Ride-hailing service Ryde has added a new category targeting Singapore's business and ultra-luxury markets, in anticipation of an uptick in tourism, business and convention demand as the Lion City trails ahead of other APAC destinations in travel recovery.
Touting a 'business class' travel experience, RydeLUXE private drivers will pick guests up in spacious six-seater vehicles such as the Toyota Alphard and Vellfire.
Fares are pegged at around S$25 (US$19) from Tanglin to Bugis and S$50 from Bugis to Changi Business Park.
In comparison, RydeLuxe says rival Grab charges around S$20 and S$61 for the similar journeys, under its premium category which also offers six seats.
Both on-demand and advance bookings will be accepted. Ryde will be charging 10% service fees for driver partners, and only those with the highest passenger ratings will be allowed to accept RydeLUXE bookings.
Ryde expects demand to come mostly from Singapore's downtown area, with corporate demand from MNCs and small businesses. Ryde will also be targeting business owners, restaurants and hotels to offer the private-car hire service to guests.
“The launch of RydeLUXE reflects our belief and commitment to introduce innovative features for the ride-hailing market. It also marks a significant milestone for us, as we enter the ultra-luxury market and cater to a different clientele,” said Terence Zou, founder and CEO of Ryde Technologies.
RydeLUXE beta trials are ongoing at the moment, ahead of the official 29 April launch.
Ryde is currently available in Singapore, Sydney, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur. To date, the Ryde app has been downloaded close to 700,000 times.