Schedule rides in advance

Tips for how to use Uber for the first time

14 May 2021 / Ireland

With transport ordered directly from your smartphone and paid for automatically, Uber makes getting around your city as easy as tapping a button—literally. Whether you’re taking your first Uber ride or your hundredth, we’ve put together some Uber rider tips for first timers and veterans alike to make sure your ride experience, from request to drop-off, is as smooth as possible.

Enable location services

In order to request your ride, whether it’s your first time taking an Uber ride or not, you need to enable location services on your device. Uber uses your device’s location services to make it easier to get a ride when you need one. Location data helps improve our services, including pickups, navigation, customer support, and more.

How do ETAs work?

Before your ride starts, the Uber app will provide an estimated time to arrival (ETA) for when your driver should arrive at your pickup location. Please note that ETA times are estimates and not guaranteed. A variety of external factors like heavy traffic or road construction can impact travel time. If the ETA you see in-app is too high, check again after a few minutes to see if there is a change.

How to request a ride on the Uber app

If you’re a new Uber user needing advice on your first time taking an Uber ride, don’t worry — it’s not complicated. Here’s the simple step-by-step on how to use Uber for the first time:

Open and log into the Uber app on your device
Type your destination into the “Where to?” section
Select the vehicle type Uber Taxi or Uber Black you would like to take
Tap “Confirm” and wait for your request to be accepted by a driver
Check the estimated time of arrival
Just wait for your driver to arrive. You can check their location on the in-app map and you will be notified when they are close to the pickup location
If needed, you may contact the driver with in-app message or phone call