Uber has finally arrived in Swansea after gaining a licence to operate here from the city council. The company matches people who need to go somewhere, via an app, with someone who can take them.
But many people in the city may never have used Uber before, so the company has a guide on its website as to how people can do so for the first time. Or, they can stick with one of the long established taxi and private hire firms in the city, or use a black cab from a taxi rank. You can get more Swansea news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
If you are trying out Uber for the first time, however, this is how you do it:
Firstly, turn on location services.
To book your ride, whether it's your first time using Uber or not, you need to switch on location services on your device. Uber uses this to make getting a ride easier. It helps improve services, including pick-ups, and navigation.
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What about arrival times?
Before your ride begins, the Uber app will give an estimated time of arrival (ETA) for when your driver should reach your pick-up point. ETA times are estimates and not guaranteed, however.
Things like heavy traffic or roadworks can affect travel time. If the ETA in the app seems too long, you're advised to check again after a few minutes to see if it has changed.
How does the pricing work?
Sometimes, there are too many people wanting Uber rides and not enough cars available. This can happen during bad weather, rush hour, or special events.
When too many people want a ride at the same time, Uber increases the fares. This is known as dynamic pricing. If prices go up because of demand, Uber says it will let you know in the app. Some people might choose to pay the higher price, while others might wait a bit to see if the price goes down, or find an alternative.
Getting a ride with Uber for the first time...
- Open the Uber app on your phone.
- Put your destination in the "Where to? " box.
- Choose the kind of car you want at the bottom of the screen.
- Press "request" then confirm where you want to be picked up.
- Wait for an Uber driver to accept your request. The app will show an estimated arrival time.
- Then, just wait for your driver to arrive. You can see where they are on the map in the app.
- The app will let you know when they're close to your pick-up spot.
Find out about traffic and travel issues where you live:
