Surge fares are totally unpredictable and random. Who is going to take Uber to Narita when you don't know if the fare will be 25,000 yen or 75,000 yen. To Haneda 8,000 or 25,000. Especially since you don't know till the last minute when it's too late to change plans. I don't even think about using them to go anywhere when a schedule is involved.

And why would you, when there are reliable bus and train options for airport access with predictable and reasonable fares?

I am not a regular Uber user, not much of taxi user either, but what I hear in the U.S. sounds similar. Now a lot of taxi companies in the U.S., especially in large cities, do app/web based service where you can call taxi on the web just like Uber. With recent changes in Uber app some are saying that Uber is getting more like any other Taxi. When I lived at L.A. and once used taxi, it worked so much like Uber. Asked me when I need ride, I needed immediately and taxi arrived in 5 min. Gave me approximate fare for the ride in advance, once I was inside of taxi I received a text asking if all was fine with taxi pick up. Also, there are other cell phone app based car ride services these days, Uber is not the only one out there anymore in the U.S.

Uber drivers are not happy that now Uber takes bigger portion of fare than before, take home for driver got little less. May not be a problem in Japan, but in the U.S. Uber is not so kind about drivers accepting tips. Because Uber is saying that whole concept of Uber is cashless and no physical credit card ride. Payment is done on Uber app and riders do not have to pay anymore, do not have to carry cash for tips.

Remember reading on the news, a guy in Denver used Uber before and paid $40 fare. On New Year�s Eve evening used Uber on the same exact route and Uber asked for more than $250.

I'm confused, does Uber not make you confirm the surge pricing before you request a vehicle, like it does in North America?

I think what happen is that Uber riders request a ride on an app right at the time ride is needed. If a rider does not want to accept a ride because the price is too high then a rider is left without Uber ride and what options left for a rider at that moment�?

I understand Uber price is dynamic, change with demand, but if there is a way to know the price of Uber ride in advance then a rider can make alternate arrangement if Uber price is not acceptable for a rider. Currently such is not available because Uber is on-demand service and cannot predict demand on future time and date.

There are price estimates in the app (at least there used to be), and then of course the surge pricing which you have to accept before you get matched with a ride. If you have a time commitment, either pay for the higher cost, or have a backup plan. It's up to you how important getting to your next destination is. If you don't leave yourself enough time for an alternative, that's also a bad move.

For example, not taxi/Uber related, but last year in London we were taking the bus to St. Pancras. Once on board, we find out there is some routing deviation and it won't run the full route. We had enough time to walk the remainder and still had plenty of time to get on the train.

When the surge pricing raises the fare above that of a taxi, wouldn't you just take a taxi instead?

Maybe....Faster, easier, more comfortable. As to reasonable fare, it depends on what your time is worth.

Yes, but what options does that leave you in downtown Tokyo if Uber suddenly triples the fare and you only have 30 minutes left before the check-in deadline at Haneda.

One of the main advantages of Uber (or any car service) is (or should I say WAS) is that you don't need a backup plan. You can time it so you don't need to waste time sitting around on a train platform or in the airport terminal. If I had time to blow, I could walk or ride my bike to the airport.

Depends where you are and where you're going. On a main thorough fare with no luggage and a short ride? Yes, just raise your hand and you're in a taxi in 10 seconds. Residential neighborhood 5 minutes from a main drag, raining, luggage and a longer trip where you want a comfortable ride? No

i have read widely that dymanic pricing has changed and will continue to change to the point where you are probably going to pay more all the time than taxi's for an equivalent fare....but hey, at least you can use an app for it and hop into some persons "newer" car. although unlike here in YYZ, i have not seen a poor and unclean taxi in my trips to japan...

in fact, i think that drivers have started to realize that their cars, like cabs, get pretty ratty when you put on lots of KM with people getting in and out of your back seat.

it is experiences like this that lead me to believe that uber's interest will peak and drop in markets where things like this happen...

Can't you call a taxi company? You know, like people did in the olden days.

This has nothing to do with Japan, and should be in the general forum. This is essentially arguing against the very business model that Uber has succeeded with.

Don't think so. In NYC for example, the time and reasons for surge pricing are much more predictable and Uber has gone away from applying surge pricing to fixed airport fares.

I think if people had been content with calling a taxi cab, no one would have ever heard of Uber.


I too think the Uber model/valuation can't last but largely but mostly because there are no significant barriers to entry and providing the service that Uber provides costs almost nothing. Juno has already signed up 10,000 drivers in NYC. Primarily because they are only going to charge 10% versus 30 to 40% for Uber.

Uber meets some needs that cab firms weren't addressing. But for the situation that you described above (i.e. a predictable journey to the airport) calling a cab company seems like a no brainer to me. YMMV, I guess.

>> I think if people had been content with calling a taxi cab, no one would have ever heard of Uber.

That's why uber is mostly a flop in Japan.

Taxis everywhere. Flat rates to airports in many cities if pre-booked. If you call for one, the driver comes inside the hotel lobby to take your bags. He helps with luggage all the time. Shuts off the meter when destination is in sight and there's a traffic jam.

In may other countries (like where uber is from?) , taxi drivers are ......