Orbit Rupay Prepaid Card: Meet The Metro And Bus Mobility Card That Can Also Handle Digital Payments
The one-card-for-all solution works across major metro and bus networks in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bengaluru, and can also be used for digital payments.
By Anubha Jain
Published : November 13, 2025 at 6:25 PM IST
Bengaluru: To encourage tech professionals and corporates to switch from personal vehicles and promote sustainable commuting in Bengaluru, Orbit Wallet, a fintech startup, has launched a RuPay Prepaid Card, which can also be used for online shopping and to make payments.
Priced at Rs 149, the Orbit Wallet Card is delivered directly to the customer’s doorstep. It works with multiple issuing banks and operates on the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) framework developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). This card enables seamless, cashless travel across metros, buses, and other public transport—serving as a replacement to QR codes and apps.
Available for every commuter, the initiative is a collaboration between Electronics City Industries Association (ELCIA), Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF), and World Resources Institute (WRI) India. By integrating digital payments with public transport, the card simplifies commuting, reduces traffic congestion, and supports greener urban mobility with sustainable daily travel. The initiative includes incentives and rewards for employees who consistently use public transport.
Founded by Harshvardhan Zaveri, Aman Bisht, and Shikha Chouksey, the Orbit Wallet card is part of the STAMP – Nudging Commuter Behaviour project, supported by BMRCL and BMTC, which uses behavioural science and technology interventions to encourage metro usage, especially along Bengaluru's new Yellow Line.
How the card works
In addition to being a mobility card, the Orbit Wallet Card functions like a regular prepaid card. This means it can be used for online shopping and everyday payments, while allowing usage across public transit systems pan-India. Complementing the card, the Orbit Wallet mobile app provides commuters with a simple, seamless platform to manage travel and payments in one place.
Orbit Wallet Card: Key Features
- Rs 1,500 pre-loaded for ELCIA employees: Rs 750 upfront + Rs 750 cashback based on metro usage
- Flat 1 per cent Cashback on retail and online spends
- Metro discounts: 10 per cent off non-peak travel, 5 per cent off peak travel
- An additional 10 per cent cashback for metro users under the Nudge program
- Integrates transport, shopping, and digital payments on a single platform
Shikha Chouksey, co-founder of Orbit Wallet, said, “Many companies currently incentivise personal vehicle use through fuel reimbursements and parking benefits. With Orbit Wallet, corporates can now reward employees for using metros and buses, promoting sustainable commuting.”
In a conversation with ETV Bharat, Harshvardhan Zaveri, CEO of Orbit Wallet, discussed the organisation’s vision, operations, and the significance of the Orbit Wallet card in promoting seamless urban mobility.
Idea behind the launch
Discussing the idea behind launching the Orbit Wallet RuPay card, Zaveri said that the card was launched to provide a single, interoperable payment solution for public transport across India. Urban commuters often juggle multiple QR codes, apps, and ticketing systems, making multi-modal travel inconvenient. Initially introduced for Electronics City Industries Association (ELCIA) members, the card is now available to all commuters through the Orbit Wallet app.
Turning the vision into reality
When asked about the most challenging part of turning the idea into reality, Zaveri said that NPCI played a crucial role in the journey. Following the Ministry of Home Affairs’ 2019 directive mandating all operators to accept NCMC or RuPay cards, the process took nearly five years of coordinated effort. During this period, metro systems, AFC gates, and bus terminals across the country were upgraded.
Encouraging sustainable commuting in Bengaluru and Mumbai:
Responding to a question on early insights into how employees are adapting to public transport, Zaveri said that cities like Bengaluru are showing positive signs of change. “Many urban professionals here traditionally relied on personal vehicles, but with the launch of the Metro Yellow Line and increasing traffic congestion, more people are shifting to metro travel,” he noted.
He highlighted that in Bengaluru, over 100 employees are transitioning from personal vehicles to metro travel due to convenience. Harshvardhan also mentioned pilot projects involving 200 employees and noted that while end-mile connectivity remains a challenge, the initiative has been successful in promoting sustainable commuting in both Bangalore and Mumbai.
“In Mumbai, the Aqua Line, connecting BKC to South Mumbai, has also made a big impact—we’re seeing a strong uptick in commuters using our cards there,” Zaveri added.
Tech-enabled incentives for eco-friendly travel:
Talking about how technology and behavioural science are being used to encourage sustainable commuting, Zaveri explained, “We’ve integrated AI-driven systems within our app to understand commuter journeys and offer personalised incentives. Through our STAMP–Nudging Commuter Behaviour project, we’re encouraging users to adopt and promote public transport by rewarding sustainable travel choices.”
He added, “Given that metro fares in Bengaluru are relatively higher than in other cities, we offer users discounts and additional benefits to make public transit more attractive. Our AI-enabled nudges analyse commuter behaviour and suggest smarter, eco-friendly travel options. The program is just a couple of weeks old, but we’re already seeing a positive response from users.”
Future plans and technological upgrades
Speaking about plans to scale the model, Zaveri said, “We’re in discussions with multiple operators, primarily the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) in Chennai, where we plan to deploy over 10 lakh cards through conductor networks. Soon, our cards will be available across 3,500+ buses in the city. Several other operators are also in the pipeline.
India’s public transport market is massive—with around 3 crore metro users and 8 crore bus commuters annually. In metros alone, we have nearly 1 crore daily riders, offering a huge opportunity to expand this model nationwide.”
Talking about upcoming projects, Zaveri said, “Currently, after loading money online, users need to visit a metro station to update their card balance. We’re developing an SDK that will eliminate this step. Soon, users will be able to check and update their balance instantly by simply tapping the card behind an NFC-enabled smartphone. Within the next 12 months, we aim to make it possible for commuters to tap their phones directly at metro gates, removing the need for a physical card altogether.”
As closing remarks, he said, “The government aims to shift 10 billion transactions to a digital platform, with NCMC cards providing higher throughput than QR codes for large-scale passenger movement. When we started, aligning banks and operators was extremely challenging. Today, seeing over 50,000 daily users tap our card twice a day gives us immense satisfaction — it’s been a truly rewarding journey,” said Zaveri.
