Uber is a great way to grab a ride to just about anywhere. Since 2010, the rideshare company has offered an on-demand service that lets users order rides through their smartphones. The brand has become so ingrained in the cultural lexicon that “Uber” is used as a verb, with thousands of riders “Ubering” every night. But is there a distance limit to how far an Uber will take you? 

Will Uber do long trips?

According to Uber, there is no distance limit for Uber rides. However, there is a time limit of eight hours on trips. That means if you were driving on a highway with little traffic, you could go about 500 miles within the eight-hour time limit. If you needed to go farther than that, you would have to order a new ride every time you reach the limit. 

The cost depends upon the level of car you order. For instance, Uber X, Uber Comfort, and Uber Select cost more but provide more conveniences, such as additional legroom and leather seating. Include the cost of tipping your Uber driver for the extra effort and time they’ve put into the trip, although tipping is never required. 

Uber recommends calling your driver ahead to ensure they’re OK with a long-distance trip. The driver has the right to reject the trip and is under no obligation to drive you that far if they don’t want to. If you plan to take a long-distance trip in an Uber, remember it’s up to the driver’s discretion. That’s especially true if the trip crosses state lines because some drivers are unwilling to do that.

 Notable long-distance Uber trips

There have been some notable long-distance Uber trips. CNN reports that in 2017, an Uber driver picked up a rider at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, expecting a typical trip to the suburb of Buffalo Grove. It turned out the passenger wanted to go to Buffalo, New York, a 500-mile, eight-hour drive. That’s because the rider was NFL player Shareece Wright of the Buffalo Bills on his way to offseason practice.

The ride wound up costing him $632.08, and he added a $300 tip to driver Hadi Abdollahian. The bonus got even better for Abdollahian because when the NFL reimbursed Wright for the trip, he also gave that $932 to the driver.

Another notable long-distance Uber trip involved a popular YouTuber, MrBeast. In 2017, he took a cross-country Uber ride from North Carolina to California. At 2,256 miles, the journey is the longest Uber ride on record. However, you can’t Uber across the country in one trip anymore because of the eight-hour limit. 

Long-distance alternatives

Uber isn’t the only rideshare option for long-distance travelers. Besides considering the company’s main competitor, Lyft, you can also check out some smaller ridesharing apps. If you’re in California, try Curb, which plans to expand into 45 U.S. cities. There’s also Via, which loads several passengers headed to the same destination in one vehicle. 

If you prefer to drive yourself but don’t own a car, check out a car-sharing service. Zipcar includes insurance and lets members take out vehicles by the day or hour. There is no distance limit, but if you travel farther than 180 miles in a day, Zipcar charges extra. There’s also Getaround, which connects cars with ride-seekers and allows drivers to share their cars and earn money. This service lets you go 200 miles before tacking on a surcharge.