The largest Russian marketplace, Wildberries, is preparing to enter the passenger transportation market. The company is considering launching its own taxi service in Russia, tentatively in 2026.
According to media reports, a separate application is already being created for the project, through which users will be able to call a car in the same way as they do now in popular services. Drivers are planned to be attracted through partnership programs, as well as through the existing network of marketplace couriers.
The idea is not new: test versions of the service have already been launched in some CIS countries. Now the company is, in fact, testing the model before a full-fledged entry into the Russian market.
If the project takes place, the main competitor will be taxi services from "Yandex", which dominates the industry today. However, Wildberries has a serious trump card - a huge delivery infrastructure and tens of millions of users. This makes it possible to potentially combine purchases, delivery of goods and trips in one ecosystem.
At the start, the new service may offer lower prices in order to quickly attract passengers and drivers. In this case, the taxi market in Russia will receive a truly major competitor for the first time in a long time.
