What's your Uber experience?

My question for SYD is - why have big signs for 'rideshare' in the terminal (and none for Uber, separately next to them) when the most popular rideshare service doesn't go to their rideshare area?

I think Uber did a special deal with SYD back in 2024 so that it has its own dedicated pickup which is much closer to Rideshare. It uses "Rideshare " as a generic for "the rest". I suspect if the likes of Didi wants to display their name, they would have to pay to play.

Of course this has the potential to cause confusion to Uber customers
Two methods to mitigate issue:
Follow the Uber signs - yes they are actually there - big blue signs (no, not trying to state the obvious but possibly easy to miss the Uber signs when Rideshare sign has been noticed)
Use the App "directions to pickup"


Google maps:
Screen Shot 2026-07-08 at 10.03.10 am.png


SYD airport approximate location of Uber ranks. It is not labelled as such. The black taxi icon is the taxi rank
Taxis remains the closest pickup for passengers - well unless @Cruiser Elite 's Taxis for grownups (SYD branch) are used.
Then Uber then "The rest" at Rideshare


Screen Shot 2026-07-08 at 10.07.03 am.png


The red circle and square is For Uber. Taxi rank is beyond the picture to right.
Note the palm tree island.

Screen Shot 2026-07-08 at 10.18.40 am.png
 
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Not sure I agree. There are signs for Uber and you see them before the signs for Rideshare. Also Uber is much closer to the terminal than the rideshare area.
Isn’t there a whole thread on Uber moving to just outside SYD T1 to leave the old pickup spot to just Didi?

We still schlep to the old pick up because Didi is usually significantly cheaper.
 
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Uber moving to just outside SYD T1
I think there was a thread about the Uber 6 digit pin
The move to just further along from the taxi stand and essentially closer to the arrivals terminal coincided with the the introduction of the Uber 6 digit pin
 
I think there was a thread about the Uber 6 digit pin
The move to just further along from the taxi stand and essentially closer to the arrivals terminal coincided with the the introduction of the Uber 6 digit pin
This one (that coincided with the PIN system - I assume that means it works similar to MEL?)

Domestic changes happened just before (I recall) but you still order and wait for a specific ride, so that can be a bit of a zoo.
 
This one but it does not have much content

Uber 6 digit pin at SYD

UberX use the pin - these cars line up in bays A,B,C or is it 1,2,3 etc. The passengers shows the first available driver the 6 digit pin which unlock the destination to the driver. No specific car is allocated to the customer. Just go to rank and get the first available uber.

but you still order and wait for a specific ride
Yes, i believe the other premium Ubers don't use the Uber 6 digit pin - so a specific car is allocated in the traditional way but pickup in an adjacent area as per the last photo above. IIRC the red oval is Uber X and the square marked is Premium Uber (or viva versa)
 
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Cost of uber @RooFlyer please?

It was to the Ibis at the airport - $23

Not sure I agree. There are signs for Uber and you see them before the signs for Rideshare. Also Uber is much closer to the terminal than the rideshare area.

I'll take your word for it, but in the terminal, exiting immigration, I'm pretty sure there is just the black-on-yellow sign for 'rideshare', which, at 7am after a red-eye arrival, I just followed, not thinking or realising I had to also look out for a separate sign to Uber. Following 'rideshare' to get an Uber works for me on any other overseas airport I've been to recently.

I mean, if they signpost 'Uber', why not signpost the other area 'Didi ... etc'? Probably because of the commercial agreement mentioned upthread.

Isn’t there a whole thread on Uber moving to just outside SYD T1 to leave the old pickup spot to just Didi?

Probably, but that didn't help me at 7am with red-eye fog last week!
 

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