Taking a taxi in Bangkok is a crap shoot. While the current flag fall of 35 baht (about USD $1.10) is among the cheapest in the world (and long overdue for a raise IMHO – it’s been the same for years), the fleet that patrols Bangkok’s storied streets is…uneven, at best. Most guide books and travel websites have warnings about taxi scams, and the longer you live here the more likely you are to know someone who’s had an experience so bad they’ve sworn off taxis forever…but soon find themselves white-knuckled in the back seat again, because, well, what else are you going to do? But now, Bangkokians do have an alternative – several in fact: Uber and GrabTaxi. They offer a similar service, but have several important differences. I’ve used each a few times and this is how they compare.

But first, to be honest, most of the time you get a taxi in Bangkok – maybe 75% – you’ll have a completely boring, uneventful ride, which is how it should be. That is, if you get a taxi. Drivers have no problem refusing to take you if they don’t want to go where you want to go due to traffic, the possibility of a gullible fare who they can scam, or simple laziness. It’s technically illegal, but getting into an argument with a taxi driver is not a very good idea, as some have tragically found out. If you do happen to get a taxi, there’s a high percentage he’ll drive like a maniac; reek of body odor and/or booze; blare his music way too loud; have a car that’s held together by tape; doesn’t know how to drive properly; or try to scam you with the old “meter no work” trick. And don’t even get me started on the lack of seat belts. Like I said – a crapshoot.

"We're here."

“We’re here.”

But now with these two services, you can get safe drivers, nice cars, (usually) good service and the peace of mind that you’ll arrive at your destination safe and sound.

Uber was formed in San Francisco in 2010 and has fought long, hard battles to stay in business. It’s basically a private car service that you call with a smartphone app using your GPS location. There was a lot of skepticism when it launched in Bangkok a few months ago but so far it seems to be tearing up the social medias as it irons out the kinks during its first few months – not uncommon for a new service in a new market.

The Uber iPhone app.

The Uber iPhone app.

The good thing about Uber is that you don’t have to use cash – they have your credit card, and when you get to your destination you say thanks, step out of the car, and you’re done. (Although I can’t find any information on whether you should tip the driver – anyone?) The cars are nice – maybe not as nice as the website leads you to believe, but they’re new, clean, and provide a smooth ride. When you place your order, you get a phone call from the driver about 15 seconds later confirming your location and giving you an ETA. You get the license plate number, a picture of the driver, his rating from other customers, and you can follow the progress of your car on a little map on your phone, so you know when to put your shoes on and head downstairs. It’s all very slick.

Screen Shot 2014-04-12 at 7.38.03 PM

Uber cars in Bangkok aren’t actually this shiny. Actually, no cars in Bangkok are this shiny.

Costwise, Uber is a bit pricey. As you can see below, the receipt I got via email after a trip the other night was 147 baht – plus I tipped the driver 40 baht, for a total of about 190 baht. A regular taxi would have been about 75 baht or so. But, my wife and I had a few too many margaritas and were tired after a long dinner with friends, so it was worth it.

Oooh, slick.

Oooh, slick.

Now on to GrabTaxi. This one was founded in Malaysia a few years ago, but instead of having its own private fleet of cars, it uses the existing taxi network to source its rides. The app works in much the same way as the Uber app does, but with one interesting difference – you can enter in how much you’re willing to tip. This adds an extra social element to the whole equation – enter in 20 baht and you miiight get a taxi. Enter in 1,000 baht and you’ll have them racing to pick you up. When you order you have to think: how badly do I need a taxi right now? In addition, from what I’ve heard all of the taxis are vetted and trained, so you the chances of ending up with a driver with a death wish are pretty slim.

Yes, the pickup location was chosen ironically for this example.

Yes, the pickup location was chosen ironically for this example.

As with Uber, you get a call when a driver accepts your bid, watch as his little icon gets closer to you, and have the license plate number, picture, and rating of the driver. Because GrabTaxi uses the existing taxi fleet, there are many, many more vehicles available. However, the problem of a taxi driver simply not wanting to pick you up is still there – last week I ordered a taxi and after some searching it said no taxis were available, even though I could see on the map there were several of them just a few hundred meters away. As far as I know, Uber never says no.

The GrabTaxi website, which is really well done.

The GrabTaxi website, which is really well done.

However, the trip I booked previously worked great – the driver took me up to Chatuchak Market for the regular meter fare, plus a 25 baht service charge. He was a nice guy and practiced his English with me, and drove like a normal human. Another big selling point – you can share your trip with others, so they can follow your progress, adding an extra level of insurance to your ride

Screen Shot 2014-04-12 at 7.30.11 PM

My GrabTaxi receipt.

So which one do I prefer? It’s hard to say, but I think that it comes down to this: Uber is good if you’re going out to an event and want to arrive in style, or want to treat yourself (or your sweetheart) to a nice, comfortable trip. GrabTaxi is good if you want to save a bit of money and have a better selection of potential rides. But no matter what you’re looking for, it’s great news that Bangkok’s transportation options just got a shot in the arm.