Exactly as the title says.
Anyone have experience with local taxi services?
Flying out, I have a reliable local cab service I can prebook.
Not sure what’s here.
DD and SIL were clueless also as they typically drive themselves to the airport.
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I would personally just use Uber without prebooking, but I would plan to start out a little early, just in case of a delay in waiting for the app to match me with a driver, etc.
BART service starts at 5am on weekdays, 6am on Saturdays, and 8am on Sundays. It takes BART about an hour to get from the Downtown Berkeley station to the station in SFO, so using BART to get to SFO for an 8am flight is doable on weekdays, a tight fit on Saturdays, and not possible on Sundays.
OAK is a somewhat shorter trip than SFO from Berkeley.
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@tamagotchi - I was wondering if the pre-book would bypass the time for matching so early in the morning.
@ucbalumnus - if it weren’t for the mile walk to BART that early, it would have been my choice. I usually use OAK, but for a variety of circumstances, it’s SFO for this one.
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I don’t know, I have never used the prebook feature.
I take BART to/from OAK all the time, but for whatever reason I have had more uncomfortable hassle situations on BART traveling to/through the city lately, so for SFO I would personally take Uber. YMMV.
When I’m taking Uber in the morning I usually pre-book just because it can be a roll of the dice on how long it takes for your ride to actually show up at your door otherwise.
Typically they arrive 10-15 mins early and I’ve had drivers just sit outside patiently unannounced until I walk out at the designated time, and I’ve had drivers call to tell me they’re there (early) so then I feel like I need to rush. Now I try to be ready 15 mins before the requested time, but sometimes for a 6am departure that can be a challenge.
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Thanks. Appreciate the insights.
I guess I’ll do the early start Uber.
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In my experience at home, pre-book Uber is the uber expensive option only.
Not sure what you mean by the expensive option, but at least pre-covid it was regular single-passenger uber, not uber black or one of the luxury options. Maybe it varied by market though.
Where we live in the Bay Area (on the peninsula), even pre-booked early morning Ubers (5am) to the airport often don’t show up because drivers don’t live here. Cab services are likely more reliable.
Berkeley might be a bit better as drivers from outside the area look for a fare to get over to the peninsula. But be aware that traffic on the Bay Bridge is getting worse on weekdays and it’s a three person carpool. I would certainly consider BART on a weekday.
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Uber or Lyft pre book. Check both for prices ? No one takes taxis anymore and depending the hour and where you are, real time can be a risk.
Pre booking costs a few dollars more but it’s money we’ll spent.
Hmmm. I took an Uber to get to Atlanta, and then , while on plane, they asked if I wanted to pre book a ride to the hotel. It cost @$125. Same for my cousin. The others, who ordered Uber at the airport, paid $40. Quite a difference in price. We were all going to the same hotel.
Is that true everywhere ?
For me pre book is more but not usually outrageous. Real time pricing is based on the supply of drivers. Sometime when I go home it’s $80. Waiting 5 or 10 mins can see a decrease to $40-50. But if it goes to $60 and not $50 and I wait, it could easily go back up.
I sometimes find Uber and Lyft are far different. So check both.
For an airport I’d never pre book. You could never assure a time and an airport like the atl will always have drivers nearby.
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BART unless you are hauling big luggage. In that case, I would just schedule Uber ahead of time.
Thanks everybody!
I am home now.
I prebooked a taxi service: Berkeley Yellow Checkered Cab.
Bob, the owner, replied to my online booking, sent me a photo of his car, and arrived exactly on time. Total cost was a less than the prebook Uber estimate.
My DD and family left yesterday or one of them would have dropped me off.
The mile walk to BART with luggage in the dark was not appealing.
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