Transport minister Yuriko Backes welcomes Uber's arrival in Luxembourg

In a statement released on Friday, Backes said she hoped the venture would bring more customers and demonstrated willingness to work alongside the taxi sector.

"When you travel abroad, it's now a habit to use Uber to book any taxi journeys. This hasn't been the case in Luxembourg until now, so I think this will boost customer numbers for the taxi companies thanks to this internationally well-known platform. It will not only help people living in Luxembourg, but also travellers from elsewhere."

Backes added that the launch was a good opportunity to work on making pricing more competitive. "We all know how expensive taxi fares are," she commented. Thus far, she said the Ministry had borne little influence, but with Uber's arrival, this could change.

Taxi federation: "We need to adapt"

Luxembourg's taxi federation said the sector would have to adapt to new digital processes, no matter what. Customers want to be able to book taxi journeys via an app, and want to know the fare in advance.

President Paulo Leitão welcomes the fact that other operators can also work with Uber alongside Webtaxi.

"It will open new doors with a different dynamic. I think it will be positive for customers and for small businesses in the sector."

Although there were taxi platforms prior to Uber's launch, these were not widely known among newcomers or visitors to Luxembourg. Uber is likely to attract a wider customer base and could affect fares.

"With digital platforms over the past few years, the business model has changed for taxis, with less waiting time, fewer wasted trips, so profitability goes up for drivers and operators alike. This is a positive."

Earlier on Friday, the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP) responded to the news of Uber's imminent arrival, calling for stringent regulations to ensure fair employment conditions and social benefits for drivers.