Key takeaways:
Freenow by Lyft has expanded in leisure and tourism destinations, with 11 new cities across Greece and seven new cities in Spain
Freenow by Lyft also added more cities in Germany, the UK, and Ireland.
Freenow now operates in 200+ cities across nine countries
Acquiring Freenow last year was Lyft's first major step in transforming into a global mobility ecosystem. Freenow brought a taxi-first model, built over decades of navigating Europe's regulatory landscapes and tightest cobblestone streets, plus deep relationships with taxi fleets and city regulators in every market it operated; Lyft brought scale and technology. The results speak for themselves: fast expansion where seasonal demand is highest and deeper investment where Freenow already leads.
“A year in, this is exactly the kind of growth we wanted,” said Jeremy Bird, Lyft's EVP of Global Growth. “We're being thoughtful and deliberate about what’s next, whether that's deepening our roots in markets we've served for years or reaching riders in new places.”
Chasing the sun: leisure and tourism as the next frontier
A big story across the Mediterranean: Greece has added 11 new destinations over the past year, bringing Freenow to more than 20 summer destinations nationwide. From coastal towns like Nafplio and Kavala to islands including Zakynthos and Andros, these are places where summer crowds arrive faster than the local taxis can keep up — exactly the kind of gap Freenow has the expertise to fill.
Spain has followed the same pattern, adding 7 new markets including Gran Canaria – Freenow's first foray into the Canary Islands – and Marina Baixa, the region around Benidorm, one of the Costa Blanca's busiest summer hotspots.
Together, Spain and Greece account for the lion's share of Freenow's new markets over the past year. It's a deliberate bet on underserved seasonal demand.
To meet the demand of tourists year-round, Freenow has been expanding the driver base across 13 cities in Italy – Rome and Milan, especially. Adding more drivers to the platform means shorter wait times and more options for Italian passengers, no matter what time of year they travel. Che bello!
Doubling down where Freenow already leads
In regions where Freenow is already a strong player – Germany, the UK, Poland, and Ireland – the past year has been about depth, not breadth. These markets already have scale and trust; the focus has been on strengthening that foundation rather than growing the map.
In Ireland, where Freenow is already the leading taxi app, the company doubled down by welcoming Lynk and Swift into the Freenow ecosystem, reinforcing its leadership as the country’s leading taxi app. Elsewhere across the British Isles, Lyft acquired Gett’s UK business, which combined with Freenow, will have the majority of registered black cab drivers across Greater London on the Lyft platform.
In Germany, one of the company's largest markets with 143 cities and regions, Freenow became the first taxi-hailing app to reach the alpine area around Garmisch-Partenkirchen — proof that even a market this mature still has a few peaks left to climb.
And in Poland, beyond its strongholds in Warsaw, Cracow, and Gdańsk, Freenow is currently doubling down on growing the availability of rideshare in several high-potential Polish cities to help reduce wait times and increase options for passengers. Lyft is serious about growing its footprint across Europe.
Two speeds, one strategy
Freenow's first year under Lyft shows two expansion strategies running in parallel: fast, opportunistic growth in seasonal markets, and steady investment in mature ones. Together, they've added roughly 20 new cities to Freenow's map in just over a year – this is strategic growth with intention, not just pins on a map. Even if some pins just happen to be on a beach.
Forward Looking Statements:
Certain statements contained in this announcement are “forward-looking statements” about Lyft within the meaning of the securities laws, including statements about Freenow’s growth plans. Such statements, which are not of historical fact, involve estimates, assumptions, judgments and uncertainties. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those addressed in the forward-looking statements. Such factors are detailed in Lyft’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Lyft does not undertake an obligation to update its forward-looking statements to reflect future events, except as required by applicable law.