Expect to pay about $29 for a standard rideshare from Duke Point Ferry Terminal to Downtown Nanaimo at normal demand. The trip is 15 km and takes about 20 minutes, and the likely range is $25 to $34.
Building the $29 estimate
The estimate uses average rideshare rates: $2.50 base fare, $1.15 per km, $0.35 per minute and a $2.00 booking fee.
Fifteen km adds $17.25 and 20 minutes adds $7.00. With the base fare that is $26.75, and the booking fee brings it to about $29.
The distance does most of the work here. At 15 km the per km charge is the largest part of the fare, the per minute charge comes second and the booking fee is the smallest piece.
Uber sets its own fares, so read ours as a close guide only. The real upfront price is the one the Uber app shows you.
When demand pushes it up
A busy period (1.2 times the fare) puts the trip near $34. When it is very busy (1.5 times) the figure is about $42, and at a peak (2 times) it reaches about $56.
Bigger vehicles cost more again. Comfort runs to about $35, XL (up to 6 seats) to about $41, and Premier to about $62.
Yellow Cab meter against the app
Yellow Cab publishes a tariff with a $3.90 flag fee and $2.72 per km. Over 15 km the meter would come to about $45. The meter does not cover waiting or extras.
That is well above the typical rideshare estimate, though it sits close to the very busy rideshare number. If you are choosing between the two, compare the meter with the rideshare price shown at the moment you are ready to leave, not with the normal figure. Checking both takes a minute.
Finding your car at Duke Point
A ferry terminal is a spot where it can be hard to find the right car among many people leaving at once. Look at the pickup point shown in the app and wait there.
Share the exact address you are heading to. Downtown covers a lot of streets, and a clear address saves time at the end of a 15 km drive.
Check with the driver that your bags will fit before they go in the trunk. If you have several large bags or more than four people, choose XL from the start.
Book an accessible vehicle ahead if you need one, since the closest car in the app may not be suitable. Prices can change while you wait, so look at the app again before you confirm the ride.