Experience using Uber/Grab in Saigon (HCMC)
Decided to put a longer post here for everyone's benefit.
While I have been in Vietnam/Saigon more than once, it was the first I used Uber/Grab instead of taxis to get from port to point and I am totally satisfied. We used grab and uber more than ten times in 24h we (group of three adults) stayed in HCMC.
We got out together for sightseeing/dining/etc and entirely relied on Uber/Grab instead of public transport/taxi. While reading some bad reports here about uber/grab, the result for us worked way better than I expected.
Several conditions needs to be in place to make such experience successful - make sure that you have right expectations. Here is the list of observations:
1.Obviously, you need to have data connection on phone, but while desired, it is not absolutely necessary to have local SIM card with data. I did not purchase SIM card there and instead used wifi. At all cafes/restaurants/hotels there is wifi available and you can connect to them and use it to call Uber/Grab.
2. When booking Uber/grab, don't blindingly trust on 'my location' the app will show on map, but rather type the place you actually are at the 'from' field and make sure that app displays it correctly. This will minimize potential confusion because for example in 90% of cases my phone's GPS showing location across the street.
3. When picking up the car at the airport, pay close attention near which pillar you are (at least Uber will ask you to choose the one you will be waiting) so the car can come there, but if you see on the map that car has stopped and waiting at other pillar, just go there - do not expect that they will come to your location because, as said above, your GPS might not showing correct location.
4. Take approximate time of arrival of the car and further travel time with grain of salt. Especially it is the case for evening rush hour time. If app shows 5 min arrival time and car in 4 busy intersections away where green light is on just for 45 sec, instead it will be 15 min or more. Plan accordingly.
5. Before picking up the app/means (uber or grab) for the ride, check prices via Google Maps. DO NOT do the following: open the app, key in your destination, check the price and if you don't like it - close and re-open it to repeat. Doing so will increase your ride price - both Uber and Grab do this because they know that you've already checked the price for the destination. Instead you can check prices for both apps via Google Maps without getting punished.
6. Grab has slightly more number of cars available and prices are less for the ride when there is no surge pricing. However when surge pricing is in place things can change drastically. At one case Grab was showing me trip price as 80K VND while Uber - 55K. The same trip without surge pricing was 40K on Grab and 45K on Uber.
Overall, quite a positive experience. Just counted - all rides on uber/grab came as 465K, including rides to/from the airport (73K from and 89K - return to the hotel at District 10), appx 40K per ride. And I did not need to deal with explanation where to go, give money, count change, be concerned being cheated, etc.
