Getting attendees to and from your festival is more than just a logistical detail; it’s a key part of the guest experience. With many people arriving and leaving within a short window, traffic jams, missed rides, and safety issues can arise quickly.

One of the best ways to prevent this is to set up a custom Uber and Lyft pickup point in partnership with Uber or Lyft. As an event organizer or planner, you can work directly with Uber to designate official ride-share zones, streamline traffic, and provide your guests with a reliable transportation option.

Here’s everything you need to know about how to set up a custom Uber pickup point for your festival.

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Why Festivals Need Custom Pickup Zones

Festivals are high-traffic environments with numerous moving parts. Without a designated rideshare area, Uber drivers may circle endlessly, attendees might get lost, and security teams are left untangling confusion at entry and exit points.

Creating an official pickup and drop-off zone helps:

  1. Improve traffic flow near your venue
  2. Give Uber drivers a precise, app-visible location to arrive
  3. Help attendees find their ride quickly, even in a crowd
  4. Maintain crowd safety and reduce congestion.

Whether your event is hosted at a park, stadium, or city block, this extra step will make a major difference in logistics and guest satisfaction.

Step-by-Step Guide: Setting a Custom Pickup or Drop-Off Point with Uber

Uber Business

Create an Uber for Business Account

To begin, you will need to sign up for an Uber Business account. This platform is designed for organizations, providing event planners with rideshare tools tailored for larger groups and events.

Once you have set up, you will gain access to:

  1. Uber Central – Direct Ride Management

Uber Central allows you to book and manage rides on behalf of your attendees, even if they don’t have the Uber app installed. Through the Central dashboard, you can:

  • Schedule rides in advance or request them on demand.
  • Specify exact pickup and drop-off locations.
  • Choose vehicle types (e.g., UberX, UberXL, Uber Black).
  • Monitor ride statuses and communicate with drivers.Uber for Business

This is particularly useful for VIP guests or when you want full control over transportation logistics.

  1. Uber Vouchers – Flexible Ride Subsidies

Uber Vouchers allow you to subsidize rides for your attendees. You can:

  • Set specific pickup and drop-off locations.
  • Define the voucher’s value and validity period.
  • Distribute vouchers via links or codes.Uber Vouchers Example

Attendees redeem these vouchers through their Uber app, and you only pay for the rides that are taken. Uber Transportation Services

  1. Geofenced Pickup Zones – Optimized On-Site Coordination

For large-scale events, Uber offers the ability to set up geofenced pickup and drop-off zones. This involves:

  • Designating specific areas for Uber pickups and drop-offs.
  • Coordinating with Uber to communicate these zones to drivers and riders.
  • Managing traffic flow and reducing congestion at the venue.

This service is ideal for events held at venues such as convention centers or stadiums.

Set Up a Geofenced Pickup/Drop-Off Zone

This geofenced zone ensures that both attendees and drivers are on the same page — reducing missed rides and onsite traffic chaos.

Promote the Pickup Zone to Your Attendees

Once your custom pickup point is live in the Uber app, you will make sure attendees actually use it.

  1. Share the location across:
  2. Your event website and FAQ
  3. Maps and schedules (print or d
  4. Social media posts and email updates
  5. On-site signage and wayfinding, especially near entrances/exits

Step-by-Step Guide: Setting a Custom Pickup or Drop-Off Point with Lyft

While Uber is the leading choice for many, it’s smart to also offer Lyft, especially for U.S.-based festivals. Lyft gives event organizers tools to create designated rideshare zones and offer discounts through a branded event setup.

Here’s how to set it up:

Create a Lyft Event

Start by logging into your Lyft Business account or creating one if needed. From there:

  1. Enter your event details, including: Event name, Organization or company name (optional), Start and end dates, Start and end times
  2. Create a unique alphanumeric event code (8–16 characters): It must include at least one letter and one number
  3. Set your budget and how many ride codes you want to generate
  4. You can also restrict location usage so that the codes work only in specific areas around your event

Define Pickup and Drop-Off Locations

Lyft allows you to set up to five pickup and drop-off points within your event’s geofenced area.

  • Choose specific addresses or general zones near entrances and exits
  • Use Lyft’s Concierge service to drop a pin directly on the map
  • Add custom driver notes, like “Use Gate 3 entrance near food trucks,” to improve clarity and reduce wait times
  • This setup makes the pickup process smoother for both guests and drivers.

 

Share the Event Code with Guests

Once your Lyft event is live and zones are defined, share the unique code with your attendees.

  1. Promote the code via email, social media, signage, or on your event website
  2. Let guests know where the Lyft zone is located
  3. When requesting a ride, attendees can enter the code in the Lyft app to access any discounts you’ve enabled

Conclusion

Coordinating transportation is no longer just a back-end detail.  It’s a must for any well-run festival. By setting up custom pickup points with both Uber and Lyft, you provide your attendees with a safer and more convenient way to arrive and depart while also reducing on-site traffic issues.

With features such as geofenced zones, ride vouchers, and concierge ride booking, both platforms offer powerful tools that event organizers can utilize to streamline transportation and enhance the overall guest experience.

Start by creating business accounts with Uber and Lyft, coordinate your designated pickup zones, and communicate them clearly across all attendee touchpoints. When transportation flows smoothly, your entire event benefits.

Special thanks to EventHub Account Executive Ayansley Santos for contributing her expertise to this article!

 

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