Uber and Lyft at RDU

What a ride costs from Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU) to the places people go most in Raleigh-Durham, around midday on a weekday.

Where to meet your ride at RDU

Uber and Lyft pickup: Leave baggage claim, cross to the outer commercial curb and walk to the purple prearranged/Ride App zone: Zone 1 at Terminal 1, Zone 8 at Terminal 2.
Terminal 1: Zone 1 on the outer commercial curb outside baggage claim.
Terminal 2: Zone 8 on the outer commercial curb outside baggage claim.
Dropoff: Departures curb at your airline: by the ticketing area at Terminal 1, on the upper Departures level at Terminal 2.
Taxis: Walk-up taxis wait in the signed Taxi zones on the commercial curb at both terminals. The airport's operator, Taxi Taxi, can be called on 919-333-3333 or booked in the Curb app.
Self-driving rides: None as of October 2026
Train or bus: GoTriangle Route 100 and the RDU Shuttle link both terminals with the Regional Transit Center; GoTriangle's single fare is $2.50.

Zone numbers are posted along the commercial curb; check the sign before you wait.
The airport's ride-app trip fee is $4.54 from May 2026.
Drivers may wait only about a minute at the curb, so be ready before you request.

Last checked October 11, 2026. Pickup areas move during construction, so follow the signs and the app on the day. Sources: rdu.com, rdu.com, rdu.com, rdu.com. .

Prices from RDU by destination

To	Distance	Time	UberX	Lyft	UberXL	Taxi
Downtown Raleigh	14.7 mi	23 min	$30–41	$28–34	$41–58	$44–52
Duke University	16.6 mi	23 min	$32–44	$30–36	$44–62	$49–58
UNC Chapel Hill	17.9 mi	25 min	$34–47	$32–38	$47–66	$53–63
NC State University	13.8 mi	22 min	$29–39	$27–32	$39–55	$42–49
Research Triangle Park	6.1 mi	10 min	$17–23	$16–19	$23–31	$20–24
Downtown Durham	14.8 mi	19 min	$29–40	$27–33	$40–56	$44–52
North Hills	16.2 mi	23 min	$32–44	$29–35	$43–61	$48–57
Cary	12.0 mi	17 min	$26–35	$24–29	$35–49	$37–43
Lenovo Center	9.5 mi	14 min	$22–30	$21–25	$30–41	$29–35
Glenwood South	13.6 mi	22 min	$29–39	$27–32	$39–55	$41–49

Estimates for a weekday around midday, with the airport fee and any tolls we can price included. Tips are not. Taxi figures use the regulated meter or flat fare. .

Check your own trip

Airport fees at RDU

Rideshare trips at RDU carry an airport fee of $4.54 on pickups and $4.54 on dropoffs, which our estimates include. Airport rate sheet effective May 1, 2026 lists a $4.54 ride-app trip fee. It does not say whether drop-offs count as trips; third-party trackers show RDU charging both directions. Source.

Self-driving rides at RDU

We do not know of a self-driving service that serves RDU today. See where self-driving rides are available.

Common questions

How much is an Uber from RDU?

It depends on where you are going. For example, we estimate UberX from RDU to Downtown Raleigh at $30–41 around midday on a weekday. The table on this page lists 10 popular destinations.

Is Uber or Lyft cheaper at RDU?

They are usually within a few dollars of each other, and either can be cheaper at a given moment. From RDU to Downtown Raleigh we estimate UberX at $30–41 and Lyft at $28–34.

Is there an airport fee for Uber and Lyft at RDU?

Yes. Our estimates add $4.54 for pickups and $4.54 for dropoffs at RDU.

Can I take a self-driving car to or from RDU?

We do not know of a self-driving service that picks up or drops off at RDU today.