Can foreigners use Grab in Vietnam?

Is there a Grab in Vietnam for foreigners?

Grab’s totally a thing in Vietnam. Tourists, dive in! Think of it as a digital cyclo, but without the awkward haggling. Snag a SIM card at the airport—like oxygen for your phone. Pre-download the Grab app. Boom. Instant street cred. Taxis? So last century. Your wallet will thank you. Plus, no more miming destinations. Just tap, tap, ride.

• Get a local SIM card: Essential. Seriously. Like chopsticks for pho. I use Viettel, good coverage even when I’m hiking in the mountains near Sapa (which, by the way, is stunning).
• Download the Grab app before you arrive: Roaming charges? Ouch. Airport wifi can be…fickle. Learn from my mistakes, people.
• Know your destination: Addresses in Vietnam are…an adventure. A landmark helps. Or better yet, GPS coordinates. Once took a Grab to a “blue building”…there were three. Oops.
• Cash is king (sometimes): While cards are accepted more and more, cash is still handy, especially outside big cities like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh. Keeps things smooth. Especially for those spontaneous street food stops. Banh mi, anyone?

My friend, bless her heart, once tried to hail a Grab from the airport arrivals area. Inside. Didn’t go well. Pro-tip: Exit the building first. Look for the designated Grab pick-up zones. Saves you from looking like a confused tourist. Not that I would know anything about that.

Is Grab or taxi cheaper in Vietnam?

Grab is cheaper. Mostly.

• Peak hours? Forget it. Grab surges.
• Short hops? Taxis maybe. Haggle, always.
• Distance dictates price. Consider distance. Traffic, too.
• Cheaper? It just depends. Simple.

Forget hailing a random taxi. Download Grab. Now. I use it daily. Less hassle, usually. Still, watch the prices. Seriously. My aunt got fleeced last week.

Additions

• Grab: App-based. Cars, bikes, delivery.
• Taxis: Metered. Negotiate first. Scams exist. AVOID.
• Price factors: Distance, time, demand. ALWAYS.
• Safety: Grab is generally safer. Tracked rides. Information.
• Payment: Grab – card/cash. Taxis – cash.
• My phone bills? Insane. All Grab. Convenient, not cheap.
• Don’t trust anyone. Especially taxi drivers at the airport. My friend, big mistake.
• Location matters. Hanoi? Saigon? Big difference.
• Don’t be dumb. Check the final Grab price BEFORE booking.
• Vietnam. It’s…something.

Can I use grab pay in Vietnam?

No. GrabPay’s gone. Dead in Vietnam. 2023.

• Grab abandoned its Vietnamese e-wallet. Partnership failure.
• Moca integration didn’t work. Strategic blunder.
• Alternatives exist. ZaloPay, Momo. Research those.

My experience? Useless. Never trusted it anyway. Used my Vietcombank card. Far superior.

Are grabs cheap in Vietnam?

Grab. Hanoi. Cheap? Usually. Not always. Peak hours, forget it. Pricey then. Like, way more. Double, even triple. Crazy.

• Normal times? Grab is good. Better than taxis, I think.
• Rush hour? Taxi might win. Gotta watch it.

My trip last week…ugh. Stuck in traffic. Grab cost a fortune. Should’ve walked. Twenty minutes. Dumb. Live near West Lake, by the way. Love it here. Except the traffic.

• Consider walking. Sometimes faster. Definitely cheaper.
• Grab motorbike? Cheaper than car. Faster too. Traffic…motorbikes weave. Amazing.

Remember that crazy rain? Tuesday? Grab prices skyrocketed. Supply and demand, right? Economics 101. Ugh. Took a bus. So crowded. Never again. Well, maybe. If it pours again.

• Rain = higher Grab prices. Plan ahead.
• Bus is an option. Not fun, but cheap.

Food here is so cheap though. Pho for breakfast. Every. Single. Day. Love it. Bun cha for lunch sometimes. Street food. Best. Tamarind juice. Addicted. Maybe I spend too much on food…Nah.

• Food is super cheap.
• Tamarind juice. Try it.

How reliable is Grab in Hanoi?

Grab’s pretty reliable in Hanoi. Good for getting around. I use it all the time for work, even to my office near Hoan Kiem Lake. They’re everywhere. Motorbikes are super convenient. Cars are good too, especially when it rains. Traffic can be a beast though. Makes travel times unpredictable. Sometimes drivers cancel. Annoying, but it happens. Fares are usually reasonable. Pay by cash or card, easy peasy. Safety is always a consideration, anywhere, right? I always check the driver’s rating. And share my ride details with a friend. Just in case. Makes me feel better.

• Generally reliable: Grab is a popular choice. Used widely by locals and tourists. Think of it as Hanoi’s Uber/Lyft.

• Multiple vehicle options: Cars, motorbikes (GrabBike). Even delivery services. Something for everyone. My neighbor prefers GrabBike. Zipping through traffic.

• Pricing: Pretty transparent. Shown upfront. Surge pricing during peak hours. Like everywhere else. Supply and demand, you know?

• Safety features: In-app safety tools. Share live location. Emergency button. Driver ratings and reviews. Always helpful.

• Potential downsides: Can’t always get a ride. Especially during rush hour or bad weather. Cancellations happen. Frustrating, but part of the game I guess. Sometimes drivers take longer routes. Best to have Google Maps handy. Just to keep them honest.

Once took a GrabBike at midnight. Pretty wild ride. But got me home safe. Life’s an adventure, eh? Grab’s part of that adventure, at least in Hanoi.

How much is a Grab from Hanoi to Halong Bay?

Hanoi to Halong Bay by Grab? Think twice, buddy. Like riding a turtle to the moon. Price? 800,000 to 2,500,000 VND. Highway robbery! Might as well buy a small motorbike.

Better options, you know:

• Local bus: Cheap as chips. 120,000 – 250,000 VND. Smelly, but hey, it’s an experience. Like a sardine can on wheels. My Aunt Mildred swears by it.
• Shuttle bus: Slightly fancier sardine can. 180,000 – 300,000 VND. Still cheaper than that Grab, right?
• Seaplane: 8,000,000 VND. If you’re feeling like a Rockefeller. Or maybe won the lottery. My neighbor’s dog walker took one. Bragged for weeks.

Grab’s like that fancy restaurant. Looks good, but empties your wallet faster than a greased pig at a county fair. Consider other modes. Seriously. Unless you’re rolling in dough. Then, by all means, splurge.

My cat prefers the bus, by the way.