It’s about to get easier to catch Ubers in the UAE…

Keen to try out Uber but don’t like paying for things by card?

Well the good news is the ride service is now rolling out a cash payment option across the UAE. This means you can now actually sign up to and use Uber without connecting your account to a credit or debit card. 

This week the new system is being rolled out across Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

How does it work? Well you open the Uber app, tap to set your pick up location and then you can switch between cash or credit card.

cash-uber-uae

(Although, to be honest, we often find ourselves catching an Uber when we don’t have cash to pay an RTA taxi.)

The Uber cash payment option is only available in a handful of places around the world, but is particularly popular in this region. You can currently pay cash for an Uber in Saudia Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Qatar.

MORE ON UBER IN THE UAE

In the Middle East, Uber is in Alexandria, Amman, Bahrain Beirut, Cairo, Casablanca, Dammam, Dubai, Abu Dhabi Doha, Jeddah, Istanbul, Lahore, Riyadh and the Eastern Province.

The service’s USP is the system that gives a star rating (out of five) to drivers and passengers, encouraging and incentivising good driving, politeness and just all around good behaviour – on both sides.

The one downside of Uber is the surge pricing system that means during peak hours the prices of Ubers can increase by 50 per cent. It can sometimes even double.

So at the time of publishing this a ride from Downtown Dubai to Dubai Media City would cost Dhs58, but would be Dhs85 during a 1.5 times price surge. That said, you’re notified of the surge before you accept a ride and can always wait for it to pass (if you have the luxury of that option).

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Photo: Getty Images