Many people ask us “Is there Uber in Vietnam?” In short, the answer is no, but fortunately, there is a great alternative to Uber called “Grab”.
Essentially, Grab is Vietnam’s Uber and is arguably the best way to get around big cities like Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Hanoi. Taxis in Southeast Asia are notoriously unreliable as they rarely let foreigners use the meter and quote exorbitant prices.
This happened to me in Bangkok, I was waiting in line for a taxi for 20 minutes and there were signs everywhere saying the taxis in line needed to have a meter. When I got in the taxi, he drove about 100 yards and then quoted me a flat rate four times what it should have been. When I told him to use the meter, he made me get out of the car and drive away.
I’ve never had any problems using Grab other than driver cancellations, but you can learn more below. Remember to check the license plate before getting in the car!
You can download the Grab app from Apple’s App Store or Google’s Play Store.
Why take a Grab service?
As mentioned earlier, Grab is the Uber of Southeast Asia. Therefore, you need to download the Grab application to your phone and enter the pick-up and drop-off location. You’ll receive a quote for your trip and you’ll be able to find out when the driver will leave and how far the distance will be.
One of the benefits of taking Grab versus a taxi is that you don’t have to explain where you’re going to someone who speaks very little English (assuming you don’t speak Vietnamese). Another thing is that you know the price in advance and don’t have to worry about haggling.
Finally, because Grab tracks your location and has an in-app “emergency” feature, you’re less likely to become a victim of crime or fraud. You can also avoid taking longer routes to increase your meter.
Grab Car and Grab Bike
Like Uber, you can choose the size of the car Grab picks you up. But unlike Uber, if you are a solo traveler, you can also choose “Grab Bike”.
If you choose the Grab Bike option, you will typically pay about half the cost of a car, but you will have to sit on the back of the motorbike. Grab Bike travel in Vietnam can be fun or scary, depending on your comfort level riding a motorbike and the Grab Bike rider’s level of recklessness.
Vietnam has very strict helmet laws, so Grab Bike drivers will always wear a helmet for you during the trip.
Disadvantages of Grab
The only drawback I encountered when using Grab is that drivers often cancel trips. Or they don’t cancel the trip and just drive further and further hoping you will cancel and get fined.
Drivers seem to have to accept rides without seeing a pick-up or drop-off location, so if they realize you’re too far away or the trip is too short, they won’t feel it’s worth their time.
There were a few times when the Grab driver kept canceling the trip, so we decided to walk.
Also, please note that it can be difficult to find drivers when it rains as they are in high demand. When it rains heavily, the cost of Grab may be a little higher, so don’t be surprised if you have to ask the driver multiple times in the Grab app to find a driver.
Price label
If you take a short Uber ride in the US, you pay the minimum fare. This amount varies by city but is usually around $5. Grab has no minimum price and you’ll rarely pay more than a few dollars to get anywhere in the city, especially if you ride a Grab bike. Just this morning, I took a 20-minute Grab Bike ride for 40,000 VND (about 1.75 USD).
When you download the Grab app, the default setting is to pay cash for each ride. So you will see the price you owe on the application but it must be paid in cash. We highly recommend adding your credit card number so you don’t have to worry about getting changed.
Tip your Grab driver
Because trips are so cheap and wages in Vietnam are low, we sometimes tip at the end of shorter trips.
After finishing the trip, you can open the app and rate the driver from 1-5 stars. The next page will ask if you want to add a tip, your options are 10,000, 15,000 VND, or 20,000 VND (all for less than 1 USD).
You shouldn’t feel obligated to tip Grab, but it’s easy to do and will make your driver very happy!
Download the Grab app
You can download the Grab app from Apple’s App Store or Google’s Play Store.
That’s it – we hope you have a great experience with Grab!
Are you planning a trip to Vietnam? Check out our favorite books and travel guides!
Today, you can find Val dreaming about future travels, creating new travel content, managing a team of amazing travel enthusiasts, and surrounding herself with two adorable children but his playfulness.
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