The drive from SFU Surrey to Surrey Central takes about 3 minutes. The distance is 1 km, which makes this a very short hop, and a standard rideshare is about $7 at normal demand. Our likely range is $6 to $8.
Why a short ride still costs about $7
These figures are estimates from average rates and are not Uber’s own prices. The Uber app shows the actual upfront price, and that is the number to trust.
The base fare is $2.50. One km adds $1.15 and 3 minutes add $1.05, so the trip portion is $4.70. A $2 booking fee goes on top and the total is about $7. The regional minimum fare is $4.43, and no fare can fall below it. Our estimate sits just above that floor, which shows how much of a tiny fare is made up of fixed charges.
When the app is busy, the dollar increase is small because the trip is small. At 1.2 times it is about $8, at 1.5 times about $9 and at the peak 2 times about $11. Comfort is about $8, XL (up to 6 seats) is about $9 and Premier is about $13. For a ride this short, a bigger car adds only a dollar or two, so XL is easy to justify if you have a group or a lot of bags.
The booking fee is a large share of a fare this size, so a very short trip is not much cheaper than one a little longer. Expect to pay close to the same whether the driver finds you straight away or takes a minute or two to arrive.
Taxi meter and what to check
Royal City Taxi and Whalley Taxi list $3.75 to get the meter running, then $2.18 for each km. For 1 km the meter estimate is about $6 for each. That is slightly below the rideshare estimate. Waiting time and extras are not included, and a driver who has to wait for you can use up that gap quickly.
If you are leaving a university campus, look at the pickup spot in the app and be ready when the car shows up. Enter the exact address you are going to and tell the driver about any large bags. Riders who need a wheelchair accessible vehicle should phone ahead, for example Vancouver Taxi on 604-871-1111.
With a trip this short, the price here lets you compare options quickly and decide which suits you.