Grab in Indonesia
 

I am going to Lombok next month and staying at the Sira which is close to a 2 hr drive from the airport (LOP). The hotel has offered me an airport transfer service for IDR 572,000. I would like to see how that compares to Grab but for the life of me, I can’t figure out how to get an estimate.

Can anyone help? TIA

The App is showing in the region of 410K - which for convenience and around 50 miles doesn't sound so bad. It's likely got an airport surcharge attached, so maybe it could be worth trying for a taxi dropping off at the terminal.


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...fa7efca7d0.jpg

There are stories of Grab drivers in Indonesia demanding a double fare for long drives originating at the airport using the argument they need to drive back. I have not heard of this at Lombok, but its not unusual elsewhere. You might want to make the same enquiry on Trip Advisor?

I wonder how they enforce that? I always travel with little cash. Do they take credit cards? ;)

Within Indonesia, I use Grab primarily in Jakarta and Bali, and always pay with card linked to the app (or QR Payment for Bluebird). In Jakarta, Grab and Gojek drivers are rarely carrying much cash either so much easier for everyone that way.

I do too. I was just asking how they get you to pay a double fare if they have to drive back.

Quick story: At Danang airport I ordered a Grab car. While I was looking at my phone and the cars, a guy came up to me and said he was a Grab driver. He asked to see my phone, then canceled my ride! I realized when we got to his car that it wasn’t the correct license plate. I wanted to walk away, but my male friend said “let’s just go”. I was seething in the back seat thinking this guy was expecting me to pay the full Grab fare without having to pay a commission and probably not properly insured plus I couldn’t charge it to my credit card! I didn’t have a lot of cash, so when we got to hotel, I short paid him 20-30%. When he started to complain, I told him to report me to Grab and walked away!

I could see the same thing happening if someone asked me to pay a double fare. ;)

Ah! Yea, the burden would be on them to collect... they'd have to add it as an additional (as toll fees, if coming out of the driver's pocket, are settled) which would have to approved. Or demand a very large tip.
That's wild. I wouldn't expect this in Danang. At SGN, the scam drivers are so High tech I've seen some brandishing a fake app resembling Grab to lend legitimacy (to them and their BS fares). Just reminds that malfeasance is far more likely to come from a provider claiming to be a Grab driver than an actual one who has to deal with a lot of checks & balances to brazenly fleece the customer.

On arrival into SGN, my Grab driver messaged me and told me to make sure to not give anyone my phone while I waited for him to come.

Somewhat surprisingly, no one actually tried to approach me, and the whole curbside experience was calmer than I expected.