If you resides in Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, or any country Bolt taxi is currently hailing, you can request a ride online without the taxi app. This is 100% achievable through the Bolt's webpage, and how to do it is what I'm going to walk you through in this article.
Bolt is an Estonian-founded, European-based, "super-app" mobility company operating in over 600 cities across 50+ countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America. In addition to that, Bolt also offers private rides, as well as micromobility options like scooters, food and grocery delivery, and car sharing.
I believe you know what bolt is all about? I just gave that for quick remembrance. The company was founded in 2013 by Markus Villig in Tallinn, Estonia. Now, the company is now widely used around the world, with millions of rides taken and a major presence in cities across the continents.
Anyway, Bolt taxi can be booked online and via the mobile app. The online version (also known as the Bolt Web app) works on smartphones, tablets, and iPads. If you prefer a bigger screen, you can also book a ride on your laptop.
Bolt Web app works in situations whereby rider's phone no longer have enough storage to install anymore app, if the rider is using an older or entry-level device, when the rider has a poor connection or out of coverage, or if the rider would prefer to order a ride from a desktop or laptop.
How to request a Bolt ride online without app
Follow these steps to book a bolt taxi online without the app:
- Open your browser (on your smartphone or laptop).
- Type "m.bolt.eu" in the browser's address bar and click "Enter"
- Enter your phone number (the one you used to register for Bolt) to authorize the ride.
- You’ll get an SMS code; enter it to log into your account. If you don't have an account, you can also create an account through the process.
- Once the ride is authorized, you'll be required to setup your pick up location and destination.
- Allow location access so Bolt detects your current spot as pickup.
- In the destination box, type or select your destination.
- Once that is done, you'll then be required to choose your preferred rider (such as standard, XL, etc., depending on what’s available in your city).
- Now, click "Request a trip" to confirm the trip.
- Bolt will show an estimated price and time to for driver to arrive once the driver is assigned.
Note: It's important to note that Bolt Web app works just like the taxi app; you can pay with card, wallet, or (where enabled) cash. So, you must ensure that you have a standard bolt account and funds in the account, unless you want to use cash-at-hand to pay for the ride.
Also,.you still need internet and SMS reception so the system can verify your phone number and send ride details. It's also important to note that this method works in South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and every other cities where Bolt operates.
FAQs
How to request a ride on Bolt for someone?
If you want to book a Bolt ride for someone, it's a simple thing to do. All you need to do is to open the Bolt taxi app and set the pickup location to the person's current spot (instead of your own). You'll also need to set the person's destination. Once that is done, you will then share the driver’s details and trip status to the person you're ordering a ride for. You can use the "Share my ride" feature that's available in the Bolt app to share the details. You can also use the "In-app call" to inform the driver they are picking up someone else.
How to track driver on Bolt Web app?
It's also possible to track your driver on the Bolt web. To do that, simply check the live map. Meanwhile, you must have booked a ride and the ride must have been confirmed. On the live map, your pick up pin and destination will be live and your driver’s car icon will appear on the map and move in real time as they approach you. On that same screen, you’ll see, you can also read your driver's status-info such as the driver’s name, car details, estimated arrival time (ETA), and his distance from you.
Bolt cancellation policy and refunds
If you no longer want to continue a trip before the driver arrives, you can always cancel but there's also clause in the policy. Bolt's cancellation policy charges a fee if you cancel after the free period (typically 2 minutes post-driver acceptance).
However, this policy also varies by city and category. But you can always check in the Bolt app or site to know the policy that's available based on the city you live in.
Furthermore, no fee applies if the driver cancels without sufficient wait time (3-8 minutes, market-dependent) or within the initial window .
Refunds
If you want to file for refunds for trip that has been cancelled or for the charges that occurred on your Bolt account, go to ride history on your account, select the trip in question, and report an issue using the ticket box, with a specific title (e.g., "charged after cancellation"), and submit details for review.
Review usually takes within 24-48 hours during business hours. Meanwhile, after review, there's processing time and the processing time depends on payment method. For card payment, the refund processing time usually take up to 7 business days or more based on how swift card issuer responds; authorization holds may mimic fees but auto-release.
