Trapped Tourists: The Infuriating Rivalry between Indonesia’s Grabcar & Taxi Agencies

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Transportation in Indonesia can be frustrating. On many islands the infrastructure is poor and on those where it isn’t…it can be expensive for a foreign traveler. When you’re used to the glowing Metro of Singapore or the cheap overnight buses of Vietnam you’re bound to be disappointed. 

And it’s not just the lack of development causing problems. It’s the rivalries and just plain scamming done by the various transport organizations. 

I like to think of myself as a people person. I love to meet locals and I’m a classic extrovert. But if there is one group of people who test my patience it’s the damn taxi drivers. You’ll be pulling your hair out trying to get a reasonable price in Indonesia. 

As one kind driver once told me “It’s because you have the “Golden Skin”. You’re white and American so they assume you have money to spend, you’ll never get the price of a local.” 

Little do they know, I’m here ballin on a budget. I have no house, no car, and no job- everything I own for the next year is currently on my back. 

In all fairness, they are just trying to make a living. Many months they probably just scrape by and living in a country like Indonesia doesn’t exactly offer the same benefits as living somewhere like America. But does that justify demanding 800k for a 200k ride? Or 70k for a 5k city transport? 

Even local buses with 5k rupiah written ON THE SIDE OF THE BUS demanded 20k from us. And no amount of pointing and explaining could sway them. We weren’t from here, so we were going to shell out the big bucks. 

GrabCar

When GrabCar stepped onto the scene it threatened to change everything. GrabCar is essentially the Uber of Asia. Low-cost ride-sharing with drivers unable to dictate the price based on whether or not you’re a local. The only factor is distance and time of day. 

The only downside is you cannot get picked up in remote locations because there will likely be no available drivers in the area.

Unfortunately, that was only wishful thinking. The taxi drivers, mini-buses, and bemo buses reacted the same way Taxis in America did with the creation of Uber. Because it was about to put them out of a job. 

The Rivalries

Taxi and bus agencies plastered the cities of Indonesia (especially Bali) with anti-GrabCar propaganda. Falsely claiming Grab was illegal in certain areas and signs saying “If you love Ubud, Don’t use GrabCar”. 

Then they took to intimidating the GrabCar drivers themselves. I still don’t exactly know what that entails exactly. But request a Grab in a tourist-heavy area or anywhere near a major bus station and they will be quick to tell you that you cannot be picked up because the drivers are “aggressive” toward them. 

After many failed GrabCar pick-ups and walking to deserted areas of roadway where the drivers wouldn’t be harrassed we gave up and returned to the buses. 

Our destination- the train station in the Probolinggo. 

We thought. 

We found that trains were pretty much the only unbiased transport system in Indonesia. Every once in awhile we snagged a local bus for the correct price but only if you pay them exact change and don’t ask the cost. 

Turns out the mini-buses from Cemoro Lawang cannot drop you at the train station because of “problems with the police”. I can only assume from aggressively intimidating GrabCar drivers. So we would be dropped at their drop-off point and then get to find YET ANOTHER ride to the train from there. 

Inconvenient. And slowly adding to our transportation cost. 

The Trapped Tourist

Effectively, they have tourists right where they want them. Only one transport option readily available from any given location means they can pretty much charge whatever they please. You can argue and barter to get the best price but it’s unlikely they will budge much. 

The buses can only take you to their drop-off points which the GrabCars won’t go near and the taxis in more remote areas charge whatever they please knowing there’s no one else to come get you. 

It’s a poor system that leaves the budget backpacker at an extreme disadvantage.  

So to help a fellow traveler…

Basic prices for common transport on Java, Indonesia. 

• Cost of a within city blue bemo bus: 5k rupiah per person.
• Cost of an Intercity local bus: 35k rupiah per person. 
• Average cost of a taxi within a city: 7k rupiah + 9k every km
  

Other Transportation Tips for Indonesia

• Always carry lots of small bills. Exact change is often required to get the best price. 
• Know the cost before you ride. When you ask how much they are more likely to quote you higher. 
• To overcome a language barrier confirm the price by showing them the physical money. We had a driver hold up a 2 and 5 on his hands which we interpreted as 25k (and he said yes when asked) but he apparently meant 70k. 
• Local Buses have no A/C. Try to avoid them during the hottest parts of the day. 
• Trains, however, have lots of A/C. Bring a jacket. 
• The difference between “Premiere” and “Basic” on trains is very little. Both are two to a side, both have restrooms, both have food available for purchase. Personally, I liked the bench style seats without armrests in basic better.  
• Be patient. You will get there. Transportation is the most difficult part of travel. 

Looking to book transport cheap & online?

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Hop Tip: I usually look up routes on 12.go Asia before trying to book in person too. That way I have a gauge on what the prices should be.

Overall, Indonesia is an amazing country. We’ve been here for a month at a time on two separate occasions now. Its raw nature is pristine. You can climb active volcanos, snorkel brilliantly colored coral reefs, visit some of the planet’s few remaining primary rainforests, and dive into the rich Balinese culture. 

Be sure to check out all my guides on Indonesia before you go!

• Bali on a Budget: A Backpacker’s Paradise
• Indonesia, Beyond Bali
• How to Hike Mount Bromo For Free!!
• Surviving Mount Ijen: Indonesia’s Blue Fire Volcano

There are just some hurdles to overcome if you want to get around on a budget. It takes endless patience and just a little bit of know-how but it is definitely worth it.

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