A Complete Walkthrough of ZUM APP
From setting up your account to ending your ride, every screen, every feature, and everything in between, explained simply.
Not Around the Phone
Create Your Account and Log In
The sign-up and login screens are the same place in Zum. When you first open the app you'll see two options, Sign Up if you're new, and Log In if you already have an account.
Creating a new account
Logging back in
Tap Log In on the same screen. Enter your registered phone number and password, then tap Log In. Zum keeps you logged in automatically, you'll rarely need to do this unless you've logged out manually.
Privacy Note: Your Face ID or Fingerprint data is NOT stored by Zum; it is handled securely by your device's operating system.
Guided Tour: It Starts the Moment You Sign Up
You don't need to find or launch the Guided Tour; it appears only on your first login after creating your account. The moment you're in, the app walks you through every screen and button one step at a time, with a short explanation at each one. You'll need to tap at the exact spot — taps only register once the animation at each step finishes and the click icon appears. Only that specific area is tappable, and only after the animation completes, so watch for the icon before tapping. You can access it later anytime via Settings → Guided Tour .
Help: Your Starting Point
Tap Help on the home screen before you do anything else. The Help section brings together everything you need to get started in one place.
Location: Enable It Before You Ride
Zum is a location-based service. The app needs access to your phone's location at all times while you are using it, otherwise core features like the live map, station finder, geofence, and ride tracking simply will not work.
KYC: Prove Who You Are, Just Once
KYC stands for Know Your Customer . It's a one-time identity check that every Zum rider have to complete before their first ride. Once approved you never have to do it again.
• Address details
• Document details
• Photo of your License, Citizenship, Passport, or National Identity — both front and back
• Photo upload — a clear photo of your face
• Emergency contact — relationship with you and phone number
Before KYC Approval
While your KYC is pending or has not yet been submitted, your access to the app is intentionally limited. Here is what you can and cannot do at this stage.
After KYC Approval
Once the Zum team approves your KYC submission, you receive a notification and full app access is immediately unlocked. Every feature in the app becomes available with no further steps required.
Need to update your details later?
You can go back to Settings > My Profile > Account > Update KYC at any time to update your address, documents, photo, or emergency contact. Changes are reviewed before they take effect.
Home Screen: Everything You See When You Open the App
This is the screen you'll spend most of your time on. Every number, button, and section here has a specific job. Here's exactly what each part does.
Your entire ride life, on one screen
Balance, stats, quick actions, and the Scan QR button to start any ride, all visible without opening a single sub-menu.
Top Bar
Message Board
The scrollable card below the weather shows news from Zum, new hub openings, partnerships, promotions, and app updates. Swipe left and right or tap the arrows to flick through individual messages — the dots at the bottom show how many slides there are. Individual messages on the carousel are not clickable for more details. Tap the Message Board itself to open the full list, where every message is shown in a clean, scrollable list view. You can also filter messages by date to find announcements from a specific period.
Balance Card
Your Stats
The Stats panel changes depending on where you are in the app. On the home screen it shows your lifetime totals and averages. On the active ride screen it switches to live numbers for the ride you are currently on.
⚪ Home Screen — lifetime totals
🟢 Active Ride Screen — live ride stats
🟤 Booking Page — booked ride info
Preferences
The Preferences box lets you control how your cycle behaves, both while you are riding and when you are away from it. Each setting has its own on/off toggle and saves automatically.
Quick Action Buttons
Bottom Navigation Bar
The three buttons at the very bottom of the screen behave differently depending on whether you have no active ride, an active ride in progress, or a reserved cycle on the way. Here is what each one shows in each state.
Rides: Every completed trip with date, duration, distance, start and end location, and balance used. Tap any entry for the full details of that ride.
Purchases: A record of all your top-ups, subscription payments, and utility bill payments made through the app, with date, amount, and payment method. Each purchase row has a Download button to download the invoice for that specific purchase. There is also a Download button on the bottom right of the screen to download the full purchase history — you can use the date filter to adjust which purchases are shown before downloading.
Minutes: A clear log of every minute added to or used from your Zum balance, so you can see exactly where your ride time has gone.
Tokens: A history of every token purchase, gift, and use, so you always know how your tokens have been spent.
Reserved State: If a cycle is reserved by another user, the cycle stays in a Locked state. If you scan it, you will be notified that the cycle is currently reserved by another user, so you can move on and try a different one.
Inactive: This is how every ride starts. Walk up to any Zum cycle, tap this button, point your camera at the QR code on the bike, and it unlocks immediately.
Active Ride: During a ride, tapping Scan QR on your own cycle opens the mid-ride menu, giving you access to Track Ride, Cruise Mode, Lock Cycle, Swap Battery, Top Up Balance, and End Ride.
Reserved Ride: While a cycle is reserved for you, this button scans the QR on your reserved cycle to confirm your arrival and start the ride immediately.
Inactive: Opens the full Zum map of Kathmandu showing every station within the Ring Road with live cycle availability at each one. The inner and outer Ring Road boundaries are clearly marked so you can always see exactly where the ride zone starts and ends. Your live location is shown on the map so you always know your position relative to stations and zone boundaries.
Active Ride: Switches to your live ride map, showing your current position, the geofence boundary, your route traced in real time, and the nearest stations for ending your ride. The active ride map also shows where the cycle came from and where it is heading.
Reserved Ride: Shows the station where your reserved cycle is waiting, your current location, and the route to get there so you can head over promptly to save your Zum balance.
Note — Enable Location: You must allow location access while using the app. A mobile push notification will prompt you to enable it; if location is not enabled, the map will not be functional in Zum.
Note — Map Context: The active ride map and the home screen map work differently. The home screen map shows all stations and availability across the zone, while the active ride map is focused on your current ride context.
Balance: Your Ride Time in Minutes
Zum doesn't charge per ride, it charges per minute. Your Balance is a pool of minutes you buy in advance. Every minute you spend on a cycle, per minute is taken from your balance. Top up any time by tapping Balance + on the home screen.
Note: You can link more than one bank account in the Zum app, so if one account does not have enough balance the renewal can still go through from another linked account.
Zum will notify you regarding subscription renewal, and if the amount is not present in any of your linked accounts, Zum will notify you regarding insufficient balance.
Packages start from one hour and go up to a full day pass. Pay As You Go packages and any bonus minutes you collect come with a 28-day window from the day they land in your account — keeping things ticking and your balance ready whenever you need it.
You can also opt for a monthly subscription with riding time ranging from 20 to 55 hours.
Examples: If you top up on May 1, your minutes stay valid through May 28. If you top up mid-month on May 15, your minutes stay valid for the next 28 days, until June 11.
Subscription minutes are different: Unused minutes from a monthly subscription roll over to the next month as long as you stay subscribed, so they don't follow the 28-day expiry rule.
Tokens: When You Need More Than a Ride
Tokens are a separate balance used for actions outside a regular ride. One token costs Rs. 100 and they never expire. Buy them from the Token Center on the home screen by tapping Token + .
⚠️ Boundary Penalties
Book a Cycle to Plan Ahead
Don't want to show up at a station and find all the cycles taken? Use Reserve from the home screen. It holds a specific cycle at a station for you so it's waiting when you get there. You can also book another ride while you are already on an active ride.
Your Reserved Cycle Only
Once you have an active reservation, you must scan the specific cycle assigned to you — you cannot scan a different cycle to start a ride. The app will only unlock your reserved cycle.
If you try to scan another cycle while a reservation is active, it will not go through. Cancel your reservation first if your plans change and you want to ride a different cycle.
When browsing cycles to reserve, the cycle with the highest estimated remaining range at that station is highlighted. This helps you pick the cycle that will take you the furthest on a single charge.
Pop-Up Station Notice
Outside Zum Stations, you may also see pop-up station listings on your map. When a rider ends their ride by parking outside a station near you, the app shows nearby users a temporary station view in the map listings showing that cycle’s location.
You can reserve that cycle immediately through the same Reserve flow. Pop-up stations behave like normal stations for reservation purposes, but they are temporary and tied to a specific parked cycle.
Scan, Check, Go
For an immediate ride, walk up to any available Zum cycle, open the app, and tap Scan QR . Point your camera at the QR code on the cycle. The app runs a few quick checks before unlocking it.
What you see when you scan a cycle QR code
Before the ride begins, the app shows a summary screen with the cycle's battery percentage, the cycle ID number, a Start Ride button to confirm you want to begin, and an estimated range based on the current battery level. This gives you a chance to check if the battery is sufficient for your trip before committing to the ride. If the battery is too low, scan a different cycle.
Track Your Cycle and Mid-Ride Controls
Once your ride is active, scan the QR on your own cycle again at any point to get a quick menu of mid-ride options. This is where you control everything without stopping your session.
Blacklisting is an exception — it is reserved for edge cases involving repeated violations and is not something a regular rider will encounter. If you are blacklisted, you will need to contact the Zum team through Login page → Help and Support to regain access.
Tip: By tapping the indicator at the top of the home screen, you can see a pulsing Green dot for an Active Cycle and a pulsing Orange dot for a Reserved Cycle, so you always know which is which at a glance.
Geofence Zones: Stay in the Green
Zum cycles are designed for use within a set riding area. The app monitors your location in real time during every ride. There are three zones and only one of them costs you nothing.
| Zone | Status | What Happens | Token Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inside Geofence | ✅ Safe | Your ride runs normally. No alerts, no charges, no restrictions, unless there are other violations on the cycle. | None |
| Inner Boundary | ⚠ Warning | The moment you cross the inner boundary, the cycle starts beeping and a notification is sent telling you to return. A 5-minute grace period starts. If you ride back inside before it ends, nothing is charged. If you don't return in time, 2 tokens are deducted and the motor's power is cut. If you keep going by hard pedalling, another 2 tokens are charged every 5 minutes, and the cycle locks itself once it stops for a while. | 2 Tokens after grace, +2 every 5 mins |
| Outer Boundary | 🚫 Violation | Same penalty as the inner boundary, but with no grace period, no beeps, and no notification. The moment you cross, 2 tokens are deducted, the motor cuts, every additional 5 minutes costs another 2 tokens, and the cycle locks itself once it stops for a while. | 2 Tokens immediately, +2 every 5 mins |
The 5-minute rule
A wrong turn near the boundary? You have a full 5 minutes to turn around and ride back inside. No token is charged if you make it back in time.
The outer boundary is immediate. Once you cross it, the alarm triggers and 2 tokens are deducted. Keep the map visible if you're riding near the edges of the city.
Time Warnings: The App Keeps You Informed
As your balance runs down during a ride, Zum sends progressively urgent alerts so you always have time to top up or find a station before your minutes run out.
Negative Balance: What Happens and How to Clear It
If your account shows a negative balance after a ride, you'll see a red colour indication on the home screen. This means your balance dipped below zero at some point during or after your session.
End Your Ride: At a Station or Anywhere Else
There are two ways to end a Zum ride. Ending at a station is always free and instant. If there's no station nearby, the app lets you end your ride remotely using a token.
Important: Your ride time only ends after the Zum team approves your parking photo. Until then, your timer may continue, so submit a clear photo and wait for approval.
SOS: Help When You Need It Most
Zum has a built-in SOS feature for emergencies during a ride. SOS is only available once you have started a ride. If you have an accident, feel unsafe, or face any urgent situation while riding, the SOS button gives you a fast way to alert the Zum support team, who will inform the police accordingly depending on the incident.
Notifications: Alerts and Support Chat
The notification and chat on the home screen does two things: it shows all your app alerts, and it gives you direct access to a live chat with the Zum support team. Tap the icon any time to read your alerts or start a conversation with us. The chat includes a Tap & Talk feature for quick voice messages, and photo uploads so you can send a picture of the cycle, station, or any issue straight to the support team. Here's what each alert type means.
Auto Ride Alerts
Note: These ride alerts arrive as push notifications and the same details are also shown live on the Active Ride screen while you are riding, so you don't miss anything even if you have notifications muted.
Account Alerts
General Announcements
Services: Pay Bills From the App
Zum includes a built-in bill payment section under Services on the home screen. Pay your electricity, water, internet, mobile top-up, and more directly from the app — no need to switch to another wallet or banking app.
- Electricity via NEA
- Water via KUKL or Community
- Mobile Top-up via NTC or Ncell
- Bank Transfer via NPS
- Worldlink Internet
- Vianet Internet
- Techminds
- Dishhome, ADSL, NT FTTH
My Profile: Manage Your Account
Go to Settings then My Profile . Your profile card shows your name and phone number at the top, and below it are three tabs: Account, Preference, and Stats.
Account Tab
Preference Tab
Control which notifications you receive during and outside of rides. This is also where Cruise Mode enable toggle once you've unlocked it by riding 15 km total. Enable it here before your next ride and the motor holds a steady speed automatically so you don't need to hold the throttle.
Stats Tab
A summary of all your ride data including total rides, distance, time, and average speed. Tap View Ride History to see every individual trip with its route, date, and duration.
Everything in Settings
Tap the Settings icon from the home screen to access your full account management menu.
Payment Options: Set Up How You Pay
Before your first ride you need to add at least one payment method. Go to Settings then Payment Options to set up and organise how you pay inside the app. Zum supports multiple payment gateways and wallets to ensure you can top up anytime, anywhere.
How it works: Uses your CityPay wallet balance or linked bank for instant payments.
How to use: Select CityPay > Enter Mobile Number > Enter Wallet PIN & OTP > Confirm.
How it works: Deducts funds directly from your eSewa wallet balance.
How to use: Select eSewa > Login with eSewa ID/Password > Review Details > Confirm Payment.
What "mandatory" means here: You cannot complete account setup or make any payment without a verified email address on file. This is not optional — the app will prompt you to add one if it is missing. The email is used solely to deliver your transaction records and is not shared with third parties.
Register 1-Tap Payment: Link Your Bank Account
This feature links your payment account directly to Zum through NCHL (bank accounts) or CityPay (digital wallet). Once set up, every top-up happens with a single tap. No extra steps ever again.
Subscription: Manage Your Plan
Before you subscribe — eligibility
To purchase a subscription on ZUM, you'll need to meet a few basic conditions first:
- Your KYC must be approved.
- Your email must be verified.
- You must have a linked payment method — CityPay or an NCHL-supported bank.
- Your name should be on the Eligibility Purchase list, which works on a strict first come, first served basis.
What you're signing up for
When you subscribe to ZUM Ride, you choose a package that suits your usage needs. Your subscription runs for one full year and you're billed monthly, never all at once.
Before your subscription goes live, you'll need to link a payment method that supports automatic recurring payments.
You can only have one active subscription on your account at a time. If you want to switch to a different package, you can always use the upgrade or downgrade option to make the switch.
How to get started
Here's what happens when you subscribe through the ZUM Ride app:
Payment methods you can use
Your subscription needs a payment method that supports automatic recurring charges. Here's what's accepted:
How your billing works
How long your subscription lasts
Your subscription is valid for 12 months from the day you purchase it. It stays active until either the 12 months are up or you cancel, whichever happens first. It won't renew automatically when the year ends — you'll need to subscribe again manually, just like the first time.
Your monthly charge
You're billed once a month, never the full year upfront. The charge is applied automatically at the start of each billing period.
Zum will notify you 3 days before your billing date via app notification and SMS. If there are insufficient funds across any of your linked payment methods, your subscription will be cancelled and the charge won't be attempted again. Any remaining balance on your account at that point is moved to your Pay As You Go balance. To resume service, you'll need to purchase a new subscription.
Your billing date
Your billing date is anchored to your original purchase date and stays the same every month throughout your subscription.
Making the most of your minutes
Unused minutes roll over
Any minutes you don't use by the end of a billing period carry over to the next one, with no limit on how much can roll over. Nothing goes to waste during your subscription.
When your 12-month subscription ends, any minutes you've saved up are converted to your Pay As You Go balance.
What happens if you run out of minutes early
If you use up all your minutes before the billing period ends, you can keep riding at a rate matched to your subscription package through Pay As You Go until your next billing period begins. This ensures uninterrupted service.
Changing your plan
Upgrading to a higher package
Upgrading takes effect immediately. Your current billing period ends on the upgrade date and a new one begins, charged at the new package rate. Your billing date resets to the upgrade date.
Any unused minutes from your previous billing period carry forward. If you were in overuse, those minutes are deducted from your new billing period's allocation.
Downgrading to a lower package
Downgrading takes effect at the end of your current billing period. Your current billing period carries on as normal under your existing package, and the reduced rate applies from the next billing period onward. You won't be charged anything when you downgrade.
Extending your subscription
The Extend option starts a fresh 12-month subscription from today. You'll see this option in two situations:
Buying an additional package
If you've used up all your minutes before your billing period ends, you have the option to purchase an additional package to keep riding. What's available to you depends on your current plan:
Cancelling and changing your mind
How cancellation works
You can cancel any time from the ZUM Ride app. Your access doesn't stop right away. You'll keep riding until the end of your current billing period, and you won't be charged for the next one. Your cancellation is processed one day before your next renewal date.
What you'll see when you cancel
When you tap cancel in the app, you'll be shown two options:
Changed your mind? You can reinstate
You can reinstate your subscription at any point before your billing period ends. Everything continues as it was — your billing date and rollover minutes are unaffected, as if you never cancelled.
A few things to know about NCHL e-Mandate
If you pay via bank transfer, here are a couple of things to keep in mind:
- When your e-Mandate token is about to expire, you'll be prompted in the app to renew your mandate so your payments can continue without any interruption.
- If you delete the e-Mandate token from your bank, it will also be deleted and unlinked from ZUM's end immediately.
Day Package
The Day Package lets you book a single cycle for one day at a station of your choice. You'll be assigned the cycle with the highest available range at your selected station.
How booking works
Help and Support: We're Right There in the App
Something went wrong or you have a question? Go to Settings then Help and Support and reach the Zum team directly without leaving the app.