — download the Bolt app now for a stress-free way to move in 600+ cities worldwide.
Once you’ve installed the app, here are the features you should know about.
The airport is one of the most popular Bolt destinations in any city for a reason — ride-hailing offers a reliable, convenient, and fast way to get there on time.
In addition to being a 24/7 service available with just a few taps on the app in more than 100 airports worldwide, we’ve developed several features to make your airport transfer and getting around at your destination as enjoyable as possible.
Take advantage of these features for a seamless trip from start to finish.
Scheduled Rides ensure you can be on time for a doctor’s appointment, secure a ride in a remote area, or ensure a stress-free trip to the airport.
Pre-booking a ride guarantees peace of mind. You can secure a ride for when you need it the most and lock in the price — up to 90 days in advance!
There are 2 ways to schedule a ride:
1. Enter your destination, tap the calendar icon, enter the ride date and time, and tap ‘Reserve Bolt’.
2. Tap the ‘Schedule’ button, add ride details, and tap the ‘Reserve Bolt’ button.
Scheduling a ride also helps you remember your flight. You’ll receive a notification 1 day and 1 hour before your ride and once the driver starts driving toward you. If needed, you can cancel the ride for free up to 1 hour before the pickup.
There’s plenty of time to get to the roadside with your luggage as there’s a 10-minute pickup window and 5 minutes of free waiting time (instead of the usual 2) that doesn’t start before the pickup window closes.
Once you’ve comfortably reached the airport, checked in, and had time to kill before boarding, take a small step that your future self will thank you for.
Open your Bolt app, go to Settings — Communication preferences — Travelling, and turn on notifications.
This lets us notify you as soon as you land if Bolt is available at your destination and inform you about local Bolt offers.
Until then, don’t forget to grab your headphones or a book from your hand luggage before settling in for the flight.
Bon voyage!
Touchdown. It’s time to stretch those legs, get your luggage, and get a ride into town.
To help you find the nearest Bolt pickup area, we’ve added airport walking directions (with photos) to the Bolt app for more than 50 airports.
After you’ve requested a ride, tap the ‘Get directions’ banner on the screen.
After a long flight, you probably want nothing more than to get to your hotel as soon as possible.
Luckily, there’s no need to wait for a car to arrive as several Bolt drivers are usually waiting at the airport. When you request a ride, they’ll drive to the dedicated pickup area.
So, when you’re ready, head to one of our branded pickup areas. Bolt logos and our signature green colour make them easily recognisable.
Realised you have cash payments active on your Bolt app but don’t yet have any local currency? No problem!
You can now effortlessly switch payment methods even during a ride — no need to cancel your active order or make time-consuming stops at the ATM. Simply let the driver know and switch the payment method in the Bolt app.
With Bolt, you don’t have to worry about rip-off fares. You can see the trip price beforehand and pay conveniently and securely in the app.
After you’ve checked in at the hotel and refreshed yourself, it’s time to explore your destination. Before you head out, turn on pickup codes.
This feature ensures you always get in the right Bolt car and that nobody can take your ride by mistake.
Once you’ve enabled pickup codes in Safety settings, show the code to a driver each time you’re about to enter the vehicle.
The driver can start the ride only once they’ve entered your code into the Bolt Driver app.
Women passengers can request a ride with a woman driver for extra safety and comfort.
The ride fares are identical to those of a regular Bolt ride, but the Women for Women ride type is subject to availability.
An address or a hotel name is great, but an exact location is even better.
Turn on live location sharing to ensure a seamless door-to-door ride, especially in an unfamiliar place.
Tap the GPS icon on the ride request screen to share your location with the driver. This makes pickups faster and safer and ensures you get picked up at your exact location.
Use the in-app chat for safe messaging whenever you need to contact the driver.
We’ll automatically translate your and your driver’s messages for quick and seamless communication if needed.
When you order a ride, the Bolt app displays your driver’s photo, name, car make or model, and registration plate throughout your order to make it easy for you to recognise them.
Make pickups smoother by helping your driver identify you as well — with a profile photo.
With Bolt, you can order a ride in seconds and get picked up in minutes. That’s just enough time to take a selfie and upload it to your profile. Follow the instructions in the app.
We’ve developed dozens of safety tools, processes, and features to ensure your safety whenever and wherever you travel with Bolt. For example, we verify all drivers before they can start driving and monitor all ongoing rides.
The in-app Safety Toolkit includes essential safety features, which you can access during rides with just a touch of a button.
Learn more below.
The share ride details feature lets your loved ones track your location in real time.
With a tap of a button, you can share a link to a map showing your exact location, the vehicle details, and your arrival time.
The audio trip recording feature allows you to easily record audio using the Bolt app during a ride and securely share it with our Customer Support.
The feature helps discourage inappropriate behaviour and assists local authorities and us in solving potential disputes.
Learn more about audio trip recording from our blog post.
The emergency assist button lets you discreetly alert our Customer Support team and the local authorities of any issues with a tap on the screen. It also provides essential details like your location and vehicle information.
See all the safety features available to you on your local passenger safety page.
Sadly, every trip has to end sometime. Once it’s time to leave, schedule a ride once again to secure a stress-free ride back to the airport.
If you’ve overdone it with souvenir shopping, request a Bolt Comfort, Premium, or XL for extra luggage space.
Safe travels!
