Ride-hailing has become a very important business in our society today. You don’t need to have a car to enjoy luxury in transit. Before ride-hailing came, you’d have to go by bus or rickety taxis if you needed to commute within a city.
Bolt (formerly known as Taxify) is a popular ride-hailing service in Tanzania, providing affordable transportation options for commuters. If you’re curious about the cost of a Bolt ride in Tanzania, you might be wondering, “How much does Bolt charge per km in Tanzania?” In this article, we’ll explore the pricing structure of Bolt in Tanzania, and answer some frequently asked questions about the cost of using the service.
Bolt charges per kilometer, with prices varying depending on your location and the type of ride you request. However, the starting price for a Bolt ride in Tanzania is usually around TZS 800, and the cost per kilometer ranges between TZS 400 and TZS 550, depending on the city you are in.
Here are the top 10 prices for Bolt rides in Tanzania:
- Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar: TZS 280,000
- Dar es Salaam to Arusha: TZS 400,000
- Dar es Salaam to Dodoma: TZS 320,000
- Arusha to Moshi: TZS 50,000
- Dar es Salaam to Mwanza: TZS 700,000
- Arusha to Nairobi: TZS 500,000
- Dar es Salaam to Mbeya: TZS 600,000
- Dodoma to Mwanza: TZS 550,000
- Mwanza to Musoma: TZS 130,000
- Arusha to Tanga: TZS 380,000
The benefit of using Bolt is the convenience of being able to quickly and easily book a ride through the Bolt app, which is available on both iOS and Android. Additionally, Bolt has a reputation for being more affordable than traditional taxi services in Tanzania.
Bolt is arguably the most popular ride-hailing service in Tanzania today. All you need to do is download the app to your smartphone, create an account, and you can order a ride. The common question at this point is, “how much does Bolt charge per km in Tanzania?” We will answer this question and several others in this post so continue reading.
How Much Does Bolt Charge per KM in Tanzania?
Before we go ahead, we should tell you that Bolt is a very affordable means of transportation. The company offers several bonuses and coupons as rewards to their loyal customers. Recently, Bolt made a few changes to its charges because of the changes it made for drivers. The increases in the amounts charged drivers as commission meant the company had to make a few pricing adjustments. According to Bolt, these adjustments will ensure that drivers can still make sustainable earnings and riders can enjoy the best services.
This brings us back to the question of how much Bolt charges per km in Tanzania. We have done our research and we will not just show you the price per km but per minute as well as the base fare. Check the list below to find out:
- Charge per km: Tsh 375 (Bolt), Tsh 400 (Bolt Corporate).
- Charge per minute: Tsh 55 (Bolt), Tsh 65 (Bolt Corporate).
- Base fare: Tsh 1400 for both Bolt and Bolt Corporate.
Note that in some States, extra charges may apply for State development projects. A typical example is the N20 charged on each ride in Mwanza for the Mwanza State Road Development Fund. When you compare the amount you pay for Bolt rides to what you pay for buses and the stress of such trips, it is more affordable. You can pay for Bolt trips using cash or directly from your account. To pay using the second option, you’d have to link your Bank card to the app and enable “Card Payments.”
Certain factors determine the cost of a Bolt ride. They include the following:
- Kilometre+6 rate: This refers to the distance covered all through the trip.
- Minute rate: This refers to the duration of the trip from start to end.
- Base fare: This is the cost of the pickup.
- Dynamic pricing (if applicable).
Usually, you see the cost estimate for your trip once you enter your destination in the app. The prediction that you get is about the best estimate for that trip with Bolt considering the best route possible. Note that the final price of the trip may change depending on several factors such as:
- Taking alternative routes.
- Weather
- Traffic
- Road constructions
- Changing your destination during a trip.
Advantages of Taking Bolt Rides in Tanzania
Bolt is a ride-hailing app and it is one of the dividends of technological advancement. Some twenty years ago, no one would have thought that you could order a taxi from the convenience of your home or office. This technology has made a huge impact on our transportation system as it offers several benefits to both riders and drivers. In this section, we will discuss the benefits of taking Bolt rides in Tanzania.
Saves Money and Time
No business can last long without an efficient customer service system. If your customers aren’t as comfortable as possible with your services, they will soon find an alternative. Bolt understands this and has invested in ensuring that its customers enjoy the best services.
If you had to take a regular taxi, you’d have to walk from your house or office to the road. Asides from this, you will need to stay a while before you find a taxi going your way. Let’s not forget that if there are other commuters seeking taxis at the roadside, you’ll wait a few hours more. At the end of the day, you will end up paying excessively for the trip and still not get to your destination on time.
Bolt eliminates all of these challenges. When you order a ride, the driver comes to pick you up at your location. This saves you the time you’d have spent walking to the road and waiting for a taxi. Bolt also offers you loads of discounts, especially if you are a loyal customer. With this, you’d not just be saving time, you’d also save money taking Bolt rides.
Comfort and Luxury
When you ride in a regular taxi or bus, you almost don’t enjoy any comfort or luxury. For example, you might need to share a seat with three other individuals on a bus. If you are taking a regular cab, it may be rickety and without air-conditioning and a working stereo system.
Again, Bolt understands the importance of customer convenience and ensures that every car in its fleet offers optimal comfort. Among the criteria for a car to be registered on Bolt include:
- A working air conditioning system.
- A functional stereo.
You will discover that some Bolt drivers even offer snacks and drinks to riders. To ensure that drivers comply with this system that offers comfort and luxury, Bolt has a rating system. Riders have to rate their drivers at the end of each trip. As such, drivers stick to the rules to avoid poor ratings that could see them locked out of the system.
Safety
Safety is a very important factor to consider when choosing a means of transportation. Taking a ride with an individual that you don’t know can seem quite unsafe. Anything could happen on such trips and the rider could end up in danger.
Bolt understands this and carries out background checks on individuals before registering them as drivers. We have heard of a few security challenges in times past, but they are minimal compared to regular taxi and bus rides. Bolt also provides a means that riders can use to report drivers that constitute harm to them.
Now, let’s answer some popular questions about Bolt pricing in Tanzania:
Q: Does Bolt charge extra for waiting time?
A: Yes, Bolt charges a waiting fee if the driver has to wait for more than 5 minutes. The fee is usually around TZS 100 per minute.
Q: Does Bolt have surge pricing in Tanzania?
A: Yes, Bolt has surge pricing in Tanzania, which means that the cost of a ride may increase during times of high demand. This is typically indicated in the app before you book your ride, so you can decide whether or not you want to proceed with the higher fare.
Q: Are there any discounts or promotions available for Bolt rides in Tanzania?
A: Bolt often runs promotions and discounts for users in Tanzania, such as reduced fares for first-time riders, or discounts for referring friends to the service. Keep an eye on the Bolt app or social media channels for current promotions.