How to use Grab to book car rides in Southeast Asia

Grab is a very popular ride calling app in Southeast Asia, and has literally driven Uber out of the market. You can download the app by searching for the word “grab” in the Google Play Store or the iPhone App Store.

You should set up your account before your trip. The first time you open the app, you will be shown an introductory screen. You can register using your mobile number and email address, and must grant Grab the permission to make and manage phone calls and keep track of your phone's location.

For some reason, Grab does not allow you to add credit cards to your account if you are not in a country where it can be used, at least at the time this video was made. You can link your credit card as soon as you get online when you arrive at your destination.

On the main menu, press Car. You will be shown a map of your surrounding area. Press the lower text box and you can enter where you want to go. You will be shown the route that will be taken, the type of service chosen along with the fare. Press the box displaying the service chosen and you can select a different one, which may have a different fare. If you have a promo code, you can enter it by pressing Promo.

When you are ready, press the Book button and the app will start searching for a nearby driver. When a driver is assigned to you, you can keep track of his location by looking at the live map provided. To help you identify the driver, you will be shown a photo of the driver, his full name, along with the make, colour and license plate of his car.

Once you have set off, you can keep track of your location along with what time you can expect to arrive at your destination. Press the bar at the bottom of the screen and you can see all the details of your journey, and even change your destination.

Once you have arrived, you can rate your experience with a 5 star scale. You will be reminded of your total fare and the number of points you have earned. If you are feeling generous, you may also tip the driver and be more specific about what you like most about your ride!

Please note that your fare may sometimes be higher than normal due to high demand. This happens when there are not many drivers available, which could happen when you try to book a ride while it is raining, from a popular tourist destination or when many people are leaving work.

Grab has a loyalty program, where you earn points from your rides. You earn 6 points for each Ringgit spent in Malaysia, and 3 for each Singapore Dollar spent in Singapore, so the earn rate is better in Malaysia. To redeem your points, open Grab, press the user icon, followed by Rewards. Your points can be used to get discounts in future GrabFood orders, Grab rides, fast food, groceries, cinema tickets and more. If you would like to redeem something, press the reward you want and you will be shown a detailed description of it. Press Purchase and confirm your selection. You will then be shown how many points you have left.

To use your reward, go back to the Rewards menu and press My Rewards. You will be shown all the rewards you have redeemed with your points. Press Use Now next to the reward you would like to use and follow the on screen instructions.

Let's also talk about when you should not be using Grab. Firstly, if you are not in a hurry and there are plenty of other public transport to choose from, there is no need to use Grab. Secondly, if you are not very tech savvy or have poor or aging eyesight, you really should not be fiddling around with this app. Thirdly, you should not use Grab if you have concerns about your privacy. After all, you have to allow this app to make and receive phone calls and keep track of your current location. If you are worried that the government or even intelligence agencies may spy on you through Grab (Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017..., don’t even install it!

Based on my experience upon arriving at Penang, I can also say that you should not use Grab if you have just arrived at your destination, and cannot go online at no extra cost.

I cannot roam for free in Malaysia and the airport has selfishly not provided free Wifi in the arrival hall. I ended up overpaying for a tourist SIM card before I could book my ride. By the time I have checked in and entered the shopping mall across the road, most of the stalls in the food court have closed.

The Grab fare to my hotel was 27 Ringgits, while my relative who joined me later that night, took a white taxi and paid a fare of RM44.70 which is fixed by the government. When you consider the time I have wasted figuring things out and setting up my phone, and the premium I paid for my SIM card, I really should have taken the White Taxi.