Posted by Uber and Lyft are finally options in Vancouver. It’s crazy that it has taken this long, but I guess better late than never? So now that these options exist, I decided to write a Vancouver Transportation Cost Comparison post. How do Uber, Lyft, Regular Taxis, and public transportation compare?
Uber/Lyft/Taxi Fare Rates
- Below are a list of fares for each service. Source: CBC-TV reported on Friday, January 24th, 2020. *Fare rates are subject to change.
Taxi fare = $3.25 base fare + $1.88/km
Uber fare = $4.50 base fare + $.70/km
Lyft fare = $5.00 base fare + $.65/km
So how do these fares play out on a typical ride from the Airport(YVR) to Downtown Vancouver? According to GoogleMaps, the distance between these two points equals 15 kilometres.
Vancouver Transportation Cost Comparison (YVR-Downtown Fares Comparison)
Taxi Flat Fare to Downtown Vancouver = $29.00
Uber fare $4.50 + ($.70/km * 15 km) = $15
Lyft fare $5.00 + (.65/km * 15 km) = = $14.75
Skytrain ( 2 Zones) Adult Fare = $4.25
**(Above fares do not include tip, typically an additional 15%.)
Additional factors to consider
- New Competition – When Uber and Lyft break into a new market, they offer extremely competitive fares. Perhaps rates will increase in the future. Time will tell.
- Surge Pricing – Uber and Lyft rates may dramatically increase during busy periods or when drivers are in limited supply. For example, Uber is only a day old but if you request a ride, it looks like the fare is around $27.
- Current Uber/Lyft Driver Shortage – Uber/Lyft just launched in Vancouver and so it’s natural that few drivers are registered and ready to go. Therefore, for the time being, it might be tough to request a ride. In addition, I think that actual prices are going to be less competitive compared with taxi companies. I suspect that as more drivers going Uber/Lyft, actual Uber prices will align with what has been stated above.
Tips
When you request a ride on Uber, the app will give you an estimate as to how much it will cost to get you to your destination before you confirm your ride. I like this feature as it allows you to have a good idea of what the actual price is going to be. If it’s more than you want to pay, well there’s always the bus or train!
Conclusion
If you are on your own and do not have too much to carry, the Skytrain/Bus can be extremely convenient, fast, environmentally friendly, AND the most economical. Having said that, at the very least, Uber and Lyft bring more competition and choice.
I hope you have found this post helpful. Please feel free to like, share, comment, and subscribe! Thanks you for reading my Vancouver Transportation Cost Comparison post.