THE challenges of traversing South-east Asia’s transportation networks owing to challenges in language, currency and obtaining schedules online have led one start-up to create a platform issuing multi-modal tickets including bus, rail and water transport.
Launched earlier this year by Singapore-based founder and CEO Alexey Abolmasov with a main operation office located in Bangkok, 12Go.asia has so far been rolled out in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Brunei, with over 100 transport operators on board.
Tickets are available for purchase via the website or iOS and Android mobile apps. Payment methods include credit cards, PayPal and counter service like 7-Eleven in Thailand.
“We are pretty similar to Agoda, except that we operate in the transportation world,” said Guido Neil, business development director of 12Go.asia.
The platform will soon expand to include air transport, featuring regional carriers such as Lao Airlines, Kan Air and City Airways, Neil informed. “We will open up a new search engine for (smaller aviation players).
Asked about how it is different from AirAsia Thailand and Nok Air, which offer combined flight-and-ferry tickets too, Neil explains that 12Go.asia functions more like a “consolidator” that seeks to connect service providers and consumers.
“The vast majority of users are foreign backpackers from Europe, America and Australia,” he said.
Vietnam and Indonesia offer “interesting potential” for 12Go’s expansion, although Myanmar is not yet on the radar, said Neil.
