Southeast Asian super app Grab said Thursday it has officially launched Grab Intercity, giving users the ability to conveniently purchase affordable bus and ferry tickets between Malaysia and Singapore right on the Grab app.
The launch of the service also sees the inclusion of direct bus routes to Singapore, helping to minimise congestion on highways, ticket concessions, and even borders, especially during peak travel periods, Grab said in a statement.
“As a homegrown brand, we want to help Malaysians plan their travels conveniently and affordably with the use of technology. It’s only through collaboration with industry leaders across different sectors that we’re able to simplify routine errands such as planning for a holiday, making it even more seamless and rewarding at the same time,
“Grab Intercity is no different. By growing our travel offerings, users can plan their holidays without the need for multiple apps or log-ins. We hope this enables a more convenient way for Malaysians to prepare for the upcoming Hari Raya Aidiladha too,” said Rashid Shukor, Director of Country Operations and Mobility, Grab Malaysia.
The addition of direct routes between Malaysia and Singapore represents the expansion of Grab Intercity to Grab users in Singapore. Users will be able to purchase bus tickets to over 30 destinations in Singapore from 11 different states and cities across Malaysia. Routes between Malaysia and Singapore on Grab Intercity will be available for booking and purchase beginning July 7, 2022.
Grab collaborated with Splyt and Easybook to adapt the service onto the platform, enabling users to book a ticket, pay with GrabPay and earn GrabRewards. With over 15,000 available routes, the service expands Grab’s travel offerings which currently includes a host of other services such as to browse and book attractions, experiences, hotels and even travel insurance, to cater to users’ varied and unique travelling needs.
Minister of Transport Malaysia Wee Ka Siong said that by incorporating direct routes to and from Singapore, such efforts support the nation’s economic recovery by increasing channels for convenient travelling.
“As travelling continues to be a key focus for many countries, facilitating the ease of cross border travels is even more vital than ever in helping the recovery efforts of our economy. Moreover, as borders continue to relax further all around the world, we foresee a further increase in travelling activity, both domestically and internationally,
“This is why it is important for both private and public sectors to come together to play their part in contributing to economic growth in varied ways. With efforts such as this from Grab Malaysia, Malaysians and Singaporeans alike will not only have additional, convenient travelling options at their fingertips, but economies will be able to benefit too,” he said.
Grab is Southeast Asia’s leading superapp based on gross merchandise value (GMV) in 2021 in each of food deliveries, mobility and the e-wallets segment of financial services. It operates across the deliveries, mobility and digital financial services sectors in 480 cities in eight countries in the Southeast Asia region – Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
The firm enables millions of people each day to access its driver- and merchant-partners to order food or groceries, send packages, hail a ride or taxi, pay for online purchases or access services such as lending, insurance, wealth management and telemedicine, all through a single “everyday everything” app.
It was founded in 2012 with the mission to drive Southeast Asia forward by creating economic empowerment for everyone, and since then, the Grab app has been downloaded onto millions of mobile devices.