Is there Uber in Ho Chi Minh City? Uber stopped operating in Vietnam in 2018. Travelers now use taxi apps like Grab, Xanh SM, Gojek, Mai Linh, or Vinasun instead.
Does Uber still operate in Ho Chi Minh City?
Before coming to Ho Chi Minh City, during my travel to Vietnam, I wondered whether I could use the familiar Uber app to get around.
Through research, I learned that Uber officially withdrew from the Vietnamese market in April 2018 after selling its entire business in Southeast Asia to Grab in exchange for shares.
Although I feel a bit regretful about not being able to use my existing account or wondering if is there Uber in Ho Chi Minh City, the experience of a foreign tourist like me here did not encounter any difficulties. The city’s transportation system is highly developed, with excellent alternatives such as Grab and Xanh SM.
Just download the app, the English interface is displayed very clearly, the fare is transparent, and I can easily book from a motorbike to a car in just a few minutes, bringing a feeling of extreme peace of mind and convenience throughout the trip.
Top 06 most used taxi applications in Ho Chi Minh City
When I first came to Ho Chi Minh City, I was worried when I learned that Uber was no longer operating. However, the ride-hailing system here is extremely developed and smart, giving me extremely convenient and interesting travel experiences.
#1. Grab – the most popular ride-hailing application with flexible prices
After acquiring Uber’s entire operations in Southeast Asia in 2018, Grab rose to become the dominant application in Vietnam. The company provides a full range of vehicles from motorbikes (GrabBike) to 4-seat to 7-seat cars (GrabCar) with a large number of drivers. Grab’s most outstanding features are its intuitive English interface and transparently displayed fares that change flexibly according to market needs.
When I came to Vietnam, just out of Tan Son Nhat airport, I opened Grab to book a 4-seat car to District 1 (about 8 km). In my mind, I also wondered if there was Uber in Ho Chi Minh City, but in fact I used Grab because it is more convenient and popular.
The displayed price is about 140,000 VND (~5.5 USD). I pay by Visa card for quick convenience. The driver arrived 3 minutes later, assisted with luggage, and the trip went very smoothly.
#2. Xanh SM – VinFast’s modern electric taxi service
Xanh SM is a technology car company that uses 100% VinFast electric cars, with no gasoline smell and no noise. In the modern public transportation system, this is a new option besides taxis and buses. The company has Xanh SM Bike and Xanh SM Taxi with 4-7 seats, easy to book via the app.
The big plus points of this rookie are brand new cars, polite drivers, and stable fares, less subject to weather fluctuations, with competitive prices, often equivalent to or only slightly better than traditional taxis but with superior quality.
On a beautiful afternoon, I booked an Xanh SM Bike to go from Notre Dame Cathedral to the War Remnants Museum, about 2 km long. The display cost is 20,000 VND (~0.8 USD), a very reasonable price for a new experience. The driver wearing an eye-catching turquoise uniform quickly came to give me a clean helmet and drove smoothly before I scanned the QR code to pay upon arrival.
#3. Be Car – Vietnam’s car-hailing application, easy to book a car
Be is a purely Vietnamese ride-hailing application that stands out with its characteristic yellow and green stripes, possessing a large number of technology drivers no less than foreign competitors. This platform provides motorbike (beBike) and 4-7 seat car (beCar) services with accurate positioning maps. Be’s biggest attraction for visitors is that they diligently launch promotions and discount codes directly on the app.
While wondering is Uber available in Ho Chi Minh City, I learned about the Be application. I used Be one evening to move from the center of District 1 to Thao Dien, District 2, a distance of about 7 km. Thanks to applying the discount code for new users, my 4-seat BeCar trip only cost 90,000 VND (~3.5 USD).
The driver who picked me up was an active young man. Even though his English was limited, he always used the translation app to chat. The journey ended with me paying in cash and giving him the change.
#4. Vinasun Taxi – prestigious traditional taxi company in Ho Chi Minh City
Vinasun is the oldest and most prestigious traditional taxi brand in Southern Vietnam, with familiar white and red striped cars. The company mainly operates 4-seat and 7-seat Toyota cars, always on duty in large numbers at hotels and shopping centers for you to wave your hand and get a car right away. Vinasun’s highlight is maximum convenience when your phone runs out of battery or loses network connection.
When a sudden shower fell after an afternoon of shopping at Saigon Center, causing traffic congestion on the ride-hailing apps, I went straight to the lobby and was immediately dispatched to a 7-seat Vinasun to take me to the hotel 3 km away.
The car drove slowly through the flooded road, the meter jumped and stopped at 55,000 VND (~2.2 USD), and I comfortably paid the driver in cash.
#5. Mai Linh Taxi – taxi service covering all of Vietnam
With the iconic green color, Mai Linh is a traditional taxi company with a wide network of operations throughout Vietnam. In Ho Chi Minh City, the company provides convenient 4-seat and 7-seat cars, covering all routes.
Many tourists also often wonder if is there Uber in Ho Chi Minh City. But through research, Mai Linh, as well as other Vietnam taxi app are very popular. Mai Linh’s strength lies in its experienced drivers, street-savvy and professional service.
To visit the Cho Lon area in District 5, I hailed a Mai Linh taxi right at the main intersection near where I live. The route through many complicated traffic spots is about 6 km long, but the driver knows the way very well when actively turning into small alleys to avoid large traffic jams. Upon arrival, the meter displayed 95,000 VND (~3.7 USD), and I quickly swiped my Visa card through the driver’s handheld POS machine.
#6. Vinataxi / Saigon Taxi – reasonable price taxi for inner city travel
Vinataxi is a taxi company with a long history in the city, standing out with bright yellow-painted cars that are easy to identify. The company mainly serves standard 4-seat cars, concentrated in central districts and industrial parks. The highlight of Vinataxi is its opening fare and price per kilometer, which is quite soft and highly competitive compared to other traditional taxi companies.
I experienced Vinataxi when I needed to travel a short distance of about 1.5 km from the City Theater to the Bach Dang high-speed train station. Seeing the yellow car parked on the side of the road, I walked over to tell the driver the destination, and the driver happily invited me to the neat back seat.
The trip went very quickly, the price displayed on the meter upon arrival was only 30,000 VND (< 1.2 USD), an economical choice that helped me not have to waste time waiting for the app to dispatch the car.
Conclusion
Even though is there Uber in Ho Chi Minh City, Uber is actually no longer operating here, but the technological transportation system and traditional taxis are still extremely developed and diverse. The emergence of modern applications such as Grab, Xanh SM, or Be helps foreign tourists completely control every journey easily, safely, and economically.
