Before you book, open the app and confirm the pickup pin is where you will actually be standing, since a wrong pin is the most common reason a ride starts late. Downtown Vancouver to Horseshoe Bay is 22 km and takes about 35 minutes. A standard rideshare is about $42 at normal demand, and the likely range is $37 to $49.
Where the $42 comes from
The estimate is built from average rates: a $2.50 base fare, $1.15 per km, $0.35 per minute and a $2.00 booking fee. Distance adds $25.30 and time adds $12.25. With the base fare that is about $40, and the booking fee brings the total to $42.
Our figures come from average rates and are not Uber’s own prices. The price that counts is the upfront one the Uber app shows just before you confirm.
Demand moves the figure up quickly on a trip of this length. At a busy level (1.2 multiplier) the estimate is about $50. At very busy (1.5) it is about $62, and at peak (2.0) it reaches about $82. A few minutes of patience can matter more here than on a short hop.
Riders who need space can look at Comfort at about $52, XL (up to 6 seats) at about $60, or Premier at about $92. XL is worth a look if you have several suitcases or a group, because the price gap to a standard ride is smaller than the cost of a second car.
Taxi and planning notes
Both Whalley Taxi and Royal City Taxi list a tariff that starts at $3.75 and adds $2.18 for each km driven. Over 22 km the meter comes to about $52 on either tariff. Waiting time and extras are not included, so the final fare can be higher than that.
A taxi is about $10 above the typical rideshare estimate. When rideshare demand is very busy, the two come close, and at peak the app is the more expensive option.
Thirty five minutes is an average drive time. If you have a departure, a reservation or an appointment at the other end, build in a margin instead of planning to arrive with minutes to spare.
Tell the driver your exact address and, if you can, a phone number they can reach. If you need a wheelchair accessible vehicle, book it ahead by phone with a company such as Vancouver Taxi on 604-871-1111 rather than hoping one is free when you order.