So, you there, you want to know: is there Uber in Vietnam?
Well, here’s the short answer: No. There is no Uber in Vietnam. And there is no Lyft in Vietnam as well.
But in this speedy guide, we’ve covered all your alternative ride sharing apps and alternative transportation, we’ve answered all your questions, and we’ve brought you solutions for journeys both short and long.
Hop in our taxi and come join the fun!
Alternatives to Uber in Vietnam
Or in other words: How to get around in Vietnam?
1. Grab App: the Best Alternative to Uber in Vietnam
The best alternative to Uber for ride-sharing in Vietnam is Grab. After Uber left the market in 2018, Grab became the dominant ride-hailing service, offering a reliable and widely used platform for users to book rides in Vietnam.
Massively popular, massively reliable, and very easy to use. Any time you think ‘hey I would like to use the Uber app right now,’ you should just use the Grab app instead.
Though you can get a Grab car anywhere, the roads in Vietnamese cities are much better suited to scooters*. Roads are narrow, traffic is heavy, and most people drive scooters instead of cars. So unless you need to be in a car (if you’re with another person, or lots of luggage), it’s best to use a scooter.
*When I say ‘scooter,’ I mean ‘low-powered motorbikes’. Not those things where you push yourself along with your feet.
When you open the Grab app, you can choose between scooters and cars, so you always know what you’re getting.
Please be careful when you use bikes. If your travel insurance covers riding on the back of a scooter, do it. If it doesn’t, don’t. But broadly speaking, Grab drivers are very safe—and they always have a spare helmet for their passengers.
All that said, if in doubt, just get a Grab car.
For your Grab rides you can pay cash (by handing it to the driver) or with your card (by entering your card details into the app on your profile). You don’t need a Vietnamese credit/debit card to use the app.
And if you don’t have a Vietnamese number, your WhatsApp number is enough.
How much do Grab rides cost in Vietnam? These rides are super-cheap: If you get a bike, a ten-minute ride will cost the equivalent of around $1 USD. If you take a Grab car, that same journey would cost around $2 or $2.50 USD.
You can download the Grab App from Apple’s App Store or from Google’s Play Store. Or visit Grab’s official website and download it to your phone.
2. Gojek
Much less popular than Grab, but pretty similar. It works the same way, the app is similarly user-friendly, and many people know about it.
If you can’t find any drivers on Grab (which would be pretty unusual), try Gojek instead. But don’t expect it to work outside of the big cities and big destinations.
That said, Gojek isn’t so well set-up for foreigners. You can’t use foreign debit or credit cards (so you’ll need to pay in cash), and you need a local number to use it (you can’t use your WhatsApp number).
3. Be Taxi
Also much less popular than Grab, but also pretty similar.
On the app stores, this one is listed as ‘be – Multi-Service Platform’ (hardly the most inviting name on the planet).
It’s not as well-known as Gojek and Grab, and it’s not as affordable. It’s an option, but I wouldn’t bother using it.
4. Taxis
Of course, you can just flag down taxis (both cars and scooters) in the streets in Vietnam, like you can anywhere else on the planet.
But, honestly, because Grab is so reliable and easy to use, I wouldn’t bother.
With Grab, you don’t need to worry about navigating, or negotiating a price, or considering what the ‘right’ price should be.
But with a taxi, you usually do need to think about those things.
5. Private Driver for Airport Transfers
If you’re only reading this guide because you want to take a taxi from a Vietnamese airport to a Vietnamese city center, this section is for you.
Although you can use apps and standard taxis (and sometimes public transportation) to get from airports to city centers, a private transfer is always your best option.
With a private transfer, you get a safe transportation, a reliable company, your driver will be waiting for you, and you’ll be driven right to the door of your hotel. Convenient!
👉 If you’re landing in Hanoi airport, this is the best private transfer from the airport to the city. The prices are low, the reviews are great, and the services are reliable.
👉 If you’re landing in Ho Chi Minh City (or ‘Saigon,’ as some people still like to call it), here’s your best option for getting directly from the airport to the center.
👉 And if you’re landing in Da Nang, this reliable transfer can take you from the airport to BOTH Da Nang city and Hoi An city (the two cities are only around one hour away from each other).
Other Transportation Options in Vietnam
The vast majority of the time, when you’d be wanting to use Uber, you should just use Grab instead.
But if you’re taking longer trips (between cities, for example), you probably won’t want to take a Grab.
In that case, here are your other options…
1. Buses
Buses are a popular option for long-distance journeys, and they’re often the best way to get between major cities in Vietnam.
You can take both daytime journeys (safer, with better views) and overnight journeys (for optimizing your time, and saving money on accommodation).
Popular routes include… Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, Da Lat to Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi to Sapa, and Hanoi to Halong Bay. But whatever popular tourist route you want to tackle, you’ll be able to find a bus that’ll take you there. You can book buses online, or you can get your accommodation to do it for you.
Buses aren’t very popular in Vietnam for inner-city trips. Some cities have buses, but few people use them. I’ve spent many months of my life in Vietnam (and I lived in Hanoi for a while of that), but I’ve never used an inner-city bus. So my advice is: don’t bother.
2. Trains
Trains are safer than buses, and usually more reliable (because they run to a set timetable).
Train journey times are usually pretty comparable to bus journey times, but the train network isn’t as extensive as the bus network. If you’re traveling to a major city in the eastern half of Vietnam, you’ll probably be able to reach the place by train. If you aren’t, you probably won’t.
Again, like with buses, you can get both daytime trains (good for nice views), and overnight trains (good for saving time).
Here’s much more information about all of Vietnam’s train routes.
3. Internal Flights
Obviously an option for longer journeys.
Now, I know everyone pretends to hate flying nowadays cos it’s not eco-friendly.
But if you want to save time on your vacation, taking a bus or a train from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City might not sound very appealing (cos these journeys are over 36 hours).
But the flight for the same route only takes around 2 hours. So, yep, you might want to minimize flying for the sake of the environment. But you might also want to do some occasional flying to help enjoy the short period of time you have on this planet.
Uber in Vietnam: Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Uber leave Vietnam?
Uber left Vietnam in 2018 primarily due to substantial financial losses incurred in the fiercely competitive ride-hailing market in Southeast Asia. Facing strong competition, particularly from Grab, Uber decided to sell its operations in the region to Grab.
What is the best Uber alternative in Vietnam?
The best Uber alternative in Vietnam is Grab.
It’s hugely popular with both locals and tourists (and long-term expats), and it’s very easy to use. You can pay both in cash and by card (even with foreign debit/credit cards), and you don’t need a local number to use it.
When I’m in Vietnam, I sometimes use Grab several times a day.
Which is cheaper in Vietnam, Grab or Taxis?
In theory, taking a taxi should be cheaper, because non-Grab taxis don’t include Grab fees.
But when a Vietnamese taxi driver sees you’re not a native, they’ll probably try to charge you more. And it’s tough to know exactly how much you should be paying. So even though Grab is theoretically more expensive, it’s usually actually cheaper.
With Grab, you know in advance what you’ll be paying—and you can accept or reject your ride based on that information.
Do Grab drivers in Vietnam speak English?
Grab drivers in Vietnam usually don’t speak English. But don’t worry about it—they have a map, you have a map, and Vietnamese people are helpful.
So don’t expect a chat, but expect to get to your chosen destination with no problems.
Is Grab safe in Vietnam?
Yep, Grab is safe in Vietnam.
Of course, nothing you ever do is ever 100% safe. So I can’t absolutely definitely wholeheartedly guarantee your safety (don’t sue me if you get in trouble).
But here’s my main advice: stop worrying about it.
Are Taxis safe in Vietnam?
Again, yes, taxis are safe in Vietnam.
Again, nothing is ever 100% safe—but Vietnamese people are polite and respectful, and I don’t know any non-locals who’ve ever had trouble with local people (well, unless they’ve deserved it).
In short, don’t worry about taking taxis in Vietnam.
Should I tip Grab drivers?
That’s your call! There’s no real tipping culture in Vietnam, so you don’t need to feel obliged to.
But I often do, cos I’m aware that I earn more than a Vietnamese taxi driver (good to share the wealth innit).
If you want to tip your Grab driver, you can either give them some cash, or you can add a tip on the app after the journey is over (and, yep, the drivers receive 100% of these tips).
For more, here’s our guide to tipping in Vietnam.
Should I tip taxi drivers in Vietnam?
Again, this is up to you.
There’s no obligation to, and there’s no real tipping culture in Vietnam.
If you want to tip your taxi driver, you can (as I usually do), just let them keep the change from your ride. Taxi rides are so affordable in Vietnam that even a 10% or 20% tip is very little to most foreigners (and the locals will appreciate the money more than you’ll miss it).
Should I rent a car in Vietnam?
I wouldn’t bother. If you’ll be doing lots of long-distance traveling, having your own car can of course be a good option.
But roads in Vietnam are chaotic, drivers don’t follow the rules, many roads are better suited to scooters than cars, and the bus network is massive (and massively regular).
Instead of hiring a car, it’s much better and easier to use long-distance trains and buses.
Should I rent a scooter in Vietnam?
I’m gonna be all boring here.
You can rent a scooter in Vietnam, and most tourists do.
And I get that—it’s convenient and useful, and it helps you to be much more independent and adventurous.
But if you drive a scooter (and, again, when we say ‘scooter,’ we mean a low-powered motorbike) without the right skills, the right license, and the right travel insurance, you might get yourself into some trouble. And you don’t want to spend a big ol’ chunk of money on medical bills.
And on top of all that, it can be dangerous if you’re not used to it. I know lots of people who’ve had scooter accidents in Vietnam… and I even know a couple of people who’ve died in scooter accidents in Vietnam.
Before You Go
Alright, to sum up, there is no Uber in Vietnam (which I think I’ve told you around 12 times by now).
But you have many other options. From all the Uber alternatives that exist, Grab is the best direct Uber replacement (and it offers both scooters and cars), while there are lots of buses and trains for long-distance journeys.
For more on the nation, here are the top 23 things to do in Vietnam, and everything you need to know about SIM cards in Vietnam.
Thanks for reading, thanks for zooming over to Travelness, and we’ll (hopefully) see you again soon. Enjoy Vietnam!
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