Exactly like we told you earlier, the largest taxi dispatch companies in the world — Uber — has officially launched its services in Lahore, Pakistan. Launch plans were officially disclosed to media during a pre-launch briefing held today at Barcelos, Lahore.
Loic Amado, Uber’s International Launcher for Middle East & Pakistan, and Amna, Uber’s head in Pakistan, revealed the details.
According to Loic, Uber has been downloaded by thousands of Pakistanis already.
He said that cities choose us, instead of Uber choosing cities. “The interest has been incredible in Lahore, so we are extremely excited to be launching here first. Anyone can now enjoy an affordable, reliable and safe ride at the push of a button thanks to uberGO”, said Loic during his briefing at the event.
Uber will be launched in Karachi and Islamabad during next few months.
Uber said that its launching the service in Pakistan with a cash as well as the usual electronic payment option – one of the first Uber cities globally to do so.
To celebrate, trips throughout Lahore will be free for the first weekend.
The first person to try uberGO in Lahore was actress and international model Mehreen Syed. Legendary cricketer Shoaib Akhtar also took a test ride around the city.
While responding to media queries regarding the security concerns, Amna explained that Uber drivers go through the following steps:
- People who want to be Uber drivers signup online
- Drivers are asked to submit there identification information, which is verified by Uber
- Once everything is checked out, potential drivers are asked to provide with a character certificate, signed by police station and other authorities
- Lastly, every driver goes through three different training programs — including sexual harassment seminar — to properly get to know about treating customers in a professional manner
Furthermore, Loic explained some of the interesting Uber features like ability to share your location with friends in real-time. He also mentioned Uber Pool service that allows 2 or more people to share a single ride and split the fare.
Starting tomorrow, 12PM, Uber is going to be available for customers in Lahore with following prices:
Standard Uber Pricing:
- Base Fare: 100
- Cancellation: 150
- Minimum Fare: 150
- Per KM: 13.7
- Per minute: 3.7 PKR
So if you are planning to go from location A to location B with a road distance of 10 kilometers, then here’s how you will be charged:
- Base Fare: Rs. 100
- Per KM charge: Rs. 13.7 x 10 = Rs. 137
- Per Minute Charge (supposing that ride took you 30 minutes): Rs. 3.7 x 30 = 111
- Total Estimated Charge: Rs. 100 + Rs. 137 + Rs. 111 = Rs. 348
Uber Car types:
Uber has started with 100 riders/cars on-board for services in Lahore. Number is obviously going to grow with time.
Uber is currently offering its UberGo vehicles in Pakistan, that include: Suzuki Swifts, Toyota Vitz, Toyota Corollas, Honda Civics or equivalent.
More luxurious cars with UberBlack and UberLUX will be offered later.
You can go to this link and download Uber app to start using the service: https://get.uber.com/
A-taxi is still better.
Which cars are they using? and what are their charges? per minute or per km?
they charge 35rupees per km, The cars they are using includes swift and city.
is it not 30 rupee / km for a-taxi ??
Only per Km basis fare, Swift and City 2016.
its more expensive
The service is not launched yet. How do you know hahaha? A Taxi has Rs. 120 ride setup charge and Rs. 35/km. No surprises in total costs because distance does not change.
@hassamtahir:disqus
A Taxi ride setup charge rs. 120 includes 3 free Kms. If i have to travel 5 km, Ill pay 120+2*35=190 fixed. In case of Uber, 100+69+37=206 assuming a very realistic 10 minute travel time for 5Km. If time increases, so does your cost.
Those who employeed you, should really re-test your basic arithmetic skills.
10Km with a travel time of 20 mins (I usually reach office in 15 mins) me 100+137+74=311. even if the travel time doubles it will cost me as much as an ataxi which is 365.
Please have your basic arithmetic stills tested.
Hey, Lahore is outside DHAs as well. Your supersonic 15 minute for 10 km means that you are traveling constantly at around 90 km/h (min) with no stop lights etc. Do you even know that 60 is the max permitted speed on canal bank road? You violate law, simple as that. Dont insult collective intellect of other people.
Uber is not for you alone. Come over to Multan road, ferozpur road, ring road, mall etc, and learn something. I am gald though that metro train shall not pass through areas of privileged elite.
btw, you are unable to agree with my facts and figures. How and why will people pay to Uber drivers? They haggle for 10 minutes before getting a Rickshaw.
Are you really that complexed about where you live? Cause I don’t live in defense nor do i have anything against who do.
Also maybe it didn’t occur to you uber is not for everyone ? Neither is careem nor is ataxi. They are expensive forms of traveling. And what they give against the price is convinence and comfortablity. If it’s worth it to you ride it otherwise don’t. No one is forcing you to ride it..
Also I think you need to go back to class 6 again. 10km in 15 mins is 40km/h. So your magical and ironically made-up speed comes down..
Complexed? Is thinking about middle class a suffering of inferiority complex? Those who cant afford car, need a taxi. Thats the target audience.
Its Uber which is suffering from superiority complex. Their sample fares are all about DHAs. Thats why i try to highlight.
URL newsroom.uber.com/pakistan/lahore-lahore-hai/
“it didn’t occur to you uber is not for everyone”
See. Superiority complex of those who can dole out around 500 for a relatively short ride. There goes Uber’s claim of being a service for the masses. Uber is popular in US because of quick availability late at night. Moreover, it benefits from economy of scale especially when other taxi companies are much more expensive in actual. Compare Uber to our taxi services, and you will not see a plausible difference. Time based charge is wrong. You will see it removed eventually. Moreover, Uber makes sense for longer distances like 12 km or higher.
My calculation is wrong. It was based on 10 km in 5 minutes. Happy? If I ask you to mention source and destination, you shall hide behind your privacy. 10 km in 15 mins, yeah right. You have to be in East Lahore in any case.
If you have an office, you are posting during paid-for office time. Your employer still needs to look into you.
brother i have used both services. there is hell of difference between two. uber has very low fare. even they offer free rides. i have traveled on both on same routes for 13 km. uber charged 350 to 400 and albayrak 700-725. Albayrak meter shows only amount of fare which is misleading because i think their meter adds 35 rupees 0.7 Km because we dont know how much kilometers car traveled.
ROFL. I was bout to comment the same, “10km in 15 mins is 40km/h. So your magical and ironically made-up speed comes down..” :D never argue with idiots.
You are very right but very very haarsh infact!
Panda sb..kamal hy… 60km p hr.. Mean 60km in 60mins.. Meaning..10kms in 10min at speed of 60km p hr.
Wasay eng achi apki…lolz
Do ataxi have that base fare???
hahaha maybe because they have written what the rates in the very article? simple maths? and also it is launched now. and its estimating my home to office at 260-315rs. ataxi costs me 365.
Per minute charges will add more to net fare as compared to no per minute charges of A-Taxi.
Hello
Pasta nahi kya ho raha hy
Too expensive. The per minute charges are unjustifiable. Agrees with Mr. Hisham.
Thank you for admitting.
They are not. Driver ka time nahi lagta?
Agree. Majority of lahoris will find a-taxi to be more economical. Uber should have adopted a simplistic pricing model.
Wht company contact num .?
Support Careem founded by Pakistanis and not this foreign owned faranghi company. Uber will suck out profits from pakistan, Careem will reinvest.
Yes but due to Uber the services of every company will improve making it a win win for everyone in pakistan!
Careem is a company based in the UAE with only one co-founder from Pakistan. It will also “suck out profits” from the country because of obvious reasons.
Let us not get bogged down by these false ideals and appreciate that multi-billion dollar companies are finally feeling confident enough to invest in our country. Uber entering Pakistan creates jobs, lots of jobs, and we need as many of those as we can get.
all of careem’s tech infrastructure is from Pakistan. So they are re-inverting in Pakistan.
and so is uber’s. Local drivers, local investment and local team running uber
Yes, that’s fair a point but I just wanted to emphasize that careem is more then that, it locally developed and Uber is developed in SF. Don’t get me wrong I don’t think that only reason to use something should be its local ties.
Again, Careem is not locally developed, their core team is based in the UAE. They’re not even using a local payment processor. I pay by credit card and it’s always charged at Careem LLC, UAE, in USD which is then converted by my bank with 3.5% foreign transaction charge, so it actually costs more for the convenience of not having to carry pocket change. If they were really based here the least they could do was use a local payment processor.
u shud be worried about price competition rather than who`s Pakistani or not. This mentality is gonna take us no where.
Careem is not founded in Pakistan.
We need competition here. Even our politicians are sucking our tax money out of this country , still our nation votes for them.
Use the good services, which give you high value for your money. It does not matter much, who is Pakistani and who is not, specially if it is about service providers. Than the environment of competition will result in improvement in services of all organizations operating here, Pakistani and non Pakistani.
Anybody have any idea about which cars other than mentioned in the article are allowed for drivers, because on their website they have mentioned Alto and Cultus among others as well.
I think I’ll be using it for meetings clients. It A Class Texi. Used Uber Swift Taxi from Liberty to DHA phase 5.
Can we signup without a credit card?
disappointing. why should i ride with a desi stranger driver when i can get (Honda city) A Taxi for a lesser price and no ridiculous per minute charge damn it?
Isnt fuel cheaper than ever?
We have a persistent problem. Whenever a big brand name involves desi idiots in their decision making, it is beaten to sh1t till it exits the country. I wish Uber had hired its advisors and executives from middle class instead of privilege burger elite who shall never feel for the likes of us. Amazed that those who own 3000cc vehicles are deciding for those who can afford a 70 cc only.
Dear uber, take your U and shove it up …ahooo.
Time based charging will incite drivers to go through longer route or the one with high traffic. Even when kms are being measured, drivers take longer path. The problem can be seen in A Taxi service right away.
For their retarded decision makers, let me mention the obvious. Rickshaw is popular because its driver maneuvers it way to take you through the shortest route and costs the least. You are taking on those drivers. If you shall cost double of what they charge, good luck.
credit card , i dont want to give them information FOR NOW. No other option ?
This nation can’t even afford a rikshaw… They argue with rikshaw driver for at least 5-10 minutes so that they can bargain on fare.
How uber will do business in Pakistan…???
same thing said for 3g when they announced it .. :P
Why are u taking tension about their business bro if they don’t? Just chill.
for 10 km its not expensive.
try going around city like isb on taxi…:) i know im doing it these days as im not from this city.
Quite economical great little. Bit more than rikshaw
if in ride also you have to pay for per minute then this is going to be expensive then careem. In careem you can travel 12 km for just 270 rupees with 15minutes waiting time which is not charged.
Someone tell me WTF is this base fare????
Kinda like visiting charges. The fare starts from Rs.100, instead of zero, whether you go somewhere or not.
Understood. Ok do you know if ataxi have any base fare or not??
there per km rate is high enough to include the base fare/
It means ataxi is better for a small distance like 5kms, and Uber is better for a large distance.
It’s the compensation for the driver because they come to you, you don’t go to them, so they’re paid for that one-way trip to pick you up.
Why are they using the .7 in per KM charges? Didn’t the government end paisa?
and when you ride other taxis and rickshaws woh ap ke phuppi ka puttar hota hai? All are strangers, and ataxi is much more expensive. ataxi took 365 from my home to office. While Uber will take a maximum of 300rs even in full traffic. Per minute charge is to compensate the driver for his time. ataxi uses a high perkm charge instead.
In context of safety of female passengers, I compared Uber to A Taxi, nether rickshaw nor private taxi. Do you even know that A-Taxi drivers are registered employees of the company? If something goes wrong, the company can/will sue them. On the other hand, with no laws in place, a passenger will have to file a lawsuit against a freelance Uber driver privately and Uber shall simply look the other way. Uber calls its drivers “independent contractors” – a fancy way/term to discharge any liability. Read their ToC.
In current pricing, it is funny to assume that Uber is absorbing any costs. They are simply passing it on to passengers. Speaks a lot about their confidence to burn cash in PK.
A-Taxi cars are new, clearly marked, GPS trackers installed and drivers are
registered employees of the company. Any violation, and they will be
reprimanded for it. In fact, legal case is also possible. Above all, their drivers are constantly monitored using tracker and due to links with Shareef family, they can mobilize police in case of an emergency. Uber only lets you share your route with family, and forces you to have your internet with a smartphone and reasonable battery charge. In case of emergency, you are on your own. I wonder, w7f does Uber do really?
And you said maximum Rs. 300 in peak rush hour without indicating distance of travel? Really? Arent you naive or biased? Rs. 100 for Uber ride setup charge. Rs. 200 for travel cost. If you consider 7 km distance, A taxi will cost you rs. 260 no matter which rush hour. In case of Uber, it costs Rs. 270 for a 20 minute ride which is not even a rush hour.
Your argument is mere “petitio principii” i.e. begging the question logic. Just like you, some other blog calculated a 10 km ride to take 10 minutes just to declare that A Taxi costs more than Uber.
I hope you are not a PTI troll, bashing at A Taxi just because it has hidden links with Shareef family. If Uber removes the non sensical per minute charge, then it will blow competition including rickshaws out of the water. How about extorting less commission from drivers to be actually economical?
And if you think that driver is taking you through the longer route intentionally , FEEDBACK option is there for your valuable input. Pakistani soch ko salam hai , Naye chez ko appreciate karna nai aur purani ka rona roo roo k mar jana hia. Same case as 3G 4G
Yeah feedback. What will Uber do? Return my money? You have to be kidding me.
How will I prove that driver took longer route intentionally? Intentions are abstract janab.
Pakistani sooch to salaam, definitely. They dont know basic arithmetic yet pretend to be Harvard graduated business tycoons like you are one.
Nayee cheez is A Taxi. And I appreciated it. You need to have just one brain cell that a taxi service should appeal to those who cant afford to keep cars. Taxis are not meant for leisure rides of burger elite from DHAs.
Same case with 3/4G really? Do you know it is still available to those who also had other means of internet like dsl/wimax/evdo etc. Do you know even with faster data services, RPUs have either declined or not approved? Why? COST my dear. We are poor people and cant afford much at all.
And Uber DID NOT come to PK. They did not even make an office here. Just hired 2-3 people, paid to Bramerz for marketing. Is that how you launch? Really? They have seen savaree, careem etc struggle. So, they just created a small contract-based team to actually prepare feasibiliity report for them. Thats ABOUT IT. They have only merely started to come to PK. In fact, right now, they dont even have a general manager. How about you apply to be one?
They have not registered as a company in PK. Yet they will collect money via credit cards on behalf of drivers. At the most, they may be using a smoke screen registered company and keeping it all hush hush. That is still illegal because they are using the name Uber.
Pakistani sooch, indeed. People like you thump your chests at the first sight of a global brand name. Definitely inferiority complex.
Haha. Feedback, huh. What would be ur feedback on the intensions of driver?
Most important part of the article
>To celebrate, trips throughout Lahore will be free for the first weekend.
“with a free rides weekend, we will have limited availability”
Recall what do our ecommerce stores do when they announce heavy discounts or free goodies.
If uber is not ready yet, why bother launching prematurely?
Rs300+ for 10km is too much Travly and other local services are doing better at cost than this.
still cheaper than ataxi and careem. and there you go on rickshaw this is a car.
If we are not status conscious, then E- Rickshaw is best. But alas, we will remain hungry and get loan but false status is more dearer to us.
a part from everything @Careem is best theri ride charges are 150RS and 25RS per kilometer with no wait charges.
The also charge per min when speed is below 15km/h
People haggle for 5-10 minutes before getting in waqgon or rickshaw, Uber is like already cost agreed upon Paid Car.
Respected Sir we are Car Rental services provider kindly contact us for participate with UBER New Toyota Corolla Cars are available
lol
Have any body tried to register through mobilink number. I am not receiving verification sms
Any entreprenuer looking for creating a similar system in Pakistan can partner with us and we can help him set up a system in Pakistan. Its lucrative business with huge potential to expand
As compared to Karachi, Fares are high enough in Islamabad and Lahore. Specially when you arrive from other parts of the cities they charge you a ridiculous amount of sum for a 10KM ride. Here in Karachi i travel from Scheme 33 Main Super Highway to Clifton Schon Circle for Rs 350 to 400 which is way better then any other service.
Another thing i wanna mention here is, Toyota Pixus, Mira and other Japanese cars are giving 17 to 18 KM per liter still they are using these expensive cars. Go for economy car at least. Prius is another good option. World is going towards fuel efficiency and here we are happy to see a crappy taxi service.
A taxi service which is allowing multiple people to carpool is better than a car. But than their are specific requirements of people. Do not worry much, the ones who need car, will get a car :-p
Great news , wish to see Amazon in Pakistan
Hoping to see them in Islamabad/Rawalpindi.
Fare calculation for 10 KMs, Basic fare 100+137+15mins*3.7=56+ 30 mins traffic jam=111 Total Charges for 10 kms= Rs.404/-. :)
A Comparison
Who is saying Uber will give employment? They will pay you from their pockets? We Pakistani are investing in property while foreigner investing to collect money from other countries.
I believe if we don’t change or mind (thoughts) of investing and research, soon some foreigner companies will eat up everything from Pakistan just like Unilever, Nestlé, Cock, Pepsi and many others.
There are some stupid people who don’t know the back-end facts and just shouting here in favor of those companies. Just tell me how much Uber pay them to write review and articles?
How to join please tell me details
how can i submit my taxi to uber
I want to become a uber driver in islamabad or rawalpindi. But how? Anybody wana help?
Can anybody give me their Lahore address or phone number??? I will really appreciate the support
Try Careem if available
Its best and the rates are discounted by promo codes…. Vehicles are excellent…
Ppl can easily get fake identification and fake police certificates …. If not that police will start to charge an arm and a leg…. Worse than that is police can easily join forces with the drivers to loot ppl and that is the worst thing … Ive heard horror stories of how ppl are followed from one location to the other and after get robbed. How can we trust drivers ? How do we know they wont rob you ? Uber relies on gps for routes .. But in pakistan there are soo many short cuts to get from point A to point B … Ppl wont understand why the uber driver has to use the given route and can use short cuts. Another problem is how can we know that the driver has passed ll the necessary requirements and training ? Will he or she have something in their car ? Hope im wong about all this but these are the facts that we will need to address as there are too many incidents occurring.
Careem is the best, uber charges base fare, per km, and also per minute
While careem just charges base fare 130 and 11 rs per km
I want to become a uber driver in lahore but i dont own a car :(
AOA Sir i have 2 Corolla Gli cars 2012 and 2016 Model in excellent condition kindly contact me asap and give me details.
Thanking Yours
03008885063
Base Fare: Rs. 100
Per KM charge: Rs. 13.7 x 10 = Rs. 137
Per Minute Charge (supposing that ride took you 30 minutes): Rs. 3.7 x 30 = 111
Total Estimated Charge: Rs. 100 + Rs. 137 + Rs. 111 = Rs. 348
help me:
i can open the branch of uber in kasure city,there is an largest city and famous after Lahore ,most of people comes hare for visits to hospitals,bazaar shopping ,and barder of gandasing(Pakistan & India) ,and darbarz of sufiee (the God blessing man grave).so there is no branch in it .
and i have 15+ car driver how are interested with me !
i pleasure to working with .
Is this service available in Multan ?
a 10 km normal fare ride cost the customer only 190 rupees out of that the driver got 140 rupees……is UBER even considering car maintanance (appr 5000 per month Rs167 / day) and fuel (Rs 78 / liter average rate of fuel consumption on most cars is 8 km /liter or less with A/C on) cost to drivers?