Does Dublin Have Uber?
In short, yes, it is here but no one uses it. At least nobody I know anyway. When I first moved to Dublin, I was told by a taximan to download Hail-O because it is safer than Uber. Hail-O then became MyTaxi and is now called FREE NOW. I’m sure I will have to update this post in future when the company eventually change their name and brand again.
Think of FREE NOW as the Uber of Ireland. I know FREE NOW is also in other European countries and cities but for the sake of this post we are talking about Dublin/Ireland.
FREE NOW is a downloadable app where you enter your information and card details, and voila, access to taxis is yours. I have never used Uber so I am guessing here but I would assume the two apps are similar and that if you can use Uber, you’ll be more than capable to handle FREE NOW. When using FREE NOW, you just pop in your pickup location and the location where you wish to go. Easy enough, right?
Once you have ordered a taxi, you can watch the route your driver is taking and see how many minutes’ away they are. If you have pre-booked a taxi (yes, you can do that! Super handy for when you need to be at the airport in the middle of the night) you will also get a notification letting you know your driver is on the way.
My favorite feature of FREE NOW is that they utilize taxis instead of nondescript cars. I have read horror stories of Uber back home in America and I can say with confidence I have never once felt scared or uncomfortable in a taxi in any town in Ireland. When you order a taxi through FREE NOW the app will give you the driver’s name, their taxi number, and a photo of the driver. You will get a notification when your driver has arrived, but the driver will usually call you too. When I approach the ordered car, I always give a little wave to let them know I am the passenger. When I open the door, I always state my name so that the driver is aware that I am the correct person. I find that this approach makes myself and the driver feel the most at ease. Quick note: If you are traveling with more than just yourself an additional cost for each passenger will be added to the total cost of the trip at the end.
In general, it is safe to hail a taxi from the side of the road in Dublin. It is important to note that most taxis in Dublin do not have card readers so if you do choose to go this route to get a taxi make sure you have some cash on you. A perk of using FREE NOW is that you can input your bank card information, so all payment is done through the app which saves you the hassle/worry of having enough cash, or any cash at all.
If a taxi is open to picking up customers, the light that has their taxi number on it located on the roof of the car will be on. If they are not open to picking up customers or already have someone in their car, this light will be turned off. The one thing I will say if you are hailing a taxi from the side of the road, DO NOT get in if you cannot clearly see the Driver ID which is issued by the National Transport Authority. If a car does not have this, they are not certified to act as a taxi. This ID will have a photo of the driver, their name, driver license number and an expiry date. Most drivers have this displayed above the middle air conditioning console area or to just the left of that. You should be able to CLEARLY find the driver ID upon entering a taxi.
An example of what the Driver ID looks like:
Source: spsvtest.ie
And just so it can say that it has been said – there are taxi drivers who will know you are a tourist and will take advantage of this. Very seldom I have had taxi drivers attempt to take me on longer journeys thinking I am here on vacation due to my accent. I always speak up about them going a different route than I requested, and it has resulted in me being kicked out of taxis at times. I will not sit idly by and be taken advantage of just because I sound different! When this has happened, I have contacted the app and my money has always been refunded. If you feel as if you are being taken advantage of please speak up. Get out of the taxi even if you must and get another one. It will save you your sanity and money! Let it also be said that like most everything in Dublin compared to other parts of Europe, taxis can be pricey. I avoid them as much as I can due to cost.
If you use Uber or have used Uber in the past, FREE NOW should be a breeze for you. If you still have any questions on it, you can shoot me an email here or send me a DM on Instagram!
Wondering how to get to and from Dublin Airport or how to use public transportation in Dublin? I have some options for you because surprise, surprise, taxis aren’t the cheapest option!
P.S. - After re-reading this post it comes off hella sponsored by FREE NOW but I promise it isn’t! It is just like the only easy taxi service in Dublin/Ireland and they just got a ton of free promotion off me because of it.
Author’s Note: This post was originally published on my old blog in March 2020.
*cover image courtesy of Giorgio Trovato