Chauffeur service across Asia

BlaakLane.com serves 70 cities across Asia.

How people travel across Asia

Most trips in Asia start at one of a handful of very large hub airports and then fan out by short-haul flight, high-speed rail or a long road transfer. Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Delhi carry the bulk of long-haul arrivals, and a large share of passengers change planes rather than stay. For a chauffeur booking that means two patterns: a transfer from the hub into the business district for a meeting-heavy stay, or a connection between an airport and a resort, a factory district or a second city.

Gateway airports and what the drive looks like

Cross-border trips inside the region

Road borders matter more in Asia than travellers expect. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge links Hong Kong with Macau and Zhuhai, but only vehicles holding cross-boundary permits can drive it, so ask dispatch how a Hong Kong to Macau run will be arranged before you plan a meeting around it. Singapore and Johor in Malaysia are joined by the Causeway and the Second Link, which are among the busiest land crossings anywhere at peak hours. Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau run separate immigration controls, so a trip that looks short on the map can include two passport checks.

Seasons and events that change demand

• Lunar New Year, usually in January or February, moves millions of people across China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam; many businesses close for several days.
• Cherry blossom season in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka usually falls in late March and early April, and hotels fill early.
• Golden Week in Japan runs from late April into early May; China's national-day Golden Week is in early October.
• The Singapore Grand Prix is a night race usually held in September or October, with road closures around Marina Bay.
• The Canton Fair in Guangzhou runs in spring and autumn phases, usually April and October.
• The south-west monsoon brings heavy rain to India, Sri Lanka and much of South-East Asia roughly from June to September.

Driving side and local rules

Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives drive on the left; mainland China, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines and Cambodia drive on the right. Congestion charges such as Singapore's ERP are not included in the fare and are charged at actual cost, like parking and gratuity.

Which vehicle suits Asia

For a single executive, the Luxury Executive Sedan is the usual choice in Tokyo, Seoul and Singapore, where sedans dominate corporate travel. Families and delegations with luggage fit better in a Standard Black SUV or an Executive Black SUV, and group arrivals for a conference or a factory visit move in a Sprinter Van. In Bali, Phuket and Malé, resort transfers are shaped by narrow roads, ferries and seaplanes, so tell dispatch where the resort sends its boat or its own car. See the country pages for Japan, Singapore, China, India and Thailand, and the Japan National Tourism Organization for seasonal dates.