Uber wants to be your ‘one-stop shop’ for all things transportation in Chicago

Starting this week, Chicagoans will be able to use Uber to do more than just hail a ride.

The company announced Sunday it will bring its public transportation feature to app users in Chicago after launching the feature in Denver, London and Boston earlier this year.

Starting Monday, a random sample of riders will gain access to the feature in the app, and it will spread to more users over the coming weeks.

Once those riders enter their destination into the app, they’ll see directions for CTA and Metra trains, as well as buses. Users will also be able to see the price and a time estimate for the trip using public transportation.

Uber’s head of transit David Reich said users will see the best routes using public transit alongside traditional Uber options, including UberX and UberPool. Once a route is selected, he said the app will suggest end-to-end directions, including transfer information and walking directions to and from stations in real time.

Reich said the feature marks a “strategic shift” from being just a ride-hailing company and becoming a “one-stop shop for all of your transportation needs.”

But for that to happen, “you really have to have all the riders’ best options for getting where they need to go, including options that might not be Uber options,” he said. “In a lot of situations, public transit is faster or cheaper than taking an Uber, and we want to make sure that our riders have access to that information.”

Reich said Uber chose Chicago for the transit integration because most Chicagoans use public transportation to get around the city. And it doesn’t hurt that Chicago is his hometown.

“Public transportation in Chicago specifically is just a great way to get around,” he said. “I lived there for many years, and that’s how I did it. And we want to make sure we’re able to make riding public transportation as approachable, as intuitive and as seamless as taking an Uber.”

However, unlike in Denver, Reich said, Chicago riders won’t be able to buy public-transit tickets in the app.