Southampton Taxi vs UBER

[naturelovergirl]

Any advice on the advantages or disadvantages of Taxi service vs UBER in Southampton would be appreciated.

 

(We will be returning our rental car to the Southampton airport... and will need to do transportation to the port)

 

Thanks!

[Underwatr]

Uber takes credit cards. No one could assure me that a taxi would be the case.

 

I managed two transit days in Southampton without needing to have cash in Pounds.

[naturelovergirl]

4 hours ago, Underwatr said:

Uber takes credit cards. No one could assure me that a taxi would be the case.

 

I managed two transit days in Southampton without needing to have cash in Pounds.

Did you have to change anything with your app? Or does it just automatically pick up that you are in another country other than the states?

Thanks!

[Underwatr]

You have to have data service in the UK (either cellular or WiFi, obviously cellular will be much easier) but it uses your phone's GPS and knows where you are (and that the driver will be paid in Pounds). I didn't have to do anything special other than that.

 

I went from the cruise terminal to Hertz on West Quay Road - no issues. At the end of the day, getting picked up at Hertz (again, West Quay Rd) to be taken back to the ship - the app refused to place the pickup point at my location, instead steadfastly moving it to a point about a half mile walk away. Uber customer service wasn't very sympathetic, and suggested that I needed to be more insistent to the app about where I wanted to be picked up. It ended up costing me a pound or two in wait time but the driver eventually found us and got us back with a few minutes to spare. We needed a drink but the bar was closed in anticipation of the lifeboat drill for embarking passengers...

[Underwatr]

...but if you already are in-country you might have some Pounds available. I don't know whether Uber was cheaper than a cab. The cars that took me around generally were registered as cabs.

[naturelovergirl]

1 hour ago, Underwatr said:

...but if you already are in-country you might have some Pounds available. I don't know whether Uber was cheaper than a cab. The cars that took me around generally were registered as cabs.

Thanks- we already have plans for an international wireless/data plan for the trip... so all of that about it just automatically working with the GPS is good to know. 😊

[Solent Richard]

15 hours ago, naturelovergirl said:

Did you have to change anything with your app? Or does it just automatically pick up that you are in another country other than the states?

Thanks!

 

I use my Uber app around the world with no need for changes. 

 

Mainly used in the USA but most recently in South Africa.

 

So yes, it should auto pick up wherever you are.

 

Indeed, I recently read on a roll call that someone was being charged a ridiculous price for their airport transfer when the Uber fare was less than half price...

 

[naturelovergirl]

Thank you Solent Richard!!!

😊

[Fairgarth]

I agree with Solent Richard.  We have used UBER several times in Ft. Lauderdale, New York, London and Nice.  Easy, no problem.