GoEuro compares worldwide public transport, taxi and Uber prices
The travel and booking site GoEuro examined the costs of public transport, taxi and Uber in 60 world cities. GoEuro is the first site that also takes into account the (average) cost of Uber in such a comparison. And it shows that Uber -compared with the taxi fares- is not always the cheapest provider. But the comparison is not entirely fair, because Uber Black and UberLux are considerably more expensive than UberPOP. And in some areas there is no UberPOP-service. For instance: Brussels only has UberPOP, and Uber is considerably cheaper than the taxi in the European capital.
New Delhi is the cheapest city for all types of transport and Stockholm is the most expensive. But this site in its comparison for foreign travellers does not take into account the local cost of living. That would provide a better comparison. For taxis and Uber GoEuro computed a 10 km trip. The cost of public transportation was consistent with a single trip.
Australia, Switzerland and Sweden were the most expensive countries for public transport, but it is striking that the cost of public transport in London and Vienna was often lower than in a big city like Berlin. The Dutch and Belgian cities Amsterdam (54th place), Rotterdam (57) and Brussels (34) are not really cheap. For the three cities that is mainly due to the expensive taxis (though Uber in Rotterdam is more expensive than taking a taxi) – public transport is pretty cheap.
Rates in (for example) German cities – Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt and Düsseldorf – are relatively close together: 16 to 20 euros for a ride with Uber. For a taxi in these cities the price varies between € 19.77 and € 21.84. In public transport a ride by bus or train is € 2.00 to € 2.60.
That the cost of transport all over the world varies quite a lot, the overview for India and Indonesia shows: in New Delhi, the big winner, the rate of public transport is the equivalent of only 17 Eurocents. In Mumbai it is only 1.83 euros for a ten mile ride with Uber and in Jakarte it is € 2.97.
The gap between the last cities and the leaders of the equation is rather large: in the Swedish capital Stockholm a ride with Uber is € 38.30, in Australia (Sydney) it is slightly less: € 38.22. In Zurich, a taxi will cost € 36.48 for a 10 km-trip. Prices for public transport in Zurich and Stockholm are quite high with € 3.75 and € 3.91. However, the peak of € 5.95 is delivered by London. Taxis in the city on the Thames are relatively cheap with € 22.76. Sydney is the most expensive Uber-city, while public transport is relatively cheap: € 2.23, almost at the level of Vienna (€ 2.20).
Interestingly, in Vienna, which is not known for its low prices, public transport is cheaper than in Berlin (€ 2.20 to € 2.60). And the same goes for a taxi: € 13.71 to € 19.77 in Berlin. When it comes to Uber, Berlin was ‘defeated’ by the otherwise expensive alpine county: € 22.25 in Berlin to € 18.50 in Vienna.
“The extensive comparison of these rates is interesting because the consumer can make a proper decision how he would like to be transported,” says Robin Wilfert, Creative Director of GoEuro. “Several countries have very different prices for local transport. The price comparison can thus help in the choice for a (holiday) destination.”
Full results can be found here: http://www.goeuro.co.uk/urban-transit-price-index
• The mix of public transport, taxi and Uber works out differently all over the world.