Ride-sharing in Vietnam: Be

Despite Uber exiting the Vietnamese market in 2018, the ride-sharing industry is booming. One of the most prominent players, alongside market leaders Grab and Gojek, is Be. Be has a fleet of over 100,000 drivers, and you can easily spot their distinctive yellow jackets, reminiscent of an actual bee, nipping through the city traffic.

Until recently, Be was held back by a Vietnamese language-only platform, however, the company is progressing fast and has now upgraded its app to support English. That said, you will still need a local Vietnamese phone number to sign up.

Be has made a considerable effort to focus on flexibility. While other companies only serve short distances around the cities, Be’s prices can accommodate travel between provinces, overnight stops, and long-distance return journeys. So, if you’re planning more than just a quick dash across town, Be might be your best option.

beBike | beCar | beTaxi

All Be drivers are subject to the in-app review system, so you won’t have to guess if your host is safe and reliable, you can simply check through their ratings before booking.

• beBike: The cheapest option and the fastest way to get around the cities. It is also probably the most fun mode of transport and a great way to see the sights while you let someone else handle the traffic!
• beCar: Private cars that operate under the Be umbrella. You can choose between four and seven-seat vehicles.
• beTaxi: The most expensive option, beTaxi costs around 20% more than beCar. But, if you were planning to get a taxi anyway, ordering it via Be gives you the comfort of seeing customer reviews in advance and seeing accurate price information.

Unlike Gojek and Grab, Be does not yet offer food delivery, although they do provide parcel collection and delivery services via beDelivery. If you need to send a package, you can easily arrange collection and delivery times from the app.

Cost & Payment

Be is typically around 20% more expensive in off-peak hours than its rivals, Grab and Gojek. This brings their prices roughly in line with the meter rates in traditional taxis. However, unlike its competitors, Be’s prices don’t increase during peak hours, so it can be worth shopping between the different apps, depending on the time of day.

Although Be often isn’t cheaper than conventional taxis rates, it does reduce the risk of paying unfairly inflated prices. Unfortunately, local taxis have a reputation for increasing prices or taking unnecessarily long routes to boost the meter fare. Ride-hailing apps give you peace of mind of knowing that what you are paying is the fair price.

Additionally, Be supports both cash and card payments. You can select which one you prefer before booking your ride.

TIP: Cash may seem like more of a hassle, but international card payment fees and currency exchanges can easily double the cost of a journey. It’s worth checking with your bank, but cash is the most economical choice in most cases.

Using Be

1. Search for “Be – Vietnamese Ride-hailing” in the Play Store or App Store.
2. Download and install the app.
3. Sign up using your Vietnamese phone number.
4. Select your pick-up and drop-off locations. You can type them in manually or use the in-app map.
5. Select which transport option you would like: beBike, beCar, or beTaxi.
6. Choose whether to pay by cash or by card.
7. Hit “Book a ride” to hail a driver.
8. When the driver arrives, double-check that it’s the vehicle that you ordered by looking at their vehicle registration.
9. When the journey is complete, finish the cash or in-app payment and leave the driver a review.

Be Adventurous

For those trying to get around the city or venture to another province, Be is a great choice, boasting both motorbike and car ride-sharing options. Giving you peace of mind that the price you see is what you’re getting, and that peak surges won’t double your trip cost, Be is becoming one of Vietnam’s most popular ride-sharing services. So what are you waiting for, download the app and be adventurous!