Before you book this one, open the app and compare the fare with the length of the trip. KPU Richmond to Richmond Centre is only 2 km and takes about 5 minutes, so a standard rideshare comes to about $9 at normal demand, with a likely range of $7 to $10.
Why a short hop still costs about $9
On a trip this small, the fixed charges make up most of the bill. We priced it at average rideshare rates: $2.50 for the base fare, $1.15 for each km, $0.35 for each minute and $2 in booking fee. Two kilometres add $2.30 and five minutes add $1.75, so the ride itself is about $6.55 and the booking fee takes it to roughly $9.
There is also a regional minimum fare of $4.43, which applies when a calculated fare would fall below it. A trip of this length stays above that line, so it does not change the price here.
These numbers are estimates and not Uber’s own prices. The Uber app shows the real upfront price, and that is the one you pay.
When demand rises, the fare goes with it. Busy periods bring it to about $10, very busy periods to about $12, and a peak to about $15. For bigger vehicles at normal demand, Comfort is about $10, XL (up to 6 seats) is about $11 and Premier is about $17.
What the taxi meter would show
Whalley Taxi and Royal City Taxi both publish a tariff of $3.75 to start and $2.18 per km. Over 2 km the meter would reach about $8, which is a dollar below the rideshare estimate. Add waiting time and extras on top of that.
On a ride this short, the taxi is often the cheaper of the two, and the gap grows when the app shows a busy price. If you have a wheelchair or need an accessible vehicle, phone Vancouver Taxi on 604-871-1111 and ask to book one in advance.
Small things that save time
With a 5 minute drive, a mistake at pickup is a large share of the whole journey. Confirm the pin location, type the exact address in the note and stay close to the spot. Drivers often cancel if the rider is not where the map says.
If you are carrying a lot of bags, tell the driver before they pull up so they can plan for it. For a distance this small, some riders walk, and that is a fair choice when the weather is good and you have no heavy load.