Originally Posted by
hoangb
Based on my recent experiences there, since you don't want to you cash, I would say get the Grab or Bolt apps. They are cheaper and you don't have to use cash.
Correct.
Originally Posted by
hoangb
They are cheaper and you don't have to use cash.
Based on my experience having been riding on both traditional taxis and all the rideshare apps, it's not always cheaper. But I think a small difference of up to a 1-2 hundred or so, on a trip to the airport, would not inconvenience OP or anyone really if convenience / cashless payment is what they're looking for.
Originally Posted by
hoangb
I am unsure why other posters mentioned cash only. Perhaps they haven't used these other ridesharing apps lately, I am guessing.
Because there are times when Grab / Bolt has no availability at all whatsoever and one has to rely on taxi metres, especially that late at night. Ask any party goer who has been living here long enough and you'll be told that there are times when rideshare apps return zero availability at 1-2am. It's frustrating and you'd have to either suck it up and take a bus or stand there and wave for those traditional yellow/green/pink cabs.
TL;DR – Cash is king in this city. I can recall way more places and establishment that accepts cash + credit than somewhere that only accepts contactless payment; and by selectively choosing not to carry cash, one is essentially adding a bit of risk to one's trip – as one is relying on these ride-share services to be available late at night...
Now, that being said, I still think it is somewhat not that big of a risk by going completely cash-free; but I must say this is still something that
has caused a few travellers to miss their flight, i.e. by not being able to get on a taxi on-time,
stuck in a traffic (not in OP's scenario, but you get the idea), and etc. etc. Carrying fifty to sixty dollars worth of foreign currency is no longer a big deal to me and I don't think it should be for anyone.
As I travel more and more, I noticed that the world does not revolve around my payment preferences, unfortunately.