Popular ride booking app Uber – which already exists in more than 40 cities across the UK – is finally launching in Chester.

As of 4pm today (July 20), Cestrians will be able to book a licensed private hire car at the touch of a button.

With Uber, you can easily book a licensed driver to travel affordably from A to B. So a journey from Chester Zoo to Ellesmere Port will cost around £8-11 and from the University of Chester to John Lennon Airport around £40-53.

The Uber app charges your trip to the debit or credit card on your account – so there’s no need to carry cash or stop at a cash machine on your way home.

You can also split the fare equally through the app with friends and family who have an account.

Once the trip is booked, you can see the driver’s photo, name and car registration number and you can watch the car arrive in real-time on a map. The app will then notify you when the car is outside so there’s no need to wait in the rain.

How you can get a discount

To celebrate the launch new users can enter the code ‘CHESTER’ into the promotion section of their app for up to £10 off their first trip.

Neil McGonigle, Uber’s general manager for Chester, said: “We’re incredibly excited to be launching in Chester today and helping people get from A to B at the touch of a button. There has been a lot of anticipation for Uber’s arrival with people opening the app more than 100,000 times in the city over the past six months.

"This launch also means that local private hire drivers can benefit from the flexibility of the Uber app – becoming their own boss and choosing when they want to drive.”

In order to use the Uber app in the UK, drivers must be licensed for private hire and pass the required DBS background checks - the same checks as black cab drivers.

Helping people get from A to B is a big responsibility and Uber uses technology to ensure safety and transparency. All trips are recorded with details of the driver, rider, fare and route taken.

At the end of each trip both the rider and the driver rate the journey with the option to leave feedback. This helps ensure that the most efficient route was taken and creates accountability for behaviour.

Here's how to book a car with Uber

  • Download the app and set up your account.
  • Enter your destination - the app uses GPS to detect where you are so you’ll only need to enter your destination. You can do this using an address, postcode or simply the name of the office, restaurant or bar you’re going to.
  • Estimate your fare - the app will provide you with an estimate of how much the journey will cost and you can even split the fare with friends who have an account.
  • Book your trip - you’ll instantly see the driver’s name, photo and car make and registration number so you can easily identify your car. The live map will show the the car arriving in real time and the app will notify you when the driver is outside.
  • Get going - there’s no need for cash as the trip is automatically billed to your account so you can just hop out of the car and be on your way.