Uber integrates London public transport into app

Uber or underground? Londoners can now use the Uber app to decide.

Katie Collins Senior European Correspondent

Katie a UK-based news reporter and features writer. Officially, she is CNET's European correspondent, covering tech policy and Big Tech in the EU and UK. Unofficially, she serves as CNET's Taylor Swift correspondent. You can also find her writing about tech for good, ethics and human rights, the climate crisis, robots, travel and digital culture. She was once described a "living synth" by London's Evening Standard for having a microchip injected into her hand.

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Katie Collins

April 30, 2019 10:19 a.m. PT

uber-transit-010 — Uber is on the charm offensive in London.
Casey Gutteridge/Uber

Uber has integrated real-time info from London's public transport network into its app, the ride-hailing company said Tuesday.

The decision to help people navigate the city using a variety of public transit options is part of Uber's mission to reduce reliance on car ownership, the company said. It puts the Uber app in direct competition with apps such as Google Maps and Citymapper.

"With 3.5 million Londoners relying on Uber, we recognize the important responsibilities that come with being a good partner to this great global city," Uber's head of transit, David Reich, said in a statement. "We share many of the same goals as the cities that we serve and are committed to addressing the same challenges: reducing individual car ownership, expanding transportation access and tackling air pollution."

Had the chance to try our new Public Transport option, launching today in #London with live bus and tube times from @TfL in the @Uber app. All part of our goal to help people replace their car with their phone. More to come! pic.twitter.com/UVfgLbeLQ9
— dara khosrowshahi (@dkhos) April 29, 2019

Ever since London's public transport regulator, Transport for London, suspended Uber's license to operate in September 2017, the company has been working hard to get back in its good graces. Uber's probationary license was restored in June 2018, in part because of its willingness to show it's open to working with the city more closely.