Grab secures first licence for cross-border ride-hailing between Malaysia and Singapore

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1 May 2026 • 1:38 AM MYT
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Image from: Grab secures first licence for cross-border ride-hailing between Malaysia and Singapore

KUALA LUMPUR – Grab, Southeast Asia’s leading ride-hailing and delivery platform, has been awarded the first Cross-Border Ride-Hail Service Operator Licence (CRSOL), enabling it to offer ride-hailing services across national borders.

The licence forms part of the enhanced Cross-Border Taxi Scheme, jointly announced by Malaysia’s and Singapore’s Ministries of Transport.

“This enables Grab to provide cross-border taxi booking services through the Grab app,” the company said in a statement.

Under the new licence, Grab will pilot a cross-border taxi booking service between Singapore and selected areas in Malaysia, including Johor Bahru, Iskandar Puteri, Forest City, Kulai, and Senai. The initiative, named Cross-Border JB-SG (Beta), aims to improve travel experiences across one of the world’s busiest land border crossings.

Passengers in both countries will be able to schedule door-to-door rides via the Grab app, with bookings available from 12 hours up to seven days in advance.

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

To support the scheme, Singaporean and Malaysian authorities plan to issue 300 licences to taxi drivers in each country in 2026.

Some GrabCab drivers, Grab’s taxi fleet launched in 2025, have already received licences from Malaysia’s Land Public Transport Agency. Grab is also onboarding licensed taxis from other operators and has simplified backend systems to help drivers manage cross-currency earnings and comply with differing regulations.

Singapore-licensed taxis may collect passengers anywhere in Singapore and drop them off within the approved Malaysian areas. For return trips, pick-ups are restricted to advance bookings from Toppen Shopping Centre, Mid Valley Southkey Mall, Angsana Mall, and Larkin Sentral Terminal.

Conversely, Malaysia-licensed taxis can pick up passengers from any approved Malaysian location and drop them off anywhere in Singapore. Return trips must be booked in advance from designated points near Vivocity, Century Square Shopping Mall, Joo Koon MRT station, and Ban San Street Terminal.

Grab president and chief operating officer Alex Hungate said the company is proud to collaborate with both governments to strengthen cross-border mobility.

“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,” he said. — May 1, 2026

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