Mobile in Carinthia

Uber is now also available in Klagenfurt and Villach

Uber drivers are now also on the road in Carinthia.(Bild: © NIKLAS STADLER | www.niklasstadler.at)

The alternative to cabs has been around for ten years in Vienna. Now Uber is finally making it to Carinthia. For the time being, it is starting in Klagenfurt and Villach.

Only Vorarlberg, St. Pölten and Carinthia were still blank spots on the Uber map - now the modern ride service provider is finally coming to us. The Uber app makes it easy to book rides, rate drivers and even tip them. The service is aimed at a large group. "We see great potential in Carinthia to offer residents as well as tourists an attractive way to do without their own car," explains Martin Essl, General Manager of Uber Austria.

Already a familiar sight in Vienna.(Bild: © NIKLAS STADLER | www.niklasstadler.at)

This is what the app looks like for Klagenfurt residents.(Bild: Uber)

With this offer, Klagenfurt and Villach are also catching up with Graz, Salzburg, Linz and Innsbruck - if you want to be a partner, you have to be a licensed cab operator. In rural areas, however, they will probably have to wait a while longer. "The legal framework for this is still lacking in some areas, but we are in good talks," explains Essl.

According to a user survey, the main advantage of the Uber app over conventional services is cashless payment and information about the driver and arrival time. For the environmentally conscious, there are emission-free services that will soon also be available in Carinthia.

"As soon as we have enough electric and hybrid vehicles on our platform, we want to launch 'Green' in Carinthia too," promises Uber boss Essl. In the survey, around half of users stated that they would accept longer waiting times for this green alternative. In future, there will also be information on public transport. "We want to show users how they can get from A to B easily and cheaply," says Essl.