Quote:
Originally Posted by nono1973
Kind of reminds me i have been visiting Batam over the last nearly 10 years & been debating over the saving of 10k to 20k rupiah since then with bro Blackpage on Taxi fare at Harbour Bay to hotel,hehehe...how time flies.
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The last time I came to Batam before covid was in January 2020. At that time, harbourbay ferry terminal taxi service actually came out with a promotion for tourist or local that the taxi fare to anywhere within Nagoya is charged a flat rate of 30,000 rupiah. Probably this is to compete with other transport operator.
However this trip I noticed there was no such promotion anymore.
In order to avoid kena charged extra, try to walk out to bank BCA or morning bakery area to catch an angkot van at 3000 rupiah to nagoya hill. While walking past harbourbay mall, notice that the bridge that link the ferry terminal to the mall has been removed. Harbourbay Mall was reduced to skeleton meaning that the walls and beams of the building removed except the structure and the foundation remains. Probably the architect going to re-design the New Harbourbay Mall.
After a 10mins walk and upon reaching morning bakery, waited the angkot van for 15 mins but to no avail, then decided to walk all the way to nagoya hill mall. Along the way, noticed that KAHA hotel booking office near the mosque is no longer there anymore, probably nowadays most hotel guest prefer to use agoda or traveloka app to book instead of taking the trouble to go KAHA.
Technology advancement and digitalisation has changed our way of life more or less liao ..
GRABCAR vs TAXI in Batam
After checking into Batam City Hotel, on the next day, I decided to go to Hotel golden gate to try the 90 min sexy massage with handjob at 285k. The taxi driver nearby BCH quoted like 60k to DC mall, but I think it is overpriced.
Therefore take out my phone and click the grab app. I have only taken grab once in my lifetime in Johor Bahru although grab has been around for many years already.
To my shocking surprise, the Grab transport fee from Batam City Hotel to Diamond city mall is only 10,000 rupiah under GrabCar Hemat. Immediately book the grabcar and waited within 2 minutes, the grabcar arrived. Was greeted by the supir very courteous man. After about less than 10 mins, I reach my destination at DC mall, pay 10,000 rupiah and left a happy man..This was my first batam grabcar ride.
The second grabcar ride was from Batam City Hotel back to harbour bay ferry terminal, the fee was 18,000 rupiah. Again within 3 minutes, grabcar arrive and send me to ferry terminal within 15 minutes. The ride was comfortable and cheap. If normal taxi little little will also charge at least 80k.
I have also check other popular journey from Batam Centre Ferry Terminal to Nagoya Hill Mall which is only 34k nia for grabcar
compare to the fix price taxi at Batam ferrty Terminal at about 80k or more.
Therefore IMHO below are the advantages of taking Grabcar over Taxi :
1) Grabcar fare is very much cheaper than taxi fare.
2) The waiting time for grabcar is shorter than on call taxi, maybe because there are too many batam grab driver therefore when there is a job, the driver will fast hand fast leg take up the assignment..
3) Peace of mind as we know how much we are paying by taking Grabcar. Most Grabcar drivers has good altitude and service as the job is their rice bowl.
On the other hand, some crook taxi drivers can scam passengers and may charge higher fee (所谓先小人后君子)
4) Grabcar fare are fixed regardless of traffic jam. Taxi meter keep jumping when there is traffic congestion.
5) Further saving for booking grabcar as there are promotions and discount. Taxi meter fare over the years only increase price never heard become cheaper.
In my opinion, I felt that Grabcar services is suitable to be use in less developed countries like indonesia and malaysia but not singapore.
The reasons are listed below:
1) Developed countries normally have a high cost of living and stronger currency end up the fare is super expensive.
Take for example, if I take grabcar from geylang to chinatown during peak period will cost about S$22.
But if I take grabcar in JB or Batam, the fare is only a small fraction of the grab car fare in singapore
2) Singapore has a good public transport system like MRT stations and many buses are able to access most part of singapore. Therefore there was no need to engage for grabcar services unless it is in a hurry.
On the other hand, JB and Batam do not have a very well connected public transport system and those ulu place where cannot take bus of taxi will need grabcar service.
I remembered once in JB at Taman Pelangi after massage waited for taxi for half an hour to go back to JB kastam but there was no taxi roaming around the vicinity.
Then I just use grabcar and within few mins arrived and reach kastam at only 5 ringgit (unbelievable cheap)
to be continued ..