A few years ago, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said he wants Uber to be the "Amazon of transportation." Over the years, that played out with Uber Eats, an Explore page, scooters and more in an effort to get people on the Uber app as often as possible. Now, the company is going a step further with long-distance transportation options.
Uber announced Wednesday that it's adding trains, buses, planes and car rentals to its U.K. app. The company isn't offering these services itself; instead, it'll partner with companies that provide them and build the software integrations needed for people to purchase tickets in its app. If all goes well in the U.K., Uber said it'll expand to other countries down the line. The announcement comes just after Uber was granted a license to continue operating in London for two and a half years.
The plan builds on Uber's push to be a super app that offers both short- and long-distance travel options, or as Uber's U.K. head Jamie Heywood puts it: "a one-stop-shop for all your travel needs." Heywood said adding trains and other forms of mass transportation is a "natural progression" given that users can already book rides, bikes, boat services and scooters on the app. The company will also let people buy tickets for the Eurostar train, which offers travel from London to other European cities, through the app.
Heywood added that flight integrations will come later this year. After that, Uber is looking into hotel bookings on the app as well.
Currently, Uber focuses on offering local services: rides, scooters, food delivery, airport ride reservations and more. The U.K. pilot will test if users continue to use Uber on a wider scale for longer travel.
Climate TRACE's data show emissions at the facility-level.Image: Climate TRACE