Forget London traffic - Uber boats are here to shortcut you via the Thames

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Last year, taxi app Uber launched app-based electric bikes in London. Now, they're going one step further by taking their services off the roads and onto the River Thames.

Londoners will be able to travel via water in the Uber Boats, and if you're sick of the traffic in the capital this could just be the solution.

The Uber boat rides were first trialled in Cambridge in 2019 over the August bank holiday, and the service was also available for island hoppers in Croatia.

This summer sees them taking on the Thames, teaming up with Thames Clippers and offering users the chance to cross the famous river on one of twenty boats branded with the company logo.

If you want to give it a go, it's a pretty simple process - all you have to do is book your trip through the app and then use a QR code when to board the boat.

However, the boats aren't available whenever you need it, so there'll be no 3am Thames routes after a night out. There's a set schedule, but if you're avoiding traffic or wanting to travel a little differently then the option is there.

They're hoping to encourage more people to use the ferry service and make it easier for users to book a spot on the unique method of transport.

If you don't have the app, fear not. You can also use contactless or Oyster card to tap in, and tickets are also available at the ferry office.

Happy boating!

Jadie Troy-Pryde
News Editor

Jadie Troy-Pryde is News Editor, covering celebrity and entertainment, royal, lifestyle and viral news. Before joining the team in 2018 as the Lifestyle and Social Media Editor, she worked at a number of women’s fashion and lifestyle titles including Grazia, Women’s Health and Stylist, and now heads the Marie Claire UK news desk.