Breaking: Uber available in Budapest again

The American ride-sharing service Uber can be used again in the Hungarian capital Budapest after eight years.

Uber available in Budapest

On Thursday, 13 June, Uber’s service became available in Hungary, with the platform’s mobile app now offering rides again, HVG reports. The application offers taxi and scooter rides after specifying the destination, the available vehicles nearby and the price.

uber taxi in budapest
An Uber taxi in Budapest on the first day of its relaunch, 13 June 2024. Photo: Daily News Hungary

For the moment, the price quoted for taxis is not the real price, but a promotional price: when the service’s relaunch was announced in February, it was clarified that the dynamic pricing of the service in Budapest would not be based on the dynamic pricing used by the ride-sharing company in the past in Hungary, but on the fixed taxi fares of the Budapest Transport Centre (BKK).

Uber returns after an eight-year break. Back then, under pressure from traditional taxi companies, a regulation was passed that said that the service could only be provided on a level playing field. This meant a yellow-painted vehicle, equipped with the necessary equipment for taxi service and meeting other standards, at a fixed price; however, the American company refused to do this.

The company will provide details on the service today, on Thursday: we will update our article with further information.

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Featured image: depositphotos.com

One comment

  1. Finally good news.. after last being told by a taxi driver he would only accept 50 euro in euro to go to a train station that was 15 minutes away I stopped using cabs in Budapest. Bolt works and is far more trustworthy, but because its the only ride sharing app peak hours means the cars are always occupied and you end up refreshing the app every 2 seconds for 30 minutes to get a cab. An alternative like Uber is a plus until Hungary can fix its criminal gypsy taxi system.

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