Ride-hailing services

Ride-hailing or ride-sharing services are apps that connect passengers and local drivers using their personal vehicles. Examples of ride hailing services include Bolt, Lyft and Uber.

Similar to taxicabs in many ways, ride-hailing apps are convenient in that you can simply enter the address of your destination, avoiding most language barriers – but if the app isn't in your language or the address isn't in a script you know how to enter (or your version isn't known to the app), you still have a problem. Since fares are estimated in advance, you can also avoid many common taxi scams like being taken on a scenic route – however, if you don't know the price, you might be overcharged anyway. Usually they are cheaper than using licensed taxis, although the apps use dynamic "surge" pricing, so at peak times the fare can be higher than that of a taxi.

The apps used allow the drivers and passengers to rate each other. This compensates to some degree for the lack of company control over the drivers. It may also make drivers eager to be as nice as possible. Like in taxis, if you have a common language with the driver, a conversation with the driver can in many instances provide you with inside information of the area which might not be written in guidebooks.

In some countries the ride hailing services are regulated in the same way as regular taxicabs, in others they operate in a legal grey zone, while in some they are outright outlawed, in which case your app will probably not work. However, some taxi businesses do provide similar apps.

It can be worth it to download the main ride hailing apps of the country you are going to in advance, as well as log-in or maybe even attach payment information in advance. Check whether the user interface is easy and whether there are language issues. If the destination uses a script other than yours or unfamiliar diacritics, check how easy it is to enter addresses. No use solving such problems when you just want to get that car or are on expensive roaming data.

Be aware of the fine print and make sure you're aware of what fees you're liable for. Know the going taxi rates, including for a ride from the airport, if that's where you arrive.

In many countries in Southeast Asia motorbike ride hailing can also be ordered, which is often not only noticeably cheaper than a car, but also much faster as it can move around traffic. Can be really convenient if you travel solo and don't have any luggage.

Like always when travelling with an unfamiliar driver, sit in the back seat of the vehicle and have your luggage with you if practical, at least your passport, money and other essentials. That way you are less vulnerable if the driver happens to be a jerk. Note plate numbers.

Check your bill after the drive. You might be able to contest inflated charges through the company's customer service. Better of course to get it straight at once, with the driver.

Many countries have their own local ride sharing operations, but the large companies below operate in many countries.

• Bolt – covers most of Europe and increasingly branching out elsewhere
• Didi – Chinese juggernaut taking its first steps elsewhere in Asia & Oceania
• Grab – ubiquitous across Southeast Asia except Laos
• Gojek – the most popular ride hailing app in Indonesia, but also with a presence in Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines.
• Uber – the original and still by far the largest, with services in over 70 countries
• Yandex Taxi (Yango) – hailing from Russia, but is also very popular across the former Soviet Union

For specific apps in the country you are interested in, you can most certainly find the info on that in the article of this country on WikiVoyage,

If you are staying in a place with good mass transit using it might often work out to be not only cheaper but faster compared to the ride hailing service. In rush hours and during special events driving may be very slow.

Walking is a great way to get to know a place and you can simply enter any interesting shops, restaurants or museum you might pass without the driver having to look for (often scarce) inner-city parking space. Many city-centers are entirely walkable; if you aren't carrying heavy luggage and aren't mobility impaired, a two- or three-kilometer stroll is not too hard.

In more and more places, cycling is the best way to go short to medium distances and several cities around the world have implemented bike-sharing programs that are a great alternative for visitors as well as locals. Bikes are available for rent in many more places.

You may ask whether your hotel offers pick up and drop off service to and from the airport. This is sometimes free to encourage you to stay at their hotel and can be cheaper than a taxi, while not that often.

If you are staying in a place where a car is needed for a longer time, or plan to go on a road-trip at your destination, consider renting a car, with or without a driver.