Does Uber Do Long Distance? (All You Need to Know)

Many ride hailing services are marketed as being ideal for everyday trips, such as work commutes and store runs.

However, if you’re looking to go further with the concept and want to know if Uber provides long distance rides, here’s what you should know!

Does Uber Do Long Distance in 2024?

Uber does long distance, but there are restrictions on how far you can go because of built-in time limits and drivers that turn down such requests. There is no limit to how far an Uber can take you, but a single trip can last for up to 8 hours and will automatically end afterward in 2024.

Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about taking a long-distance Uber ride, including details on the farthest you can go, crossing the border, and more!

What Is the Furthest Distance You Can Uber?

As we’ve mentioned above, there’s technically no limit to how far you can Uber, provided you find a driver that’s willing to take the request.

However, there is a time limit for Uber rides, as trips must not exceed 8 hours.

Even for Hourly rides, where you can get a driver by the hour, you’re still limited to 7 hours maximum.

How Can I Request a Long Distance Uber Ride?

You can request a long distance Uber ride the same way you request other trips: enter your preferred pick-up and drop off locations, then choose a ride option and confirm.

Depending on where you are, there might be options that cater to long distances, such as Intercity in India and the short-lived Passport in San Diego.

Uber Rentals, India’s version of Hourly, doesn’t have the 7-hour limit mentioned in the section above.

Instead, it’s capped at a more generous 12 hours, meaning you could use it for longer distances.

Can I Uber for 200 Miles?

Can I Uber for 200 Miles?

You can Uber for 200 miles, provided you do so within the 8-hour time limit and your driver accepts it.

Rides will automatically end after 8 hours but, assuming a conservative 55mph speed limit on freeways, you could cover 200 miles with breaks included.

Your fare will be automatically adjusted if you make stops in order to pay the driver, so you shouldn’t worry about them.

However, the driver might refuse the trip because they can’t pick up any more fares until they drive back.

To address this, you could give them a cash tip upfront so they know their earnings are covered until then.

Can Uber Drivers Refuse Long Trips?

Uber drivers can refuse long trips, and their primary reason for doing so is because they can’t get any more requests until they drive back to their usual area.

This effectively makes it so that a driver who accepts a long trip would be losing money on the way back.

To convince a driver to accept the request, you’d need to guarantee them enough earnings to cover the ride back as well, in the form of an upfront cash tip.

Can Uber Go Across State Lines?

Uber can go across state lines, but drivers will often refuse these requests because they can’t get any more rides until they cross back.

Can You Uber Through the Border?

You can Uber through the border, but this is difficult to do because most drivers will refuse these kinds of trips.

One of the main reasons for this is because they’d need a passport, which many Uber drivers don’t always bring.

Moreover, it takes a lot of time to go across and return, and they can’t get any ride requests until they’re back in their original area.

UberPassport only lasted a few months in 2016, and likely failed because of this reason.

This service allowed passengers to get rides from San Diego into Tijuana, but the drivers had to cross back in order to get more fares.

Because it takes so long to cross the border back from Mexico, they realized that it wasn’t worth it.

Therefore, today, most drivers drop riders off at the border so they can cross on their own, then request a ride on the other side.

To know more, you can also read our posts on Uber Freight, Uber charged twice, and can Uber drivers see your rating.

Conclusion

Uber can do long distance, but you’re limited to an 8-hour timeline per trip. You can also Uber across state lines if your driver accepts or even through the border if your driver is willing and has their passport.

Most drivers don’t take on long distance trips because they can’t get fares until they get back to their usual location. So, to convince your driver to accept a long trip, you could try giving them a cash tip upfront that covers their drive back after your ride is done.

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Mackenzie Jerks

Mackenzie is a freelance writer and editor, published author, and music enthusiast who holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. When she’s not writing, Mackenzie is either wrapped up in a book, discovering new music, or introducing herself to a new fitness regimen.

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