How much is an Uber from Patterson to Metrotown? About $7 at normal demand, and most rides should land between $6 and $8. The distance is 1 km and the drive takes around 3 minutes.
Where the $7 comes from
This is our estimate from average rideshare rates, not a figure from Uber. The app shows the real upfront price before you confirm.
The rates we use are a $2.50 base fare, $1.15 per km, $0.35 per minute and a $2.00 booking fee. A 1 km, 3 minute trip adds up to $4.70, and $6.70 once the booking fee goes on, which rounds to $7.
The regional minimum fare is $4.43. On a hop this short the calculated fare sits not far above that floor, and the $2.00 booking fee is a big part of what you pay.
If demand goes up
When the area is busy, the estimate moves to about $8. At very busy times it is near $9, and at peak it can reach $11. Those correspond to multipliers of 1.2, 1.5 and 2 on the trip portion of the fare.
Comfort comes to about $8 and XL (up to 6 seats) to about $9, so for a trip this short you pay only a dollar or two extra for more room. Premier is about $13.
The taxi alternative
The tariff at Whalley Taxi and Royal City Taxi is identical: $3.75 to start and $2.18 per km. For 1 km the meter estimate is about $6, a little under the rideshare price at normal demand. Waiting time and extras are not included, so treat it as a floor rather than a promise.
With a distance this small, the flag fee does most of the work on a meter. That is why the taxi and rideshare numbers sit so close together, and why neither one is a bargain per kilometre on a hop like this.
Before you set off
On a trip this short, waiting for the car can take longer than the ride itself. Look at how far away the driver is in the app before you confirm, and if the wait looks long, a phone call to a cab company may get you moving sooner.
Share the exact address so the driver goes to the right spot first time. If you have bags, tell the driver when they arrive and ask whether everything fits. If you need a wheelchair accessible vehicle, book ahead: Vancouver Taxi lists one on 604-871-1111.