A standard rideshare from UBC to Commercial-Broadway Station costs about $30 at normal demand, and the likely range is $26 to $35. The trip is 13 km and takes about 30 minutes.
Where the $30 comes from
We worked the figure out from average rates: $2.50 for the base fare, $1.15 per km, $0.35 per minute and a $2.00 booking fee. The distance and time charges are added to the base fare, the result is multiplied by a demand factor, and the booking fee is added last. Uber does not publish these as its own prices, so think of the number as an estimate. The Uber app gives the real upfront price before you accept it.
Demand can lift the total quickly. At 1.2 times normal, the ride is about $36. At 1.5 times it is about $44, and at twice the normal rate it reaches about $58. The spread between the low and high ends is wide, which is why a quick second look at the app is worth the time.
Comfort, XL, Premier and the meter
Comfort costs about $37 at normal demand and XL, which seats up to 6, costs about $43. Premier is about $65.
Taxis use a meter. Whalley Taxi and Royal City Taxi both publish a flag fee of $3.75 and $2.18 per km, so 13 km comes to about $32 on the meter. That does not include waiting time or extras. It sits a couple of dollars above the normal rideshare price, and it stays the same when the app shows a surge, so the two can swap places in cost when demand is high.
Practical tips for this trip
You are leaving a university and heading for a transit station, so a few habits will save time at both ends.
- Enter the exact building or street address at the start so the driver does not have to guess.
- Check the pickup spot in the app and be there when the car arrives.
- Allow extra time at peak hours, since cars can be slower to arrive and prices may be higher.
- Book a wheelchair accessible vehicle ahead by phone if you need one.
If you carry a bag, a bike or other bulky items, ask the driver whether they fit before you load them. Compare the standard and XL prices in the app if more than two people are travelling together, since the larger car can cost less per person than two separate rides.