Grab launches public transportation Trip Planner app feature in Indonesia

Users can plan their journey with accurate public transportation information and end-to-end directions within the app.

Grab made its first foray into mass market transportation after launching a new Trip Planner feature that integrates public transportation options directly into the Grab app starting with the Jabodetabek area in Indonesia , an announcement revealed.

According to Ngiam Xinwei, Grab’s head of marketplace and shared mobility, more than 70% of daily trips in Jakarta are taken on motorcycles and private cars rather than public transportation when commuting to and from city centres. The number of motorised vehicles has increased by about 8.1%3 each year. The trends are said to underpin the massive congestion problems plaguing the city.

Users in Jabodetabek who prefer to use public transit options can use the Trip Planner feature to plan their journey with accurate public transportation information and end-to-end directions within the Grab app. Since its introduction in Jabodetabek less than a month ago, almost half a million users have tried the Trip Planner feature or “Rute” (in Indonesian) within the first three weeks of rollout.

“Once a user enters their destination via Trip Planner, they will be able to view available public transit routes nearby that will get them to their destination, along with real-time departure and arrival times for some of the public transport services,” Grab explained.

To complement these public transportation options, Grab has also connected its services such as GrabBike or GrabCar to serve first-mile-last-mile trips to and from public transit stations or bus stops. 

“The new in-app Trip Planner and soon-to-be rolled out Bus features will offer mass transit options that are up to 70% cheaper than private-hire car hailing services, whilst offering users reliability and convenience,” Grab said.

Grab has also collaborated with MRT Jakarta to integrate its public transit information into the Grab app. The firm will also provide shelters for pick-ups and drop-offs near the stations to better serve users’ first-mile-last-mile needs and ensure the safety of driver-partners and passengers.

Besides the new MRT lines, the Grab app will also display live public transit schedules from commuter rail, Airport Rail Link, Transjakarta public bus services, as well as more than 50 fixed schedules of public buses across Jabodetabek.

Over the next few months, Trip Planner is expected to be launched in other Southeast Asian cities, the firm added.

Grab will also pilot a marketplace for bus travel over the next few months and roll it out progressively across key Southeast Asian cities. The service will allow users to pre-book a seat on a route provided by Grab’s bus partners that best suit their travel itinerary, the firm revealed. This upcoming new in-app ‘Bus’ feature will close the transit gap for people living in underserved areas such as residential suburbs, where getting to and from city centres remains a hassle, they highlighted.