Where will Waymo take you in Miami? How do you get a ride? What to know
Buckle up: Waymo’s driverless ride-share service has arrived in Miami.
The company, a Bay Area-based subsidiary of Google’s parent company Alphabet, allows users to request a ride in a fully autonomous vehicle through its app.
Waymo has been testing its self-driving cars on Miami-area roads for more than a year. But in January, the company began opening up rides to the public. Since then, spokesperson Sandy Karp said Waymo has become available to tens of thousands of riders in the Miami area.
You may have already seen the white cars with spinning sensors on the roof.
MORE: We’re on our first driverless ride in Miami. See how it goes — and doesn’t go
If you’re looking to try out one of these robo ride-shares for yourself, here’s what to know about ordering a Waymo in the Miami area:
Who can use Waymo?
Waitlist and app: The service is not yet available to everyone. But Waymo has started letting users off its waitlist in the Miami area. You can sign up for the waitlist by downloading the Waymo app and entering your information. You’ll receive a notification when you’re off the waitlist and can start requesting rides. Karp said the company is planning on “opening up the service to everybody later this year.”
Capacity: Four people can ride in a Waymo at once — three in the backseat and one in the front passenger seat. Even though there is no driver, that seat has to stay empty.
MORE: We’re on our first Waymo ride in Miami. See how it goes
How does it work?
Requesting a ride: The service works like requesting an Uber or Lyft. Users can enter their destination in the app, which then matches them with a ride. The wait time for the ride, however, can be significantly longer than it is for Uber or Lyft.
Where can you go?
Miami-Dade routes: Waymo’s service area is still limited. Users can’t call rides to or from Miami International Airport.
But this week, Waymo announced it had expanded its service area to include Miami Beach. Previously, service had been limited to the mainland.
Currently, the northern boundary of Waymo’s service zone on the mainland is just north of Northwest 46th Street on the north and the Palmetto Expressway on the west. On the barrier island, service extends north to Bal Harbour. Riders can also go as far south as Dadeland. The zone covers much of the city of Miami, including downtown, Brickell, Wynwood and Edgewater, as well as Coral Gables, South Miami and swaths of unincorporated Miami-Dade.
Highway driving: Waymos don’t drive on Miami highways yet, although Karp said that the company has begun the testing. Waymo has already logged over a million highway miles with riders in Phoenix, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The company also recently added Orlando to the 10 cities it serves, including Miami.
How does Waymo compare to other ride-share services?
Amenities: Waymo offers features like music and temperature control that are similar to Uber Black, Uber’s premium ride-share option. All Waymo cars are electric vehicles.
Waiting and trip times: If you order a Waymo, be prepared to wait longer than you would for an Uber or Lyft. One ride, a Waymo from an office park near the airport to Brickell City Center on a Wednesday morning, took nearly an hour and a half: 26 minutes spent waiting for the car to arrive and 56 minutes of driving. The estimated wait time for an Uber to the same destination was between two and three minutes, and the drive itself would have taken around 20 minutes.
Cost: Like Uber or Lyft, Waymo prices vary depending on when you call a ride and where you want to go. You may find that prices surge around rush hour, when demand is higher. At this point, prices seem to be consistently higher for Waymo than for Uber or Lyft. The ride from the airport area to Brickell City Center cost about $10 more than an Uber to the same destination.
Hours: You can order a Waymo around the clock, although wait times may vary at different times of day.
In case of emergency
Calling for help: If you need assistance during your ride, you can press a button to be connected with a member of the Waymo team. This person will likely access the video and audio being recorded in your vehicle.
Pulling over: If you need to stop in the middle of a trip, there’s a button you can press on your phone or on the vehicle’s screen. The car will also pull over for emergency vehicles. If law enforcement stops your Waymo, the car will pull over, unlock, roll down its windows and connect with remote support.
Cleanup fees: Spilled your drink in the Waymo? Report spills, vomit or other messes using the app. If this happens to you, make sure to report it yourself. Not reporting a mess in your Waymo can lead to a higher clean-up fee. If you report the mess yourself, the fee is typically $50. You can also be fined for leaving trash or for smoking in the vehicle.
Tip your Waymo?
Options: Because Waymos are fully autonomous, there’s no driver to tip. The app does not have an option for tipping.
This story was originally published March 3, 2026 at 1:12 PM.
