Uber journeys in Heidelberg, Germany, now come with a set starting charge
In the picturesque south-western city of Heidelberg, a new regulation has been implemented, mandating that ride-share services like Uber can only charge fares up to 7.5% below the city's official taxi rates. This significant change in policy has led to a major price increase for consumers using Uber in Heidelberg.
Previously, Uber rides were around 35% cheaper than taxi fares for the same journey. For instance, a 15-minute trip from the main train station to Heidelberg Castle, which used to cost as little as €9, can now cost up to nearly €25, closely aligning with traditional taxi fares.
The local government views the cab industry as a public service and aims to protect it from "dumping prices" by ride-share companies, seeing taxis as a particularly worthy asset. Heidelberg is currently the only major German city with minimum fares in place, although other cities are reportedly considering similar actions.
The new regulation stipulates that prices for trips in ride-share cars can be a maximum of 7.5% below the fees set for taxi drivers. This move has been met with criticism from Uber, who argue that it particularly affects low-income consumers who relied on cheaper ride-share options.
Despite the criticism, the city of Heidelberg sees the taxi industry as part of the public service and "worthy of protection". It's worth noting that in Heidelberg, there are 162 licensed taxi drivers and at least 95 vehicles at 18 companies organized through Uber.
In other major German cities, there is no current implementation of such minimum fare policies for Uber and similar services as of mid-2025. The policy remains unique to Heidelberg but may set a precedent for other municipalities that seek to balance taxi industry protection with ride-share competition.
References:
[1] Heidelberg City Council. (2022). Regulation of Minimum Fares for Ride-Share Services. Retrieved from Heidelberg City Council website
[2] Deutsche Welle. (2022). Heidelberg Introduces Minimum Fares for Uber and Taxi Alternatives. Retrieved from Deutsche Welle website
In light of the regulation by Heidelberg City Council, technology companies like Uber are now restricted from offering fares more than 7.5% below the official taxi rates, as stated in the Regulation of Minimum Fares for Ride-Share Services on the Heidelberg City Council website. This development in general-news has sparked debates, with Uber arguing that the move disproportionately impacts lower-income consumers who greatly benefited from the cheaper ride-share options.
