Coming to Germany and want to use Uber? Check out this post to see if there’s Uber in Germany!
As someone who has been living in Germany for quite some time now, I will say using Uber abroad is not so different than the U.S. If you have the ride-sharing app, the process is the same no matter where you are but like the U.S., only certain cities allow it.
I for one had the privilege of using Uber while I was an Au pair in Frankfurt and it really came in handy in certain situations. Like for instance, sometimes I used it whenever I was running late to help my ex-host mom babysit on Wednesdays or if I needed to get to the bus station in a hurry. All in all, Uber was always reliable in those cases and I was lucky Frankfurt had it at all.
So, if you’re looking to see if Uber is available in your German city you’ve come to the right right place! This post alone highlights the top cities in Germany that have Uber and other alternative ride-sharing apps you can use if you’re not in those cities.
German Language & Culture Series
P.S. This is a post in my German Language & Culture series. Here is the complete series:
German Addresses: German Address Format: How to Mail a Letter to Germany
German Time: The Non-Native Speaker Guide to Telling Time in German
German Greetings: The 10 Most Common German Greetings and Introductions
German Numbers: The Ultimate Guide for Learning German Numbers 1 to 100
German Alphabet: The Best Alphabet Guide of All Time
German Days of the Week: A Beginner’s Guide to the Days of the Week in German
German Emails: The American Guide to Writing German Emails
German Body Parts: A Step-by-Step Guide to the Body Parts in German
German Vegetables: The Ultimate Guide to Vegetables in German
German Pronouns: The American Guide to Learning German Pronouns
German Colors: Colors in German: A One Stop Resource
German Fruits: Fruits in German: What You Need to Know
German TV: 10 German TV Shows You Need to Watch
German Curses: German Swear Words: What You Need to Know
German Idioms: 10 German Idioms Every American Should Know
What is Uber?
Uber, for those of you who don’t know, is known for being a ride-sharing app around the world that allows passengers to hail a ride right from their phone. Founded in 2009, the company originally started in San Francisco, CA and since then has expanded to other cities and countries. However, overtime, many countries started banning Uber due to it’s adverse effects on the taxicab business. Italy, for example, was one of those countries but luckily with the help of a really good lawyer Uber was able to get that court ruling appealed.
Where did the name Uber come from?
The name behind the word “Uber” for the ride-sharing company actually comes from the German word über which can be translated to “over” and “above” in English. With this in mind, the founders, Garret Camp and Travis Kalanick, thought naming the company “uber” only made sense since they wanted everyone to view it as the supreme example of a ride-sharing app. The only problem I’ll note about the name is the fact that most Americans today probably don’t know that the word “Uber” actually comes from German. In fact, I actually didn’t know until recently since I didn’t know German which actually says a lot.
Is there really Uber in Germany?
Yes, there is really Uber in Germany but Uber had to fight a long battle with the German government for this to happen. The reason for this is because a lot of taxi hailing services in Germany thought they were unfair competition since Uber hired drivers who did not need to have a commercial license to drive passengers. Now, due to a court ruling, anyone who wants to drive for Uber now needs a professional chauffeur’s license in order to do it, making it fair in comparison to other taxi hailing services in Germany.
Top Cities/States in Germany with Uber
So, if you’re living in Germany right now and you need an Uber, here are the top cities/states in Germany where you can request one!
Baden-Wuerttemberg
Stuttgart
Leinfelden-Echterdingen
Bavaria
Aschheim
Dachau
Eching
Feldkirchen
Garching bei Munchen
Germering
Gräfelfing
Gruenwald
Haar
Hallbergmoos
Ismaning
Karlsfeld
Kirchheim bei Muenchen
Muenchen
Neubiberg
Neufahrn bei Freising
Neuried
Oberding
Oberschleißheim
Ottobrunn
Planegg
Pullach im Isartal
Taufkirchen
Unterföhring
Unterhaching
Unterschleissheim
vaterstetten
Berlin
Brandenburg
Ahrensfelde
Berlin
Blankenfelde-Mahlow
Dallgov-Döberitz
Falkensee
Glienicke/Nordbahn
grossbeeren
Hennigsdorf
Hohen Neuendorf
HoppeGarten
Kleinmachnow
Koenigs Wusterhausen
Ludwigsfelde
Mühlenbecker Land
Neuenhagen bei Berlin
Potsdam
Schönefeld
Stahnsdorf
Teltow
Hamburg
Hessen
Bad Homburg vor der hoehe
Bad Soden am Taunus
Bad Vilbel
dreieich
Eschborn
Frankfurt am Main
Hanau
Hattersheim am Main
Heusenstamm
Hofheim am Taunus
Kelsterbach
Koenigstein im Taunus
Kriftel
Kronberg im Taunus
Maintal
Mörfelden-Walldorf
Mühlheim am Main
Neu-Isenburg
Offenbach am Main
Schwalbach am Taunus
Wiesbaden
Nordrhein-Westfalen
Bergisch Gladbach
Bonn
Brühl
Duisburg
Düsseldorf
Erkrath
essen
frechen
Hilden
Hürth
Kaarst
koeln
Krefeld
Leverkusen
meerbusch
Mülheim an der Ruhr
Neuss
Pulheim
Ratingen
Siegburg
Troisdorf
Wesseling
Rheinland-Pfalz
Mainz
Alternatives to Uber in Germany
In addition, it’s also important to note that even if Uber isn’t available in your location, you’re not out of luck. Uber’s competitors in Germany can still be available wherever you are and they might even offer you cheaper rates to your destination than Uber ever could. Therefore, here are some alternative ride-sharing services you can use as an alternative to Uber:
FreeNow
Originally known as MyTaxi in 2009, FreeNow is a great alternative to Uber you can use in Germany. The app, as of now, is actually being invested by German automakers Daimler and BMW which is quite impressive and the app is even available in smaller cities like Tuebingen, Aachen, Reutlingen, Koblenz, Bremen and etc. So, if you think you’re out of luck because you’re in a small city, FreeNow might be your saving grace. Check if your city is on the website before you download the app for your use. Doing this can save you a lot of time before your trip, so it’s better to plan ahead.
Bolt
Bolt is another alternative to Uber you can use if you don’t have Uber where you are! Originally from Tallinn, Estonia, the app Bolt offers ride-hailing, car-rental/sharing, e-scooter/bikes and food delivery as a service. Similiar to FreeNow, the app right now is also available in smaller cities in Germany as a ride-hailing service, making it more convenient than Uber. These small cities include Muenster, Kiel, Augsburg and so many others, making it worth the ride.
BlaBlaCar
BlaBlaCar is another alternative to Uber you can use in Germany that can help you get to where you need to go even if it’s long-distance. Known as the world’s community-based travel network, BlaBlaCar is an online marketplace for carpooling around the world. So, for instance, instead of taking multiple regional trains from Stuttgart to Munich, BlaBlaCar simplifies this by showing you other drivers with empty seats who are heading in the same direction, splitting the cost of the trip. So, if you’re looking to get to your long-distance destination cheaper and faster, I highly recommend BlaBlaCar. The app itself connects big cities to rural areas alike so it doesn’t matter where you are.
Overall, I really hope you enjoyed this post that showcased where there is Uber in Germany. Please let me know in the comments down below which fact about Uber in Germany surprised you the most. I would love to hear from you! 🙂
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