As baby travel experts, we get asked a lot of questions about how to get around with a baby while traveling. Parents naturally want to keep their baby safe while traveling, but bringing your own car seat and understanding foreign car seat laws isn’t always easy.
This is where taking Uber with a baby comes into the equation. It would be nice if you could simply order an Uber and hop in with your baby, but there are a few important safety and legal details to understand first. Read on for everything you need to know about how to Uber with a baby while traveling.
Ridesharing with a Baby or Toddler
Ridesharing services such as Uber, Lyft and Grab make it super easy for most people to get around while traveling, but traveling with a baby makes it a little harder. Car seat laws for ridesharing services and taxis are different in every location around the world, but as a rule of thumb, rideshare companies always require the use of a car seat for a baby passenger.
How am I going to get around while on holidays? Can I take an Uber with a baby or toddler?
It’s a bit shocking to learn that in some cities around the world you may bring an infant in a taxi without a car seat. While this may be tempting to leave your car seat at home, traveling with your baby or toddler in a taxi without a car seat is a huge safety risk, which we do not ever recommend. There are safer alternatives to consider to get around with your baby while traveling.
Below you will find a summary of the baby-friendly services currently offered by the Uber, Lyft, Bolt and Grab ridesharing services. Unfortunately the baby-friendly ridesharing services offered are currently limited in nature, but the general trend seems to be expanding.
If taking an Uber with a baby is not an option at your destination, don’t despair; you can still get around with your baby on your trip. Learn from our own baby travel experiences in our complete guide to “Traveling With Car Seats”.
How to Uber with a Baby or Toddler
Uber is the world-leader of ridesharing services, operating in over 10,000 cities worldwide. The ease of use and widespread availability of Uber drivers makes it our go-to ridesharing app around the world.
Uber with Your Own Car Seat
To travel in an Uber with a baby or toddler under 2 years old, you must bring your own car seat and you will be responsible for installing it. This may sound intimidating to parents as Uber drivers have a reputation for being in a hurry, but don’t let this dissuade you. In our experience using Uber with our own car seats, drivers have always been patient while we install them
If you are wondering if your child can ride in an Uber without car seat, be aware that your Uber driver is required to (and very likely will) refuse your ride if you don’t have the proper restraints for your baby.
Using Uber Without Your Own Car Seat
If you prefer not to travel with a bulky car seat, Uber offers a limited Car Seat option in select cities. For an extra fee (typically around US$10 per ride), you can request a car that arrives with one installed convertible car seat.
Availability is extremely limited and you will only see the Car Seat option in the app where it is supported, so do not assume it will exist at your destination; always check your route and city in the app before you rely on it.
Criteria for the Uber Car Seat Program
The current Uber Car Seat rides include a Nuna RAVA convertible car seat that can be used rear facing or forward facing for children roughly 5 to 65 lb. Uber provides only one car seat per vehicle, so this option will only cover one child.
Parents are responsible for checking that their child fits the latest published limits, confirming the installation, and using the seat in line with local child restraint laws at their destination.
Where Can I Use the Uber Car Seat Program?
When we first published this guide, Uber Car Seat was a niche service in New York City. Since then it has shifted and is now tightly focused on a short list of cities. At the time of our latest update, Uber reports that Car Seat rides with a Nuna RAVA are available in select US markets such as New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, New Jersey, Miami, Washington D.C., Atlanta and Orlando. This list can change without notice and some locations have used different seat types in the past.
Uber does not maintain a simple, always-accurate global list, so the most reliable way to check is inside the app. Set your pickup and drop-off, then look for a “Car Seat” option in the available ride types. If you do not see Car Seat listed, plan to bring your own travel car seat or book a private transfer that guarantees one.
How to Find Uber With Car Seat Service
To see if Uber Car Seat is an option in your destination, start by checking directly in the app. Open Uber, enter your pickup and drop-off locations, then scroll through the list of available ride types.
If Uber Car Seat is available in that city, you will see a “Car Seat” option listed. Select it, choose your reservation time, and you will see the added car seat surcharge included in the fare estimate.
If you do not see a Car Seat option at all, it is not offered for that route or city and you should plan to bring your own travel car seat or arrange a transfer that guarantees one.
Uber has changed their car seat program many times since I first published this post. To get the most current information, visit the Uber Car Seat webpage.
Lyft with a Baby or Toddler
A rapidly growing competitor to Uber, Lyft operates primarily in the major markets in the United States and Canada.
Lyft Car Seat Mode
Lyft offers a similar program to Uber Car Seat called “Lyft Car Seat Mode“. Although Lyft Car Seat Mode is only available in New York City, they make it sound like they are expanding the service to new markets, so watch for Lyft Car Seat mode when you book your ride.
As with Uber, babies using the Lyft Car Seat Mode service provides a front-facing car seat. In order to use this service, your child must be over 2 years old, weigh between 22 – 48 lbs and be between 31 – 52 inches tall.
Using Lyft with Your Own Car Seat
Outside of Car Seat Mode in New York City, you should plan to bring your own car seat when using Lyft with a baby or toddler. Lyft’s policy is that children are welcome as long as they are travelling with an adult and using a car seat that complies with local laws, and parents are responsible for installing it correctly.
Most drivers are patient while you install your seat, but they can decline a ride if a child cannot be safely or legally restrained, so always be prepared with an appropriate travel car seat.
Bolt with a Baby or Toddler
Formerly known as Taxify, Bolt is the largest ridesharing service in Europe and have expanded to offer ridesharing services around the globe.
Bolt Ridesharing with a Car Seat
Bolt has become a solid ridesharing option for families in parts of Europe, but their child seat offering is still very destination specific. In some cities, Bolt provides a dedicated category (often called “Child”, “Kids” or “Booster Seat”) where cars come with one EU-approved booster seat for an older child, typically in the 15 – 36 kg range.
The exact naming and requirements vary by city, and Bolt does not maintain a simple public master list, so the only reliable way to check is inside the app for your destination. If you see a family or booster category listed when you enter your pickup and drop-off, you can expect at least one booster seat included for that ride
Bolt Ridesharing with Your Own Car Seat
If there is no child or booster category available where you are travelling, plan to ride Bolt with your own car seat. Request a standard Bolt, then let the driver know you will be installing a child seat.
As with other rideshare services, you are responsible for bringing an appropriate, approved restraint for your child and installing it correctly. Drivers may cancel a trip if a child cannot be transported safely or in line with local laws, so always assume you will need your own seat unless the app clearly shows a family option.
Grab with a Baby or Toddler
Grab is the main rideshare option in many Southeast Asian cities and can work very well for families, as long as you plan ahead. Local laws still apply, which usually means young children must travel in an appropriate child restraint, even in a Grab.
In some locations you will see GrabFamily services designed specifically for families; in others you will not find any built-in child seat option at all. Always check what is available in the Grab app for your destination before you decide whether to rely on it or bring your own travel car seat.
GrabFamily Car Seats
In cities where GrabFamily is offered, you can book a ride that includes one approved child restraint for a small surcharge.
In Singapore, for example, GrabFamily (Ages 1 – 3) uses an Urban Kanga or IMMI Go style car seat, while GrabFamily (Ages 4 – 7) provides a mifold booster for children who meet local height and age rules.
Only trained drivers can accept these bookings and one seat is provided per car. Exact age, height and surcharge details can change, so always read the current requirements in the app and confirm your child fits before you ride.
Grab Ridesharing with Your Own Car Seat
If GrabFamily is not available where you are travelling, plan to use Grab with your own car seat. Book a standard Grab ride, let your driver know you will be installing a child seat, and fit it securely before you start the trip.
Grab’s guidance is that children below the local height or age thresholds must use an appropriate restraint, and drivers can decline trips that are not safe or legal. To avoid surprises, assume you will need to bring your own seat unless the Grab app clearly shows a family or child seat option for your journey.
Alternatives to Uber with a Baby While Traveling
As you can see, unless you are in a market where Uber Car Seat is offered, taking an Uber with a baby isn’t the best way to get around, unless you want to lug your own car seat around with you. Don’t despair, there are still many great options available to you to safely get around with your baby on vacation.
If you are visiting Europe with your baby (or another walkable destination), one strategy which we have used often in our travels is to arrange a private transfer from the airport to our hotel. Once at our hotel, we either walk everywhere or take public transit to get around with our baby.
A private transfer is an very affordable luxury, especially when traveling with a baby or toddler. Your driver will meet you at the arrival gate (with your name on a sign!) and will walk you to your car, then drive you directly to your hotel. Private transfers are usually comparable in cost to a taxi and are just so nice after a long day of travel with kids.
When in Europe, we use private transfers from Welcome Pickups as they offer car seats if requested at the time of the reservation. For most non-European destinations, another private transfer company which provides car seats is Suntransfers.
If you are traveling to a non-walkable destination with your baby, perhaps consider a road trip with your baby, or renting a car with a car seat.
We hope that this summary of taking ridesharing services with a baby helps you get around with your little one a little easier. With parent-friendly services like Uber Child Seat, Lyft Car Seat Mode and GrabFamily, it’s getting easier to travel with your baby.
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This post was written & edited by:
Celine Brewer is the owner of Baby Can Travel. Not only does she have years of experience traveling with babies & toddlers, but she's helped millions of new parents travel with their babies and toddlers for over a decade. In addition to writing on her baby travel blog, she has shared her expertise on traveling with a baby or toddler by contributing to articles about traveling with a baby with the Washington Post, USA Today, the Lonely Planet magazine and Pregnancy & Newborn magazine.
Celine also writes about family travel on the site FamilyCanTravel.com, which she co-owns with her husband. Being from the Canadian Rockies, she shares her passion about her home and travel to Banff National Park and area on their site TravelBanffCanada.com.