Tech Reference

How far can an Uber take you? There isn't a distance limit for Uber rides, but there is a time limit — here's what you need to know

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Technically, there's no limit to how far an Uber can take you, but there is a time limit. NurPhoto/Getty Images
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There have been some very long Uber trips in the past, like a 400-mile trip from Williamsburg, VA to New York City back in 2016, a 650-mile trip from the DFW airport to Nashville, or the epic cross-country stunt by YouTuber Mr. Beast, who took a 2,256-mile Uber ride from North Carolina to California in 2017.

These days, however, you can't use Uber to drive cross-country — not in one trip, anyway.

There isn't a limit for how far an Uber can take you, but there is a time limit

Uber now limits the duration of any single trip to eight hours. Assuming you're taking a highway trip with no traffic, that means your Uber could easily take you 400 miles before the time limit kicked in. 

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How far you can get in that eight-hour limit will depend on the time of day and traffic.  Grace Eliza Goodwin/Business Insider

On the other hand, if you were trying to make it from, say, Cleveland to New York City, eight hours may not be enough time. But while Uber rides are limited to eight hours, once one ride finishes, you can always just request another ride.

If you're planning on taking a long Uber ride, make sure to contact your driver as soon as you connect to ensure they're okay with the long trip. Uber drivers pay for their own gas and maintenance, and if they can't find a passenger for their return trip, your long ride may not be profitable for the person at the wheel.

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Steven John has been a freelance writer for more than a dozen years and has been a regular contributor to Business Insider since 2017. His work includes a focus on the tech world, covering companies including Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Google, and others. He also reviews restaurants, shares how-to cooking articles, and writes general interest pieces.Steven also writes for publications including Architectural Digest, The Daily Beast, Forbes, and more. In the past, he also wrote for New York Magazine, Mashed, U.S. News & World Report and other outlets. He runs his own outdoor lifestyle site, Dad Gear Review, and co-hosts the Fact Trekkers podcast with his son. He has had two novels published, Three A.M. and Outrider. He graduated from Emerson College with a degree in communications focused on filmmaking.He is an avid outdoorsman and can be frequently found in a kayak or on a mountain trail, often with his family along for the adventure.Expertise:Tech industryTech hardwareOutdoorsCookingRestaurantsDIYPopular articles:Microsoft: A history of the software giant co-founded by Bill Gates, its products and services, jobs, layoffs, and moreYouTube is a major entertainment force. Here's the platform's history, plus how to create a channel and upload videos.Inside the life and career of Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder, billionaire, and philanthropistTim Cook net worth: How the Apple leader earns and spends his moneyBecoming an Amazon seller is a simple process. Here's what's involved, plus how you make money and get paid.