YES Uber is in Puerto Vallarta
We use it daily. Uber has been active in PV for over two years and in my many conversations with drivers it seems to be going well for the drivers, I’ve heard no major complaints. Of course there have been many complaints from the cab drivers who are just “confused” by the whole program. I had to take a taxi recently and when I arrived at my destination, he overcharged me and did not have enough change. There are still some hard feelings and aggression toward UBER drivers. If possible, take a seat in the front, it makes it look less like an UBER and will help your driver out.
At the airport: When you order an Uber at the airport you will have to go to the bus stop under the pedestrian bridge for pickup. Only federal (white) taxi’s are allowed to pick up from the airport. It’s really not hard to find. Once through the main doors past customs and outside, turn left on the sidewalk and proceed to the end of the building - towards the freeway. It’s about 200 ft. You’ll be walking past a sea of cab drivers all wanting your attention – ignore them. Once at the end of the building turn left again and you’ll see the pedestrian bridge and the bus stop underneath it. That is where your Uber driver will pick you up. Please note, this is a public bus stop and bus driver do not care for Uber drivers, so when your Uber arrives, be quick about loading your gear into the trunk or back seat and get going.
As far as the passenger experience, there is simply no better way to get around PV. The costs are phenomenally low! A recent ride from Old Town to the Marriott, which is almost to the airport or about 13km, was $6.35 USD. A cab would be much more. The Uber drivers have all been extremely courteous, cars are newer models and very clean and all have air conditioning which is critical in these humid days of summer. Many taxi’s do not have A/C or if they do will charge you extra for it. One thing to keep in mind when ordering Uber, at least in the summer season, is that one will arrive literally within minutes of hitting the “confirm” button, so be ready to roll! Recently one of our followers (McDaniel) told me that the driver even agreed to wait for them while they shopped. It can be a little tricky to use Uber if you are on a limited cell phone plan or can’t WiFi hotspot, but it’s still worth taking the Uber to your destination and a cab back if you must.
Tipping: Optional with Uber, however, so many rides are under 50 pesos or $3.00 US, so an extra 20 pesos is always greatly appreciated.