Is there Grab in Malaysia? A complete guide to using Grab in 2024

If you spend any time in Malaysia, it’s impossible to avoid Grab and its little green logo. The company’s aim is to become the ‘Everything’ app in Malaysia, a one-stop destination for users to book transport, order food, send money, and so much more. It’s taking off in a big way and offers travellers a convenient and admin-free entry point into online Malaysian life.

In this post, we’re focusing on one particular aspect of the Grab universe, namely their transport service, known as Grab Rides or Grab Taxi. Taxi services in Malaysia have undergone a revolution in the past few years, moving away from traditional taxis, which relied on customers flagging them down on the road. E-hailing has taken over and Grab have a virtual monopoly in Malaysia after they acquired Uber’s Southeast Asian operations in 2018.

We live in Penang and we use the Grab app daily. If you’ve not used them before, e-hailing (also known as ride-hailing) apps are commonplace across the globe and offer the traveller numerous advantages, including set fares, driver tracking, destination point on Google Maps, and the option to pay using credit card (international ones accepted).

For the traveller, Grab Rides remove most of the stress we used to associate with taxis (i.e. getting lost and/or ripped off) and make moving around the country that much easier.

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Is Grab just in Malaysia?

No, Grab has expanded into several other countries in Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand. It’s a true Southeast Asian success story and is constantly innovating and expanding.

Grab is location-based so it makes more sense to install the app once you’re in Malaysia, then the features will start to work properly. You don’t need a local Malaysia SIM to get going, just access to the internet (e.g. and e-sim or Wi-Fi will be ok).

Installing the Grab App

The Grab app is available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. A significant advantage of Grab is that you don’t need a Malaysian phone number to sign-up, instead you can just use your home SIM and receive a one-time passcode via SMS.

The registration process asks for a few basic details but if you want to use some features (like GrabPay), you’ll need to complete an online verification process, but the Grab Taxis will work straightaway. Remember to add a credit card to your account before making the first booking, otherwise you can pay with cash.

What we love about Grab Rides in Malaysia

As a backpacking family, Grab has made visits to Malaysia so much easier. We no longer have to endure endless waits for a taxi to appear, or stand at the side of the road with two young kids whilst one parent negotiates the fare or tries to explain our destination. The days of swiftly exiting the taxi when the driver refuses to use the meter, are also long-gone. Not all taxi drivers are unscrupulous of course, but we feel as if we’ve encountered our fair share over the years.

Here are some of the other reasons we love Grab:

Grab is part of the fabric of Malaysian life and is 100% approved and regulated. Many shopping malls, hotels, railway stations, etc, have designated pickup/drop-off points.
Set fares with no worries about negotiating.
Destination is entered into an easy to use, online map (or similar) before the journey, removing the need to explain to the driver where you want to go.
Payment can be made by cash or credit card (international cards are accepted by the app).
The driver’s location is displayed on a map so you can easily see where they are and when they’re due to arrive. Handy if it’s raining and you don’t want to hang around on the street.
Drivers have ratings so you can be (fairly) sure you have someone trustworthy.
In-built messaging system so you can chat or speak to the driver before they arrive.
Several safety features built into the app, including the ability to send an emergency help request. In reality, the transparency of Grab means all drivers are registered and verified before they’re allowed to pickup passengers, so the risk of problems are lower than traditional taxis.

Grab is perhaps best known for its e-hailing/taxi service but, as we mentioned above, they are very much in the Everything/Super app business and offer a huge array of services via their platform. As much as we love eating out in Malaysia, it’s often a real treat to scroll through the Grab food delivery options and choose something tasty to be delivered direct to our door.

Can you use Grab from airports?

Yes you can, and many other travellers will be doing the same thing. Most airports, including KLIA and Penang, have designated ride-hailing pick-up/drop-off locations, which makes the whole process a breeze, especially after a long-haul flight.

As a guide, expect to pay around RM30 from Penang airport to George Town (compared to about RM50 with a normal taxi). From KLIA to Kuala Lumpur city centre, it’ll be around RM120.

Ideally, you’ll have the app installed before you arrive in the country and then, once it registers your location, you can view the available rides and make a booking.

You’ll need internet access though. Airport Wifi is ok to make the booking, but you’ll ideally want to be online for the duration of your journey. Try to arrange an e-sim or local SIM before you start your trip, the airport Wifi often doesn’t stretch down to the car park pick-up locations.

Grab have a useful page on their website giving exact instructions on how to find your driver. Here are the links for Penang Airport and KLIA.

Types of Grab in Malaysia

There are four different types of Grab service:

GrabCar: the standard Grab cars
JustGrab: as above, but could also include regular taxis if they’ve signed up
GrabCar Plus: similar to GrabCar but must be newer vehicles, higher driver ratings and more space in the boot
GrabCar 6-seater: this category is only for vehicles with six seats (and six seatbelts)

All of the Grab vehicles must meet minimum standards relating to vehicle age, type and maintenance. The vehicles need to be Malaysian registered and privately owned. There’s a register of car models which don’t meet this criteria and they’re listed on the website. As you can see, the requirements are quite strict and mean you’re (almost) guaranteed a smooth ride. You can see more details on the Grab website.

Note that motorcycle taxis are illegal in Malaysia so you won’t see that listed as an option, unlike in some neighbouring countries.

Once you have the app installed, you’ll also be able use it for things like food delivery, parcel collection, groceries and online payments.

How to pay for Grab in Malaysia

When you book your ride, you can select payment either by cash or credit card. From our experience, international credit cards work fine, just make sure you set it up before taking your first trip, as your bank will likely need to verify it’s you.

The drivers don’t seem to mind which payment method you choose and there’s an option to add a tip afterwards in either case.

Top tips for using Grab in Malaysia

Install the app as soon as you can, even though it won’t start working fully until you’re in Malaysia.
Register a credit card before your first ride if you plan to use one.
Be wary of cancelling a trip unless you really have to; your rating could drop and make future rides harder to book. It’s also unfair on the driver if they’ve already starting heading your way.
Try to choose an easy pickup point with plenty of space for the driver to stop; this just makes it easier for both of you.
The traffic in the big cities can be terrible in rush-hour; it’s sometimes better to walk around the corner or cross the road to find a better pickup spot which will miss the traffic. It will also increase your chances of being accepted by a driver.
During rush-hour, drivers will be more picky about who they pickup and where they’re heading.
The airports and larger shopping malls, etc have specific e-hailing pickup points which you should use.
Having a local SIM or some other way to access the internet is handy, as it allows you to track the driver and respond to messages in case they are late or lost. We’ve been caught out a few times when we used hotel Wi-Fi to book the ride and then headed downstairs (out of Wi-Fi signal) and were unable to get back online.
At busy places with lots of other Grab users, try to memorise the last few digits of the licence plate, so you can easily spot your driver.
The app also tells you the vehicle make and colour which helps.
You’re asked to upload a photo of yourself when registering; the driver will be able to see it so they sometimes spot you first.
Try to rate your driver after the ride, it helps other riders know what to expect. You’ll get your own rating too from each driver.
At more remote places, you might want to book slightly ahead if you can see there aren’t many drivers around. That way, by the time you’ve reached your pickup spot, you’ll have less time to wait.
The opposite is true of busy places, where you’ll often find a driver is already sat waiting and accepts your ride instantly. In this case, make sure you’re on the spot and ready to ride (no quick trips to the toilet for example!)

Final thoughts on using Grab in Malaysia

Grab is a game-changer in Malaysia, making travel around the country so much easier. The modern and easy-to-use app allows you to book rides at the click of a button, and you always know where the driver is, where you’re going, and what you’ll pay.

For the more remote locations, it’s handy to know you can always book a ride home. At busier places, there’s nearly always a ride within two minutes.

The influence and reach of Grab is only going to increase, which is good news for travellers as the app is easy to use and makes booking and paying for things simple and straightforward. At times, it feels like the green Grab logo is omnipresent and used for everything. So join the locals, book a ride, and take (some of) the stress out of your trip to Malaysia.