Grab : receives the first Cross-Border Ride-Hail Service Operator Licence and will soon pilot a new cross-border taxi booking service

Published: 2026-04-30 23:52:07 ET GRAB

Published on 04/30/2026 at 11:52 pm EDT

SINGAPORE, 30 April 2026 - Grab, Southeast Asia's leading superapp, today received the first Cross-Border Ride-Hail Service Operator Licence (CRSOL) under the enhanced Cross-Border Taxi Scheme, which has been jointly announced by the Ministry of Transport of Singapore and the Ministry of Transport of Malaysia . This enables Grab to provide cross-border taxi booking services through the Grab app.

With the licence, Grab will be piloting a new taxi booking service for cross-border journeys between anywhere in Singapore and anywhere within the following areas in Malaysia: Johor Bahru, Iskandar Puteri, Forest City, Kulai and Senai . Named Cross-Border SG-JB (Beta), the pilot service seeks to enhance the travel experience across one of the world's busiest land border crossings. Passengers from both cities will be able to make Advance Booking of door-to-door rides through the Grab app, within a 12 hour to seven day timeframe.

This pilot will be rolled-out gradually, starting on 4 May 2026. Grab will expand and refine the service as more licensed cross-border taxis are onboarded and with feedback from the drivers and passengers in the coming months.

Alex Hungate, President & Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Grab, said "Our passengers and business customers in both Singapore and Malaysia are eagerly awaiting door-to-door cross-border taxi services. Every day, hundreds of thousands of commuters cross the border for work, business and leisure, and we've seen growing demand for more transport options, especially for those travelling in groups. Grab is honoured to partner with the governments of both countries in their vision to enhance cross-border connectivity. We will work closely with our taxi driver partners and passengers, using their feedback from this pilot to refine our operations and deliver a high-quality, reliable service."

Enhancing the Cross-Border Passenger Experience

With established private-hire and taxi ride-hailing operations in both Singapore and Malaysia, Grab is uniquely positioned to work with drivers and commuters in both countries to develop safe, convenient and reliable cross-border services. Key features of the Grab's in-app cross-border taxi booking service pilot include:

Expanding Earning Opportunities & Streamlining Processes for Taxi Drivers

To enhance cross-border connectivity, the Singaporean and Malaysian governments will issue 300 licences to taxi drivers in each country in 2026. In a first for GrabCab - Grab's taxi fleet launched in 2025 - a number of its drivers have also been issued licenses from Malaysia's Land Public Transport Agency (Agensi Pengangkutan Awam Darat).

Grab is in the midst of onboarding licensed cross-border taxis from GrabCab and other taxi operators. Grab has streamlined the backend process for Singapore and Malaysia taxi drivers to more easily manage cross-currency earnings and different regulatory requirements.

For the new cross-border taxi booking service on Grab's app:

Singapore licensed cross-border taxis can pick passengers from any location in Singapore and drop them off in any location within the operating areas of Malaysia. However, on return trips, pick-ups are limited to Advance Booking from fixed points - namely, Toppen Shopping Centre, Midvalley Southkey Mall, Angsana Mall, and Larkin Sentral Terminal.

Similarly, Malaysia's licensed cross-border taxis can pick passengers from any location within the operating areas in Malaysia and drop them off in any location in Singapore. However, on return trips, pick-ups are limited to Advance Booking from fixed points near Vivocity, near Century Square Shopping Mall, Joo Koon MRT station, and Ban San Street Terminal.

Disclaimer

Grab Holdings Ltd. published this content on May 01, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 01, 2026 at 03:51 UTC.