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When is the cheapest time of day to get a Lyft car ride?
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The Guru Take
The base fare does not change throughout the day. Surge pricing may change the price.
Typically, the price of taking a Lyft does not change throughout the day. The base fare is primarily based on distance and duration, and the rate is set for each service type (e.g. Lyft Plus) and for each city.
Depending on how busy the drivers are, surge pricing can apply, and it is referred to as "Prime Time." During these Prime Times, your fare can be applied a multiplier that can increase what you pay. The Lyft app will warn you fo this before you begin the trip.
If you are curious about "cheapest time of day", you may want to avoid these times where surges are possible. They typically happen during unexpectedly busy times, and they often happen during commute times, during events, Friday and Saturday nights when people are out, etc. For more, take a look at this thread:
When do surges typically happen? When are surge times?
Exception: Uber and Lyft both have been experimenting the concept of "upfront pricing." This is a guaranteed pricing that is not based on distance, duration, or potentially not even surges. These can apply at all hours and potentailly be affected by the location/routes you travel.
Comments
Outdated info. Last night I checked Lyft for a long ride and it quoted $200 plus and this morning it's under $110, a hundred difference
Don't get me started on the crazy prices these days. They are pretty much unusable. From downtown to my house, it was over $160 the other day where it's usually $45. Wha? I get it that it was Saturday night (around midnight) but that's insane. Where did all the drivers go?
Saturday nights are usually busy. Especially for a long ride. So much demand, and rideshare drivers need to play too.
Well, basic economics says that Lyft will be cheapest during off-peak times, so avoid rush hours or closing time at the bars.
My ride into work using Lyft is always more expensive than the ride home please explain.
For your trips out to work, it's likely that the demand is higher. The price fluctuates due to Uber and Lyft's new pricing methods. (See exception under the Guru answer)
Uber and Lyft do not always disclose "surges" or "high-demand" pricing to the users anymore, so they quote you a price for your particular route and particular time. I would imagine the demand on the way to work is higher for you.
The generic public often has to be at work between 8 and 9AM, but there is a larger window for getting off work, say between 3 and 6. That may attribute to the difference.
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