Lyft is deepening its push into international urban transport with an agreement to acquire Gett’s UK business, a move that significantly strengthens its position in London’s highly competitive ride-hailing and taxi market. Once completed, the transaction will give Lyft majority access to registered black cab drivers across Greater London through its platform, instantly making it a dominant force in one of the world’s most iconic taxi networks. The acquisition adds another major layer to Lyft’s growing London ecosystem. Through its ownership of Freenow, the company already operates across multiple transport categories in the city. It also recently secured a renewed role providing the bikes, docking stations, and supporting software for Santander Cycles, one of London’s best-known public transport brands. Later this year, Lyft also plans to begin testing autonomous rides in London in partnership with Baidu, giving it exposure to both traditional driver-led transport and future self-driving services in a single market.
With Gett folded into the platform, Lyft will now be able to offer one of the broadest urban mobility portfolios in the capital: black cabs, private hire vehicles, executive chauffeur services, shared bikes, and eventually autonomous rides. That kind of multi-modal footprint is rare, frankly, and positions the company strongly in Europe’s largest taxi and ride-hail market. Gett’s value goes beyond consumer bookings. The company has long focused on enterprise transport services, building relationships with major corporations, historic venues, and public sector organizations across London. That business-to-business network gives Lyft immediate access to high-value recurring demand, an area many mobility platforms still struggle to scale consistently.
Jeremy Bird, Lyft’s EVP of Global Growth, described the acquisition as a sign of long-term confidence in London and said Gett helps expand Lyft’s reach across the city’s full ground transport ecosystem. Freenow by Lyft CEO Thomas Zimmermann added that London’s black cab drivers represent some of the most qualified drivers anywhere, referencing the famously rigorous “Knowledge” licensing process that requires mastery of thousands of streets and landmarks. Operationally, Gett’s UK team is expected to transfer into Freenow by Lyft after closing. Lyft said the transaction is expected to close in the coming weeks, subject to customary conditions. Financially, the company noted the acquisition will not affect Q1 2026 results and should have only an immaterial impact on Q2 2026.
The broader story here is clear: Lyft is evolving from a North America-focused ride-hailing brand into a global urban mobility platform. London appears to be one of its key proving grounds.