Oct 18, 2022

O ver the past few years, various ride-sharing London . And whilst Uber still remains king – it has more than 3.5 million users in London alone – damning internal documents published by the Guardian may leave Londoners feeling uneasy and looking for Uber alternatives. Fortunately, there are plenty of options in the capital. So whether it’s safety, afforability or something else, here are some of the best ride-sharing apps in the city. Bolt Formerly Taxify, Bolt arrived in London in 2017, before being kicked out a few days later by TfL for failing to acquire the correct licensing. It relaunched as Bolt in 2019 and is steadily picking up momentum, with more than 35,000 drivers on its books and more than 1.5 million sign-ups in the city. Rides start with a £2.75 base fee, plus £1.42 per mile and £0.13 per minute, with a £5.50 minimum charge. Read More / Bolt In its native Estonia, Bolt also has a food-delivery service in Tallin, just like Uber Eats. There is no word on a London launch just yet, though. Gett Gett’s use of black taxis gives it a big advantage for London commuters, with the app promising faster pick-up and drop-off times due to its drivers’ optional use of bus lanes. It also means that its drivers are trained in the London Knowledge, which is a plus for those worried about relying on the occasional weirdness of GPS. As for the fares, they’re set by TfL in London and local councils in other cities, the company says. At the time of writing, TfL estimates that a four-mile journey will cost between £17 and £29, depending on the time of day. Kabbee Kabbee is a little different to other Uber alternatives in that, instead of having its own cars and services, the app pulls together more than 50 cab fleets from across the city to make use of London’s minicab services. It specialises in airport rides and promises to be 28 per cent cheaper than Uber. In addition, it offers fixed fares and no surge pricing. Free Now In 2020, Kapten — then the UK’s second-largest ride-hailing app — merged with its parent company Free Now to try to tackle Uber’s dominance in the UK. The firm allows you to book either a black cab or a regular ride (both available in EV form for those worried about emissions), with prices starting at a minimum of £3.20 in London. Your cost per kilometre then varies depending on the time and day, starting from £1.70 per km or 48p per minute, going all the way up to £2.46 per km and 69p per minute on public holidays. Ola Ola, which launched in London in 2020, says it has a focus on safety. Its Guardian feature uses AI and machine learning to automatically detect irregular vehicle activity, while Start Code ensures customers and drivers are correctly matched with a one-time use code in the app. Ola focuses on driving safety / Ola In London, its prices start at a base fare of £2.75 and £2.08 per mile or 18p per minute. There’s a minimum fare of £5.50. ViaVan A fan of the Uber Pool feature? Then ViaVan is one for you. A joint venture between ride-sharing start-up Via and Mercedes-Benz Vans, ViaVan is like an on-demand bus so you don’t feel guilty by clogging up the roads for a solo journey. Since launching in London last April, ViaVan has provided more than seven million rides as well as saving three million vehicle kilometres thanks to its pooling feature. In July, TfL granted the venture a licence for an additional three years, so it’s certainly here to stay. Wheely If you’re looking for a little luxury when it comes to hailing a ride, then Wheely is the one for you. The preferred ride of the fashion crowd, the company launched in Paris in September 2019, to coincide with Paris Fashion Week . Wheely's chauffeurs go through a rigorous selection process to ensure they offer a high standard of service / Wheely Based in London, Wheely doesn’t work with taxis or cabs, but instead offers a chauffeur car service, with all its drivers picked through an accreditation process to ensure they offer the highest level of service. For added luxury, every taxi is a Mercedes-Benz, to make your morning commute that little bit slicker. As you can imagine, this ups the cost considerably, so don’t expect this to be the wallet-friendly option. But, if you want to make a big impression on arrival, this is the one for you. Xooox Pronounced ‘zooks’, Xooox is a little like Kabbee in that it pulls together a list of available taxis and private hires in London. Customers are able to compare prices and times from different firms, as well as car size and even emissions output, before booking a ride in the app. It works for drivers, too: they don’t have to pay commission to Xooox for rides, and are able to set their own prices and travel boundaries.