Premium car booking service Uber has launched in Beijing, eight months after making its Chinese mainland debut in Shanghai. The capital's launch marks the company's presence in 100 cities worldwide.
Rolled out in San Francisco in 2010, Uber aims to provide passengers with a high-quality chauffeur conveniently, with an app that lets you book the cab and track its journey to you.
Uber's minimum fare in Beijing is 30 yuan ($4.80) compared to 60 yuan ($9.60) in Shanghai, making the service a far costlier option to a standard taxi in either city, where fares start at either 13 or 14 yuan.
However, it is uncertain if Uber has benefited from the rise of controversial taxi apps in Shanghai, which have made cab-hailing a far more difficult endeavour.
Despite its widespread popularity with clients around the world, Uber has courted controversy in several countries, where reports of drivers clashing with cabbies have surfaced. In January, taxi drivers in Paris, France reportedly attacked an Uber driver's car at an airport, protesting competition from the start-up.
[Image via Uber]
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