A standard Uber from Downtown Victoria to Craigdarroch Castle costs about $11 at normal demand, with a likely range of $10 to $14. The trip is 3 km and takes about 10 minutes.
How the $11 is built
The price is our estimate from average rideshare rates and is not Uber’s own figure. It uses a $2.50 base fare, $1.15 per kilometre, $0.35 per minute and a $2 booking fee. Three kilometres adds $3.45 and ten minutes adds $3.50, so the total comes to about $11.
On a trip this short, the base fare and booking fee are most of the cost. The regional minimum fare is $6.03, but this ride is well above that, so it does not apply here.
When it gets busy, the price rises. At 1.2 times normal expect about $13, at 1.5 times about $16, and at a peak surge of 2 times about $21. The real upfront price appears in the Uber app at the moment you ask for a car.
Comfort is about $14, XL for up to six people is about $16, and Premier is about $23.
Taxi and practical advice
Calling a taxi
No published taxi tariff turned up for this area that we could check, so this page carries no meter estimate. Phone for a quote. The numbers are 250-886-6066 for Uptown Taxi, 250-383-7111 for Victoria Taxi and 250-382-2222 for BlueBird Cabs. BlueBird lists wheelchair accessible vehicles and says cards are accepted.
Making a short trip work
For three kilometres, a surge can change the decision. A peak price of $21 is nearly double the usual fare, so if the app shows a high number, wait a few minutes or compare it with a phone quote.
Put the exact address in the app and check the pickup spot before you confirm, since a short ride leaves little room for a driver to circle. If you are visiting as a group of five or six, XL costs about $16 and keeps everyone in one car.
A visit like this often runs to a set time, so book the return ride a little before you are ready to leave.
If anyone in your group needs a wheelchair accessible vehicle, phone a taxi company ahead rather than hoping one appears in the app. Ask for the price at the same time, so you have a figure to set beside the Uber estimate. For a ride of only ten minutes, a quote from a phone call is quick to get and can save you a surprise at the end.