Uber
The most widely available rideshare service globally. Works in 70+ countries.
What Uber is
Uber is a rideshare app that connects you with nearby drivers and shows the fare before you confirm, which removes the haggling and language barriers that come with flagging local taxis. Travelers lean on it because the same app, payment method, and interface work across dozens of countries, so there is nothing new to learn after you land.
What it does for travelers
- ✓Upfront, app-calculated fares so you know the cost before booking
- ✓Cashless payment with a saved card, removing the need for local currency mid-ride
- ✓Live driver tracking and a shareable trip status for safety
- ✓Pickup pins you can set on a map, useful when you can't name the local address
- ✓Tiered options from budget pooled rides to larger vehicles and, in many cities, scooters or food via Uber Eats
Good to know
- Requires a live data connection to request and track rides; download an offline map separately if your data is spotty
- Coverage and the available ride types vary a lot by country and even by city within a country
- In some markets Uber dispatches licensed taxis rather than private cars, and pricing rules differ accordingly
- An account with a verified phone number and a payment method on file is needed before your first ride
Travel tips
- At airports, follow signage to the designated rideshare pickup zone, which is often separate from the taxi rank
- Add your card before you travel so you aren't fighting a slow connection while standing curbside
- Confirm the license plate and driver name in the app before getting in, since multiple cars often wait in the same spot
- Where Uber is thin or banned, check whether a local app like Bolt, Grab, or a regional taxi service covers the city
When to reach for it
Reach for Uber when you want a predictable, cashless ride in a city where it operates and you'd rather not negotiate with metered taxis. In regions where a local rival dominates, that local app is usually the better bet.
Where we list Uber
55 destinations, with what it's good for in each.
- 🇯🇵JapanHails licensed taxis in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and other big cities using your existing account. Locals mostly use GO.
- 🇹🇼TaiwanWorks in major cities.
- 🇭🇰Hong KongWorks city-wide with upfront fares and card payment, but it isn't reliably cheaper than taxis.
- 🇮🇳IndiaWorks well in all major Indian cities.
- 🇺🇸United StatesWidest coverage. Use UberX for cheapest rides.
- 🇬🇧United KingdomWorks city-wide in London and major UK cities.
- 🇫🇷FranceWorks in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and most mid-size cities.
- 🇩🇪GermanyWorks in Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, but coverage is patchy.
- 🇪🇸SpainWorks in major cities.
- 🇳🇱NetherlandsWorks in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague.
- 🇦🇺AustraliaCity-wide coverage in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth.
- 🇲🇽MexicoWidely available, much safer than street taxis.
- 🇧🇷BrazilWorks city-wide.
- 🇦🇪United Arab EmiratesAlso works, but Careem often has better availability.
- 🇨🇦CanadaStrong in major cities; Lyft is also available.
- 🇨🇭SwitzerlandAvailable in Zurich, Geneva, Lausanne, Basel, Bern, and Lucerne.
- 🇵🇹PortugalWorks well throughout the country.
- 🇬🇷GreeceBooks licensed taxis in Athens; Freenow (ex-Beat) is what locals actually use.
- 🇸🇪SwedenAvailable in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö, and Uppsala.
- 🇳🇴NorwayAvailable in Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, Stavanger, and Tromsø.
- 🇩🇰DenmarkBack since 2025 with the widest coverage - Uber now owns Dantaxi, Denmark's largest taxi firm.
- 🇫🇮FinlandAvailable in Helsinki, Tampere, Turku, and Oulu.
- 🇮🇪IrelandConnects to local taxis only — not regular UberX.
- 🇹🇷TurkeyHails taxis in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and more — BiTaksi is the local standard.
- 🇪🇬EgyptWorks well across Cairo and Alexandria.
- 🇿🇦South AfricaWidely available in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban.
- 🇸🇦Saudi ArabiaStrong alternative to Careem.
- 🇵🇱PolandWide coverage.
- 🇨🇿Czech RepublicAvailable in Prague.
- 🇦🇷ArgentinaWorks city-wide.
- 🇵🇪PeruWide coverage in Lima and Cusco.
- 🇨🇴ColombiaLegal in a gray zone but widely used.
- 🇳🇿New ZealandWorks in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch.
- 🇧🇪BelgiumAvailable in Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Leuven, and Bruges.
- 🇭🇷CroatiaAlso widely available.
- 🇷🇴RomaniaAvailable.
- 🇱🇰Sri LankaWorks but PickMe has wider local coverage.
- 🇧🇩BangladeshAlso widely available; Pathao is faster for bikes in Dhaka traffic.
- 🇶🇦QatarMain rideshare in Doha; Karwa taxis are the alternative.
- 🇰🇼KuwaitNew here — launched September 2026 with Taxi, Comfort, Black and Lux rides.
- 🇯🇴JordanAvailable in Amman.
- 🇰🇪KenyaWide coverage in Nairobi and Mombasa.
- 🇨🇱ChileWide coverage.
- 🇨🇷Costa RicaWide coverage in San José.
- 🇵🇦PanamaWide coverage.
- 🇩🇴Dominican RepublicWide coverage in Santo Domingo and Punta Cana.
- 🇲🇺MauritiusWorks but limited to licensed taxis and mainly around Port Louis, Grand Baie, and the airport — don't rely on it island-wide.
- 🇱🇺LuxembourgThe only mainstream ride-hailing app, run via local partner Webtaxi — Bolt and Lyft don't operate here.
- 🇸🇮SloveniaLaunched in Ljubljana in 2025 and since extended to Maribor, using licensed taxi drivers on the meter; the only major ride-hailing app here.
- 🇪🇨EcuadorReliable in Quito and Guayaquil with upfront pricing; a safer default than hailing street taxis at night.
- 🇺🇾UruguayMost reliable ride option in Montevideo, the airport, and Punta del Este; pay by card to skip cash.
- 🇬🇹GuatemalaSafest, most reliable ride app in Guatemala City and Antigua; rarely available around Lake Atitlán, where tuk-tuks and boats take over. Cash accepted.
- 🇯🇲JamaicaIn Kingston, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios only; pay in-app by Visa/Mastercard. Legally in limbo since a 2024 government ban.
- 🇧🇭BahrainAvailable as a backup to Careem; coverage is thinner but useful at peak times.
- 🇬🇭GhanaReliable alternative to Bolt in Accra and Kumasi; useful when Bolt surge-prices.
Uber — frequently asked
Does my home Uber account work abroad?
Yes, the same account and saved payment method work in any country where Uber operates, though prices show in the local currency and available ride types differ by city.
Can I pay cash for an Uber?
Cash is accepted only in certain countries where Uber explicitly offers it; in most markets rides are charged to the card on your account.
Do I need mobile data to use Uber?
Yes, you need an active internet connection to request a ride and track the driver, so a local SIM or eSIM is worth arranging on arrival.
Last reviewed in September 2026. Pack My Apps is independent — Uberdidn't pay to be listed and the download links aren't affiliate links. Features, fees and country coverage change, so confirm anything your trip depends on in the app itself. Report an error.