Uber plans to add train, bus and flight bookings to its UK app

Uber is planning to add travel booking via flights, trains and more in the UK this year to expand its ride-hailing business, The Financial Times has reported. The new service is designed to provide a “seamless door-to-door experience,” so that you can book your flight, train and Uber all on the same app. To do so, the company will integrate its software with airlines, inter-city bus and rail operators (include Eurostar Channel Tunnel tips) and car rental companies, according to CNBC.

The UK is one of the company’s largest markets outside the US, so the expansion is a big step. “You have been able to book rides, bikes, boat services and scooters on the Uber app for a number of years, so adding trains and coaches is a natural progression,” said Uber UK general manager Jamie Heywood. “Later this year we plan to incorporate flights, and in the future hotels, by integrating leading partners into the Uber app to create a seamless door-to-door travel experience.”

This “super app” strategy isn’t new, as CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said he wanted Uber to be the “Amazon of transportation,” when he first joined the company. Prior to the pandemic, around 15 percent of Uber trips were higher-margin rides to or from airports. “With COVID behind us, with this big push into new modes of transport, we want to signal that this is a very important growth lever for us over the coming years,” Heywood said. 

It’s not yet clear to what extent Uber will compete directly with other travel booking services, but Khosrowshahi was CEO at Expedia before coming to Uber. The company might have a leg up on rivals in that it could also offer a ride from airport to hotel, essentially owning the whole process.

Uber recently announced that it would let New York City users book Yellow Cab taxis directly through its app, with passengers paying around the same as they would for an Uber X ride. The company also plans to offer a similar service in San Francisco. It’s not clear yet, though, when or if Uber will offer its expanded travel booking service in the US. 

iHeartRadio’s PodGuides tool curates podcasts to inspire your next trip

For many people, the first thing they do when they start planning a new trip is to seek inspiration in travel guides, blogs and documentaries. It’s safe to say a podcast probably isn’t top of mind when you start daydreaming about your next escape. But iHeartRadio wants to change that. It’s launching PodGuides, a platform that curates podcasts designed to inspire your next trip.

When you visit the PodGuides website, you’ll find a map with more than 70 destinations pinned to it. Click on one, and you’ll get a curated list of podcasts that highlight what you can see, eat and experience in the place you want to visit. Most destinations include about five to 10 episodes, with productions like Lost and Found and Where to Go featured frequently. You can also find podcasts organized by interests like photography, food and nature hikes. You can listen to all the episodes directly on the website.

PodGuides probably won’t replace a proper travel guide if you’re looking for something exhaustive, but it’s clear that’s not the platform’s goal. Instead, think of it as a complement to the resources you already turn to when wanderlust hits. And if nothing, it may help you discover a new podcast to listen to daily.

Airbnb is suspending its operations in Russia and Belarus

Airbnb is halting operations in Russia and Belarus, CEO Brian Chesky announced in a tweet. That includes around 90,000 active short-term rentals across different platforms in Russia and just over 1,800 in Belarus, according to Reuters. 

Chesky brought the situation up yesterday saying “all things are on the table” due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. On Monday this week, Airbnb offered free housing for up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees fleeing to European nations including Poland, Germany, Hungary and Romania. 

Airbnb users have been taking things into their own hands, too. Members of the public purchased Airbnb rentals in Ukraine to help get money to residents facing severe economic hardship, as The Guardian reported. “My wife and I have just booked your apartment for one week, but of course we will not be visiting. This is just so you can receive some money,” wrote one user to an Airbnb renter in Ukraine. Airbnb has also agreed to waive guest and host fees on all bookings in the nation.

Over a million refugees have fled the country since Russia’s invasion started, according to the UN, and it estimates that up to four million people could eventually leave.