randompants

Hi,

Does Uber operate in Berlin? If not, is there an alternative app or service that can be used to get a car with your phone? We're looking forward to spending a few days in Berlin and were wondering how to get around outside of taking the S-Bahn.

Finally, are there any areas to in Berlin that are best avoided as a tourist? I do remember seeing reports in German language newspapers on an increase in crime (think it was the Kottbusser Tor).

Thanks!

LondonElite

Uber is pretty much verboten in Germany. The regular Uber service in Berlin will direct you to regular taxi drivers (in the pale yellow cars), while UberX will get you a professional chauffeur. My suggestion is to get yourself the very useful myTaxi app and use that.

In terms of areas to avoid, I doubt very much as a tourist you'll be in those anyway. There aren't many and the best advice is to just act the way you would in any big city.

offerendum

tried UberX out of joke in Berlin and no car was available. MyTaxi is the way to go. In the centre there should be no need for an app as there are many taxi-points

offerendum

Not really. Even this areas are not that bad. Just hold your eyes open

randompants

Great, thanks for the color! Really looking forward to Berlin.

Concerto

Yeah just keep a look out for the usual pickpocket and distraction scams around the main stations. Should be fine otherwise.

Ber2dca

Uber in Berlin is kind of a joke. With UberX you never seem to be able to get a car, and for calling a taxi Uber is simply nowhere near the best app out there. There's at least two German apps with better functionality for that purpose.

With regard to safety, I think Berlin is still OK but it does seem to get worse every time I go. In 5-10 years I guarantee that question will be a lot more difficult to answer.

dhammer53

Is Uber still not available in Berlin (as of March 2018).

LondonElite

What is the obsession with Uber? No there is no Uber in Berlin but plenty of taxis.

scubadu

The fact that people have a preference for a specific good or service, and ask the question of whether it's available where their traveling, in a you know, travel forum, doesn't mean their "obsessed." I don't use Uber/Lyft much day to day, but do prefer it, by an order of magnitude to taxis, when traveling. The features and benefits of ride sharing services over taxis is quite well documented. I don't need to justify my desire to use them to you so if you want the answer to your "obsession" question, go do your own research or try the services out for yourselves.

In the future, perhaps just either provide the answer and skip the condescending tone to a poster questions or skip the thread, which was clearly titled, "Uber in Berlin" if you have some personal beef with Uber or ride sharing.

Regards

:D!

What is the obsession with taxis? Public transport other than taxis (as some people consider taxis to be public transport) is excellent in Berlin.

offerendum

Uber works fine in Munich and is slightly cheaper than a taxi. My problem is often to get a taxi at remote places. In this case MyTaxi is the way to go.

LondonElite

You prefer Uber by ten times? What does that even mean? But on a serious note, could you share some of these 'well-documented' features and benefits? I agree that taking a taxi in many US metropolitan areas is no great joy, with vehicles smelling of dead rodents and drivers generally of the just arrived and clueless variety. In many other parts of the world a professional, trained and licensed taxi driver is preferable to some guy with a car and a Garmin nav system.

scubadu

As I said, you can find the benefits if you choose to. I'm happy with the service and could care less if you prefer it or not and have no intention of doing your homework for you.

As evidenced by your, "What does that even mean?" comment (as well as numerous other posts you've made) you seem to thrive on sarcasm and "curmudgeony" posts. As others have pointed out to me when I've acted that way on FT, you always have the option to not read a thread with "Uber" in the title since it sounds like you don't care for Uber, right? That's a viable option, right? I mean simply ignoring the thread rather than trying convince happy customers of a service into "justifying" their preference to you is an option, yes?

Regards

Fireflyer05

uberX is available.