Have used Uber in London, Paris, Frankfurt. Didn't try Bogota. Only bad experience when the car was waiting on the other side of a hotel. No charge for this, though.

Understood - in that case, I understand it staying in EUR, but I don't understand it not working outside Europe. How does Uber imagine Europeans pay when outside Europe?

I would imagine that uber charges Europeans credit cards in whatever the local currency is. Much like how yesterday uber charged my credit card in Czech crowns. Unfortunately it seems that any sort of credit in ones account cannot be used in a different uber currency zones. I for some reason have uber credit in Singapore dollars which keep sitting... I think the main problem is that if uber needs to issue a refund, it does not refund the card used but merely just issues uber credit. Thus, pricesquire who is us based is unfortunately saddled with euro credit.

Fdw

This is what I was thinking as well

Lot of local SIMs are for data only, no minutes to use.

So maybe they should implement some kind of messaging into the app.

Uber doesn't sound like a bargain option, you could just as easily get a taxi at comparable prices? Surprised the taxi drivers in these foreign cities aren't complaining, if they had to pay to get a license.

Saw something on CNBC about some Uber premium service where the car is a RR Ghost.

Ummm... do you read the news at all?

Regards

Obviously, you haven't used the service. The ability to text your specific driver is built into the app.

I personally have not used Uber and can only relay second hand info from the Mrs.; who by the way is using it like a taxi service on a daily basis in Taipei for past two weeks. Couple of data points:

1. She calls from a post paid Taiwan number, hasn't and doesn't need to text. But that option is available to her.

2. After every trip, an email is sent to her with a confirmation of the charge, the routing of the trip. It includes a google like map, with detail breakdown of fee: basic fee, traffic/stop time, etc.

3. Everything is linked to a Chase Sapphire credit card -- so no cash exchanged. CC automatically sends email alert/update on every charge. Slightly OT, this auto alert is unbelievable -- I will have charged gas or purchase and before I even drive off or walk out of store, it pings the email already!

4. As far as pricing, she is amazed how competitive it is to local taxi. She is originally from Taipei, so knows the city and local taxi fees.

She uses a gmail account for above and filters are set up to automatically file/label under 'Uber service'....

One of the drivers that I had in Europe has his own car service. Ever since he started with Uber, he said he is making more money with them then he was on his own. His business is now 80% UberBlack and 20% his own. He , now, only works privately with his old, regular customers.

He said that Uber expects drivers to make, at least, 45(?) trips/month. (don't quote me on the 45. I think that was the #.) if you drive 45+x trips, Uber gives the driver a bonus. If a driver goes 45+x+y trips/month, they get another bonus. The driver I had loves that system.

Can you prebook days in advance?

Like say you have to be at the airport very early, like say 6 AM.

Can you arrange for a ride to pick you up at say 5 or 5:30 AM the day before?

I've had no problem getting an Uber pickup at 5am in the USA (multiple cities, exactly the sittuation you described)... I just double-check the arrival time as soon as I wake up (say 4am) and keep watching it as I'm getting ready to make sure I hail at the right time.

So you can't really prebook, you just rely on there being available drivers at whatever time of the day?

For instance, I booked a trip between Prague and PRG for a 7 AM flight. The booking indicated the driver will meet me at 4:30 AM.

Going to cost about $25.

I didn't say that you CAN'T pre-book (I don't know one way or another), just that I haven't felt the need to with several early flights in large US cities... outside the US could be a different story.

Yes, can prebook - she gave 72 hr notice.
Yes, my wife's BR flight arrived 5 am, driver was in terminal with sign, so no reason to assume can't pick up in town for airport run.

What level of Uber service was this with? I don't see the option to prebook with UberX (no Black/SUV cars in the area to test).