A trip from Lougheed to Coquitlam Centre takes about 15 minutes. Over those 8 km a standard rideshare costs about $19 at normal demand, and most riders should see something between $17 and $22.
How we get to the estimate
The number is calculated from average rideshare rates. It is our estimate and not Uber’s own price.
We used a $2.50 base fare, $1.15 per km, $0.35 per minute and a $2.00 booking fee. For this trip the distance and time charges add up to about $17, and the booking fee lifts the total to roughly $19.
Uber sets the real fare itself. Put the two addresses into the app and it shows an upfront price before you agree to anything, so that figure replaces ours.
Prices change with demand. A busy period pushes the estimate to about $22. A very busy one takes it to about $27, and at peak, when the multiplier is 2, you could be looking at $36.
Other ride types sit higher. Stepping up to Comfort costs about $23, while XL (up to 6 seats) is near $27 and Premier near $40. The XL is the one to pick when you have a family group or a pile of shopping bags.
Taxi, practical points and a quick comparison
We found published tariffs for this area. Whalley Taxi and Royal City Taxi charge a $3.75 flag fee and $2.18 per km, which puts the meter near $21 for 8 km. That estimate does not include waiting time or extras, so a slow trip may cost more.
At normal demand the rideshare and the taxi are about $2 apart. The gap only gets wide when surge pricing arrives, and then the metered fare is the steadier one because it follows the tariff and not the crowd.
Since the trip ends at a shopping centre, tell the driver which entrance you want. Centres this size have several, and a pin dropped on the wrong side can cost you a long walk with your bags. Check the pickup point in the app before you leave the building, and share the exact address if the app offers a few choices.
If you need a wheelchair accessible vehicle, arrange it ahead by phone instead of hoping one is free. Vancouver Taxi on 604-871-1111 lists wheelchair accessible service among its options, though we cannot promise a car for this specific trip.
Leave a few minutes on top of the 15 for the car to arrive, and a little more on evenings and weekends when more people are travelling.