The company is aiming to become a superapp, offering an array of travel services to provide customers with a one stop shop. Under plans to be piloted first in the UK, Uber will begin adding long distance travel options with inter-city trains and coaches available this summer. It aims to add plane and Eurostar tickets as options later in the year. Uber’s superapp strategy has been discussed as far back as 2018 however uncertainty over the pandemic and its ability to operate in London have kept plans on hold.
Uber also hopes to let people rent cars through the app as well as featuring a hotel booking system in the future.
Currently many of Uber’s trips end at train stations or airports with the firm hoping it will be able to capitalise on this.
Jamie Heywood, Uber’s regional manager for UK, northern and eastern Europe, described the plans as creating a “seamless door-to-door experience.”
Uber has been steadily expanding the scope of its offering with bicycles and scooters now available, as well as food delivery through its Uber Eats arm which soared during the pandemic.
Since 2020 it has even partnered with Thames Clippers to provide a passenger ferry service on the Thames in London, rebranded as Uber Boat.
Uber said it would confirm the various partners for its new offerings in the coming months which will include national rail and coach companies.
Rather than providing these services itself, the firm said it would be working with partners to integrate these into its app.
Mr Heywood said: “Everyone values the freedom to make travel arrangements in a simple and convenient way, which is why we’re excited to become a one-stop shop for all your travel needs.
The firm has previously had a difficult relationship with TfL who revoked Uber’s license in 2017 over accusations of a “lack of corporate responsibility”.
Following a successful court appeal by Uber its licence was subsequently removed again in 2019.
This week Uber ramped up its investment in the capital with plans to expand its Uber Green offering of electric vehicles.
Uber said it aims to have over 10,000 electric vehicles in London by the end of the year and become all-electric in the city by 2025.
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