Uber Shuttle, Uber’s transportation service in vans or buses with fixed routes and schedules at a lower price than its traditional services, has launched in Mexico City ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The service, which briefly operated in Mexico City in 2024, offering trips to concerts, has been reintroduced in time for the international soccer tournament. Currently, it operates rides to and from Santa Fe, an upscale neighborhood in westernmost Mexico City.
“We’ve been testing this product and making sure it works really well before introducing it into an environment that will have a large influx of people,” Uber’s global Vice President of Mobility Pradeep Parameswaran told El CEO magazine.
Uber Shuttle allows users to share vans or buses to specific points such as work areas, universities or airports, without the typical dynamic-demand pricing scheme. It operates over fixed routes between specific points and with pre-established schedules, thereby offering a more accessible and predictable alternative for multi-passenger transport, especially during peak hours and large events.
The new service also advertises itself as a safer alternative to traditional bus transportation, as it features a security PIN, which consists of a four-digit code to confirm that passengers board the correct vehicle. This feature is also available in Uber’s car-based services in Mexico.
Uber’s strategy ahead of the FIFA World Cup also includes dialogue sessions with local and federal authorities to define the operation of its drivers at the Mexico City International Airport (AICM), where the capital’s government also plans to operate its own taxi app.
Earlier this year, Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada announced the development of a mobile application dubbed Taxi CDMX, meant to modernize taxi services ahead of the sporting event.
Parameswaran said that Uber does not consider the Taxi CDMX app a risk or a threat; rather, it sees it as another step toward strengthening urban mobility.
“We firmly believe that Uber and taxis must collaborate to guarantee better services,” he said. Further information about Taxi CDMX is forthcoming.
In Mexico, Uber has more than 300,000 registered drivers, and its users number around 25 million annually. However, the FIFA World Cup, which will take place in June and July, will increase those numbers as some 5 million visitors are expected to arrive in the country for the 13 matches that will be played in Mexico.
