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- More Countries Where Uber Isn't Available
Summary
- Uber faces bans and restrictions in many countries, including China, Switzerland, Turkey, Denmark, Hungary, Thailand, Canada, Germany, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, Hong Kong, and parts of Australia.
- The bans often stem from Uber's lack of adherence to local regulations and its unfair competition with taxi services.
- Uber's biggest competitors in these countries include Lyft, DiDi Chuxing, Bolt (Taxify), Taxa 4x35, Yandex, GrabTaxi, MyTaxi, and DiDi Chuxing.
Uber is an extremely popular ride-sharing service that has revolutionized the way people get around from place to place. Now it has launched Uber copter in many cities, including New York City. Sometimes it also offers unique holiday ideas for travelers looking for fun and excitement. In terms of rivalry, its biggest competitor is a similar service called Lyft. But Uber has also caused plenty of problems for other transportation services like taxi drivers. Because of this, Uber has been banned or restricted heavily in many countries as of 2023.
Because Uber isn't regulated in the same way as taxi businesses, there have been frequent legal battles about the usage of Uber in certain countries. Often the case for banning comes down to the fact that Uber operates under an unfair advantage due to the lack of adherence to the same laws and regulations as other car services. Here are 14 countries where Uber isn't available or is extremely limited in use.
UPDATE: 2023/09/28 15:20 EST BY REENA JAIN
More Countries Where Uber Isn't Available
This list has been updated with two more countries where Uber is banned for some reason or another. So, for those who love calling Uber every time they go outdoors, check out this list and look for some other alternatives in the countries listed.
14 United States
In the United States, Uber is a well-known and commonly used ridesharing service with a sizable presence in numerous cities. The whole state of Alaska and some parts of Oregon are off-limits to Uber due to regulatory issues. After the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development questioned drivers' status as independent contractors exempt from workers' compensation insurance, neither Uber nor rival Lyft operated in the state of Alaska. However, Alaska is known for its breathtaking landscapes and imposing mountains; one has to look out for local ride options to get to the destinations.
Uber is only available in central and southern Oregon; the remainder of the state does not have the service. However, Uber's primary competitor Lyft is likewise unavailable in this location, despite the fact that the state updated its regulations to allow them to operate there.
- Rival Company: Lyft
13 China
Although some people think the Chinese government banned Uber in the country, the company actually left the nation of its own choice. The ride-sharing company stopped its operation in the biggest Asian market for economic reasons only; there was nothing political. The company lost $1 billion annually in China, which forced it to stop doing business there. Then the rival DiDi Chuxing seized control of the market.
- Rival Company: DiDi Chuxing
12 Switzerland
One of the more recent Uber bans comes from Switzerland: Geneva, a lovely cultural gem with many exciting things to do and see, to be exact. Recently, the country's courts upheld an Uber ban, as they do not agree with the rideshare giants' employment conditions and terms. The main issue in Switzerland is that taxi drivers are considered employees, not independent contractors. Uber and many large companies classify their drivers/workers as contractors, often failing to provide them with fair pay and benefits.
Switzerland's courts take this quite seriously, which has ended with Uber being put on pause in certain cities. This is not meant to be forever, so the ban could be lifted if the government and Uber can come to some type of agreement. The taxi drivers in Swiss towns and big tourist hot spots have also raised red flags regarding Uber drivers/policies, which has resulted in the service gaining a negative opinion from the public.
- Rival Company: Bolt (Taxify)
11 Turkey
Turkey's long battle with Uber has become a point of headache for many locals and state officials. In 2019, the President of Turkey accused Uber of "pirate cabs," citing the company used deceptive tactics and did not act responsibly for the passengers and drivers. From there, the app and service remained out of service until this year, even now, with Uber being very limited.
Specifically, tourists to Turkey should expect the service to only be available in large cities like Istanbul. However, for the smaller towns along the country's many coasts, Uber is still out of service. This has been and will likely continue to be an issue as the country re-elected its President, who still has problems with how Uber operates.
- Rival Company: Yandex
Uber was entirely banned by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in 2019. Although it now is active in Istanbul, tourists won't likely be able to use it in other towns and cities nearby. There is also a possibility of Uber being banned again, so this is a continuous issue.
10 Denmark
Denmark is known as a quaint country in Scandinavia. It's home to Hans Christian Anderson and the original Little Mermaid story. But if you ever plan on visiting Denmark, just know you'll be out of luck when it comes to traveling if you're used to taking Uber. The ride-sharing service was banned in 2017 following the introduction of new taxi legislation.
Uber has been involved in terse legal battles around the world due to the way it creates unfair competition for other ride-share and taxi services. In Denmark, it was ruled that all taxis needed a visible fare and seat regulations, two things Uber cannot enforce with people using their personal vehicles.
- Rival Company: Taxa 4x35
9 Hungary
Hungary is a beautiful country located in Central Europe. Its capital, Budapest, is a popular tourist spot and has been featured in many films as both a filming location and backdrop for the story setting. Sadly, you can no longer use Uber if you're hoping to get a quick ride to Budapest or elsewhere in the country.
In 2016, Prime Minister Viktor Orban decided to ban internet access to what was considered illegal dispatch services. This information comes from Reuters, who initially reported this new legislation at the time it was announced. At the time, Uber claimed its services were used by more than 160,000 people in Budapest alone. The company claimed it was a temporary suspension, but as of yet, the ban has yet to be lifted.
- Rival Company: Bolt (Taxify)
8 Thailand
In the Southeast Asian country of Thailand, Uber was banned way back in 2014 for supposedly illegal practices. In accordance with the Motor Vehicle Act B.E.2522, it was reported by the Department of Land Transport that Uber wasn't acting within the confines of transportation law due to its rates falling outside of the regulations.
Travelers to Thailand will not be without a ride-sharing APP, though. The popular APP, Grab, makes up for the lack of UBER in Thailand. Working similarly to Uber, Travelers will just need to remember to download the APP after landing.
- Rival Company: GrabTaxi
7 Canada
Uber does operate in Canada in over 140 municipalities across 9 provinces; however, they have repeatedly run into issues that have caused bans on their services. Uber was illegal in Quebec for some time but has since become a permanent feature in the area.
However, when traveling through Canada, it is recommended that travelers check beforehand if UBER will be available where they will be going. Due to a constantly changing political landscape, and though UBER has made a lot of headway in Canada, it is still a good idea to confirm if it will be available or not.
- Rival Company: Lyft
6 Germany
Back in 2014, Uber was outlawed in several of the major German cities, and if one was caught operating with Uber, they could be charged with a $25,000 fine. Then in 2015, a nationwide ban was passed in Frankfurt. With this ban, anyone caught operating an Uber would be charged $250,000. Fortunately, it appears that changes have been made, allowing UberX and other services to operate out of cities like Berlin.
Judges initially held: “There is a violation of the passenger transport law because drivers operate without authorization." Many of the issues with Uber's operation in Germany deal with a lack of authorization or regulation on Uber vehicles. Though most Ubers can operate normally, there are still recent bans passed that have affected services like UberBlack.
- Rival Company: MyTaxi
5 Romania
As has become a common trend with Uber's operations in cities around the world. They faced numerous legal battles to operate in Romania. The main issue is, of course, their drivers are unregulated, and they cause fierce competition for local taxi services. Though it has been an uphill battle, Uber can now be found in 10 cities in Romania.
Their issue is that because Uber drivers do not have to obtain legal permits, they offer unfair competition to other transportation agencies. Uber did eventually get legalized, but it has been under strict regulations for both vehicles and drivers.
- Rival Company: Bolt (Taxify)
4 Bulgaria
Bulgaria is a picturesque country in the Balkans known for its rich cultural background, including dance, art, and music. The city is a mecca for tourists who come from all over the world to indulge in the atmosphere, but unfortunately, you'll have a difficult time getting an Uber here as the service was banned in 2015.
Again, continuing the trend from other countries, the biggest issue with Uber is judges do not feel it follows proper transportation protocol and that it offers unfair competition practices due to its lack of fare regulation and lowered prices. Uber suspended its services and, despite general popular support, has yet to find in-roads to reopening.
- Rival Company: Bolt (Taxify)
3 Italy
Italy is another country where the popular UberPOP service was initially banned in Italy during the year 2015. However, it has since to ink a deal with Italy, which has services opened in eight cities. Italian cabbies initially banded together to file a complaint because Uber was severely hurting their business. They even took strike action against the city. However, a better balance has been stuck between the company and local governance since then.
The real problem is that these folks just want Uber to be regulated the same way as all other transportation services are, and they're not wrong for feeling that way. What initially started as a ban sequestered to just a few cities, such as Milan, has spread across Italy to larger areas like Rome.
- Rival Company: MyTaxi
2 Hong Kong
Though it may not technically have the status of a country, it is still an incredibly popular destination for both business and travel. Regulation in Hong Kong has put a great deal of pressure recently on Uber and its drivers. The service has been technically banned though many drivers are still operating in defiance.
This all being said, it is not currently recommended to use Uber while in Hong Kong, even if travelers can find a driver. The risks they are taking of potentially angering government officials are just not worth it. There are plenty of taxi services in the city that travelers can enjoy.
- Rival Company: DiDi Chuxing
1 Australia
Australia currently has Uber banned across its northern territories. Similar to its problems with many other countries, Uber has run into issues with the regulations in Australia. It has found some footing and is able to operate in some parts of the country but has remained banned in the northern territories.
It is unknown how long Uber will need to continue fighting its legal battles to fully open in all of Australia. Still, for now, travelers should start making alternate arrangements for transportation in Northern Australia.
- Rival Company: DiDi Chuxing