How to Use Uber Boats in London | London Transport Guides
Not sure how to use Uber boats in London (or what they are!) We cover everything you need to know to travel via Uber boat along the Thames in our guide.
While you might be familiar with taking an Uber from A to B when you’re at home, did you know that the ride-hailing company provides a form of London transport? We’re not just talking about car trips across the UK capital, either.
Uber has teamed up with Thames Clippers to provide a safe, efficient means of transport in London. But this mode of travel doesn’t operate underground, nor from a bus stop or railway station.
Instead, you can take an Uber Boat by Thames Clippers along the city’s famous waterway. Uber boats depart from 24 piers dotted along the riverbank, from Barking in the east to Putney in the west. You can also travel by river bus between the north and south banks of the Thames.
This guide covers all you need to know about using Uber boats in London. The services are used daily by both visitors and residents, with some commuting to their workplaces this way.
Getting across London by boat can also be a quick and convenient way to travel – and of course the scenery and on-board cafe-bar make a welcome change from cramming onto packed tube trains during rush hour!
This complete London Uber boat guide is packed with pointers on how to use the river bus services. Covered below you’ll find when they run and where to, and how long a typical trip might take.
There’s also a step-by-step guide including info on how to buy tickets, fares, and what to do when you want to board a boat.
Read on to discover how to use Uber boats in London.
How do Uber boats work in London?
Since 2020, a partnership between Thames Clippers and Uber operates river bus services in London, which are used by locals and tourists alike. Transport for London (TfL), meanwhile, licences these boat services, and also manages the piers.
Hours
London Uber boats operate on a daily basis. Services commence early in the morning, and end late at night.
While exact times vary, the boats begin running at around 5.30am on weekdays, with the last service at around 11.30pm. On weekends, the river buses run between about 8am and 11.45pm.
Timetables
The Uber boat timetables are for Barking Riverside to Putney, and Putney to Barking Riverside services. There is also a timetable for ferries between Canary Wharf and Doubletree Docklands in Rotherhithe.
For each timetable, there is a weekday version, and a weekend and bank holiday version.
Routes
There are two main Uber boat routes. These cover the eastbound and westbound services between Barking Riverside and Putney, and vice versa. They also cover RB4 ferries, which operate in both directions between Canary Wharf and Doubletree Docklands in Rotherhithe.
Barking Riverside is around 10 miles east of central London, while Putney is about five miles southwest of Charing Cross. These are the furthest points you can reach by taking an Uber boat along the Thames.
Stops
There are 24 piers to catch an Uber boat from. These are as follows, from west to east, including some of the popular sites at various piers.
West Zone
- Putney
- Wandsworth River Quarter
- Plantation Wharf
- Chelsea Harbour
- Cadogan
Central Zone
- Battersea Power Station
- Vauxhall (St George Wharf)
- Millbank – Tate Britain
- London Eye (Waterloo) – London Eye, London Dungeon, SEA LIFE Aquarium
- Westminster – Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey
- Embankment
- Blackfriars
- Bankside – Tate Modern, Globe Theatre
- London Bridge City – Borough Market, HMS Belfast, The Shard
- Tower – Tower Bridge, Tower of London
- Canary Wharf (also in east zone)
East Zone
- Canary Wharf (also in west zone)
- Doubletree Docklands
- Greenland (Surrey Quays)
- Masthouse Terrace
- Greenwich
- North Greenwich – IFS Cloud Cable Car, The O2
- Royal Wharf
- Woolwich (Royal Arsenal)
- Barking Riverside
As you can see, some major tourist areas are served by Uber boat services. These include the London Eye and Waterloo, Westminster, Bankside, Tower Bridge, Greenwich, and more. Most piers also have a tube station, and/or a mainline, Elizabeth Line, or Docklands Light Railway station. The majority of piers in the central and west zones also offer Santander cycle hire.
The RB4 ferry also operates both ways between Canary Wharf on the northern side of the river to the Doubletree Docklands stop in Rotherhithe, to the south.
Map
Like the London Underground map, the route map for Uber boats can be helpful. The routes are colour-coded, in yellow, green, purple, lilac, and brown. The latter – brown – is for the RB4 ferry.
Colours can show not only the route, but also the days and times of operation. For example, some services operate only during certain hours.
Travelling times
Do you want to know how long it will take you to get from one part of London to another by Uber boat? To give you an idea, here are some approximate travel times. Then you can compare these to getting where you’re going via other modes of transport.
- Royal Wharf to North Greenwich – 4 minutes
- Tower to Greenwich – 23 minutes
- Woolwich (Royal Arsenal) to Canary Wharf – 32 minutes
- Battersea Power Station to London Bridge City – 37 minutes
- North Greenwich to Blackfriars – 44 minutes
- Putney to Blackfriars – 54 minutes
Accessibility
Only three of the Uber boat piers along the Thames are not wheelchair accessible. These are (from west to east) Wandsworth River Quarter, Cadogan, and London Bridge City piers. All Uber boats are wheelchair and child buggy accessible, and offer step-free access.
Bikes are also permitted on board London Uber boats, free of charge. Once you’ve booked and paid, your seat is guaranteed, too. Dogs can also travel, as long as they’re on a lead (leash).
Uber boat services offer a cafe-bar on board.
How to use Uber boats, step-by-step
- 1. Apps
- 2. Where from and to
- 3. Which zone/s
- 4. Which fare
- 5. Ways to pay
- 6. Boarding
1.Apps
Uber
You can use the Uber app to browse the options and book tickets. Select Rides (rather than delivery), and then Boat, under Services. You can then follow the steps, as directed, to book and pay for your journey.
Thames Clippers Tickets
Download the Thames Clippers tickets app from the App Store or Google Play, and you can buy tickets anytime. You can also keep up with live departures, and view route maps and timetables.
It’s also possible to activate your ticket via the app, ready to show staff when you board the Uber boat.
2.Where from and to
Before buying an Uber boat ticket, you’ll need to work out which pier to depart from, and our destination. If you’re not sure, ask at your accommodation where the nearest pier is.
When you know the closest tube station, that might also give you a clue. Many piers are next to an underground stop of the same name.
3. Which zone\s
Tickets should always be valid for every zone you’ll travel through. For example, when travelling between Embankment and North Greenwich, a Central and East ticket is needed.
You can use the Uber Boat by Thames Clippers route map to work out which zones you’ll enter between your departure and arrival piers.
4. Which fare
Child and concession fares
Kids aged 4 and under travel for free on Uber boats, while children aged between 5 and 15 get 50% off the regular fare. Those entitled to a concessionary fare can also get half price tickets.
Hop-on hop-off tickets
You can buy a jump-on, jump-off ticket for one or two days if you want to travel as much as you like during that time. Family tickets are available, as well as child and concessionary rates.
If you buy your hop-on, hop-off ticket a week or more ahead, you can get up to 25% off as compared to buying on the day. You’ll need to purchase online to take advantage of this offer.
Cross River fares
A Cross River ticket simply allows you to cross the Thames when you need to. These fares are valid between Barking Riverside and Woolwich (Royal Arsenal); or Canary Wharf and DoubleTree Docklands or Greenland (Surrey Quays).
You can buy tickets via the apps, or pay by touching in and out with your contactless or Oyster card. No concession or child discounts apply to this fare.
5. Ways to pay
You can book and pay for your Uber boat tickets in a number of ways. Do note that cash is not accepted as a form of payment, even at ticket offices.
Apps
You can use either the Uber or Thames Clipper Tickets app, as detailed above, to buy tickets before departure.
Online
Buy single, return, joint, and hop-on / hop-off tickets online, then show the electronic ticket on your device when travelling.
Ticket office or machine
You can buy tickets from the machine or at the ticket office, though you’ll pay the standard fare if you do so. This can be more expensive, as buying tickets via the app, online, or by using an Oyster or contactless card are up to 24% cheaper.
Oyster or contactless
Contactless and Oyster cards can be used for paying as you travel. Make sure you touch in and out so you pay the correct fare.
If using a pay as you go Oyster card, you’ll need it to be topped up with sufficient funds before you travel. Do note that the usual TfL daily cap doesn’t apply to Uber boat services.
When you’re visiting London from overseas, your card issuer may charge extra fees for foreign currency transactions paid for in pounds sterling, the UK currency.
6. Boarding
Before boarding the boat, you can either pay your fare in advance as detailed above, or touch in and out. If you haven’t yet booked a seat, do not touch in with your Oyster or contactless card until directed to do so by staff.
- Boats are boarded in priority order. Disabled passengers go first, then those with season tickets – such as local residents commuting to work.
- For safety reasons, boats have a maximum capacity. Once this is reached, no one else will be permitted to board.
- For the best chance of getting a seat, arrive at the pier at least five minutes before departure.
- Remember, only touch in – if paying this way – when staff ask you to do so, otherwise you may be charged when a seat isn’t available.
- Bear in mind that if you arrive after pre-boarding or don’t have the right ticket, you might be asked to wait for the next departure.
Where will you go by Uber Boat?
If you can do without the commentary provided on a typical tourist boat, boarding an Uber boat can be a great way to enjoy views of the city while sailing along the Thames between piers. It’s a scenic way to travel, with a cafe-bar on board to make your trip even more of an experience.
The Thames Clippers Uber boats also offer an efficient means of getting from A to B. Especially if you’re heading between the north and south banks of the river, or in an east-to-west or west-to-east direction.
Rather than contending with rush hour on the underground, why not take at least one journey across London by Uber boat instead?
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