Until Uber comes to Kuwait we have to make due with alternatives and as of recently the only alternative we had available was Easy Taxi. I’ve used them a few times and I have mixed feelings about them. For one thing every time I book a car the driver calls me up and asks me where I am even though he has my GPS location on his map. The other annoying thing is the fact that they try to negotiate a price before they even pick me up which I hate doing. My last issue is the fact that I have to pay cash instead of having the ride charged to my credit card similar to how I do with Uber. This is where Careem comes in.
Careem is an alternative to Easy Taxi that has recently come into the market. I haven’t had the chance to use them just yet but first impressions from their app and website is that they might be a worthy alternative. Why?
– You can add a credit card to your account and use it to pay for your rides
– The rides are metered
– You can pre-book a cab in advance
The only negative I can see at the moment is that their rides will cost you more. The minimum cost for their “Economy Car” is KD3 while their “Business Car” is KD4. If you’re interested in trying them out you can download their app or visit their website [Here]
10 replies on “Easy Taxi now has Competition, Careem”
Their site has no mention of their fleet. For example, what is a first class car vs. a business class car?
3KD is almost full tank petrol for most cabs.
Thats not how cabs work, you aren’t only paying for gas when you take a cab, you also have to pay for the car and the driver.
Yes Mark. i know. but i still think 3KD is too much for a minimum charge. I take cabs everyday and i already pay double the meter (not cos i want to but thats what most cabs charge) and it still doesnt come up to 3KD.
i didn’t say they were cheap, I clearly mentioned in my post that the cost was a negative factor.
Hilarious. Mark you mentioned it was a negative factor. It’s not. To be accurate it’s a deal breaker!
Ok so the positive thing was they had a Windows app for my phone! Also the sign up was fast. But for Christ’s sake you have got to be kidding me, when I saw their quote for a trip I tried which would cost me 3kd on a regular luxury taxi- They wanted 15.6KD. I’d rather order a rent a car home for a whole day rather than waste money on them for a single trip. Again I would also use my banks concierge service than them- I get a 2015 Chauffeur driven Tahoe for 2.5kd
So bottom line- not a negative factor but price is the deal breaker. They can’t make a profit in a place like Kuwait where fuel is so cheap
wow KD15? Where were you going?
Salwa to Nestle Sulaibiya. 25km on my tripmeter. Point is there are great taxi sevices at my beck and call for 3KD. Why even think about an app. I’m using the same phone, just need to make the call instead of the app 🙂
Hi James,
Can I have the contact number of the driver. I am hunting for one from so long. thanks.
I use Careem all the time in Dubai, while they might seem to charge more as a preface, the more you use Careem the more privileges you get. They always run offers for discounts and car upgrades and they have the option of scheduling a pick up for a later time (which Uber does not provide). Their business car is a lexus ES in Dubai and Saudi Arabia and their economy cars are usually Toyota Previas and Fortuners.
I use to be a religious Uber user, but I believe their operations in the GCC have been lacking as Drivers have found ways to make you cancel the ride (pay the cancellation fee) requested by standing still for a couple of minutes and prolong the waiting time until you opt to cancel the request. This is my experience with them for the past year.
Also Careem, is an Arabic home-grown company and I am all for supporting ‘local’ entrepreneurship. I think Careem is feeling the hear from Uber and is beginning to roll out some impressive offers and improving their quality of service.