Uber transit expands in 2025: from denver roots to global reach

By
Myrin New
-
0
1152
In May 2019, Uber initiated an innovative pilot in Denver, Colorado, allowing users to purchase train and bus tickets directly through its app. Powered by a partnership with London-based mobile ticketing provider Masabi, and with data support from Moovit, this early feature gave Denver riders the ability to see real-time schedules and purchase RTD (Regional Transportation District) tickets seamlessly.

🚀 Growth Highlights (2019 Launch Period):
– 1,200+ tickets sold
– 42% weekly growth
– 11.6% increase in Uber rides starting/ending at transit stations
– 25% repeat buyers within a month

At the time, Uber claimed to be addressing the first-mile/last-mile challenge by merging ride-hailing with mass transit access.

What’s New in 2025?

Fast forward to May 2025, and Uber has taken major strides to make its Transit feature a global mobility hub. Here’s what’s changed:

Expanded Transit Integrations

Uber now offers in-app ticketing, route planning, and real-time transit data in several U.S. cities beyond Denver, including:

  • Columbus, Ohio – In partnership with COTA (Central Ohio Transit Authority) and Masabi, Uber users can now purchase bus passes within the app.
    Read more
  • San Antonio, Texas – Real-time schedule integration and route planning through Uber Transit.
  • Miami & Orlando – Coming soon, with Brightline integration already live for rail service passengers.

First-Mile/Last-Mile Solved with Brightline

Uber is now partnering with Brightline, Florida’s private high-speed rail service, using Uber’s Vouchers API. Travelers get $10 Uber credits for rides to and from train stations—offering seamless multimodal transport across cities like Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach.
Uber + Brightline announcement

The Autonomous Future

Uber isn’t stopping at transit. The company is laying groundwork for robotaxi services with two major partnerships:

  • Waymo: Uber now integrates with Waymo’s autonomous vehicles in Phoenix and Austin.
  • Momenta: Uber plans to launch autonomous ride services in Europe starting in 2026.
    Robotaxi announcement

“By blending public transit with ride-hailing, vouchers, and autonomous tech, Uber is reshaping how cities move.” – Myrin New, techmorsels.myrinnew.com

Uber Transit Today

Uber’s Transit feature now includes:

  • Real-time bus/train schedules
  • Route planning + ETA
  • Fare comparisons
  • Ticket purchases (select cities)
  • Uber vouchers for last-mile trips
  • Integration with self-driving fleets (pilot stage)

Explore Uber Transit

Uber Transit is no longer just an experiment—it’s a growing infrastructure layer aiming to unify urban transportation. What began in Denver is now becoming the blueprint for modern, multimodal mobility in cities worldwide.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR